Acu-Rule Slide Rules at the Slide Rule Universe Original Artwork by: Larry Stewart, The Slide Rule Universe is a trademark of Sphere Research Corporation

Updated April 22, 2003 Click REFRESH on your browser if pages seem unchanged Visit our amazing document server. Everything from Quotes and SciFi to Ethics. Welcome To The Sphere Research Slide Rule Universe ! Detials on the Acu-rule/Acu- math Slide Rule project

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April 22, 2003 CASES! CLICK for bigger PIC! CLICK for bigger PIC! We received the sample cases and rules today, the three case types are shown at the left. The two Ginger Leather cases can accomodate a fairly narrow range of rules. The cases will fit most Pickett rules from 900/1010 to 500/800 size body styles, but nothing wider like an N3. No thicker wood body duplex rules will fit without damaging the case, so no 4081-3, Dietzgen 1734, etc. can be housed in the case, although you are welcome to give it a try. The Acu-rule case designs have very little thickness allowance, so they work best with Pickett aluminum rules or thin plastic body rules. The leather case with the pen holders is quite nice, and the utility of the design is quite high. It also has an ID window (at the bottom), and leather belt loop at the rear. Interestingly, there was a rare black leather version of this general style (heavier construction) from Pickett for the bigger N3/N4 body rules. The pocket case is made of laminated and heat sealed plastic, and has a leather-like look. Pickett aluminum pocket rules (200/300/600) fit well, as do small format plastic rules with shallow end braces, and many bamboo and plastic pocket mannheims no longer than 6 inches. Wider plastic duplex rules DO NOT fit, like the 4181-1, etc. For many, this case, with its very nice clip and good finish, will be very useful, but sadly, no wider duplex pocket rules will fit. April 23, 2003 RULES! CLICK for bigger PIC! RULE PARTS! CLICK for bigger PIC! The two sample rules we got are shown at the left, the Acu-Math 401 (Student Mannheim Trig), and Sterling 587 (Pocket Mannheim). The 401 is single sided, the 587 has a reversible slide with trig scales. One interesting feature of the 401 is the DI scale. The display case has a gold embossed Acu-Math logo on the clear top, and a red bottom. Both sets come with folded instruction sheets. We did not get a sample of the Magnesium body reuls they still have, so I can't comment on their appearance beyond what can be seen in the previous KIT photo below. The parts available are the laminated body blanks (just over 12 inches long, just under 7/8 inch tall, and 1/8 inch thick), cursors and springs. The blanks are very shiny, and the edges are rough, they require milling/routing to either make smooth edges, or grooved edges, as your desire. The cursors are for a total body height of approx. 1.5 inches. There is enough machining allowance to make a rule easily from three pieces, and end braces can be made from the same material, and glued with solvent. The springs fit inside the cursor to give good fit allowance against the rule body. There are roughly 2 tons of rule body blanks and about a thousand cursors available. April 8, 2003 CLICK for bigger PIC! We received the first picture today of the proposed KIT they will offer of assorted rules and accessories. Have a look at the picture at left, as it shows many of the different rule and case styles they still have. The leather case with the two pen holders, and the plastic display case are especially interesting. Note that all of these are higher end rules than we normally associate with Acu-Math, and have the metal end brace design. April 5, 2003 We have been contacted by the former plant manager at the old Acu-Rule plant in Illinois, and he advised that there is a lot of old inventory remaining after the plant closure of new rules, packaging, blanks and parts, as well as many finished cases. There are both plastic and magnesium rules left, and vinyl and leather cases. The plant produced rules for their own Acu-Math brand, plus rules for Dietzgen, Sterling and K+E at various times, complete with packaging. There is also a large quantity of raw leather left, and there are dies for making cases, plus bulk stock of body material strips, which they are interested in selling. No scale dies for rule making are still in existance, however. Depending on the pricing structure that eventually develops, we will either forward inquiries directly to them, or offer them via the Slide Rule Universe. In total, about 300 new rules remain, of approximately 20 types. Abotu 800 hides for making cases, and 2 tons of body material are left.

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