Radio Shack EC-458

LCD display calculators from the 1980s and 1990s are not as interesting as the LCD and VFD display machines of the previous decade but i like this simple little Radio Shack machine. It reminds me of the vogue in my latter school days for machines with solar panels, it seemed like we were entering the future with free power! The EC-458 is dual power so has a battery as well, and still works fine.

It has the basic arithmetic functions plus square root and memory. A basic machine, with a solar panel!

Manuals (5) : Silver-Reed SR10

Scans from the manual of a Silver-Reed SR10.

Dialing in the dark

An important skill it was always useful to have was how to dial the emergency services on a dialphone if you couldn't see the dial (such as in the dark during a power cut, in a smoke filled room or you had been blindfolded by a bunch of big lads in balaclavas). I feel this is still an important skill to have so here is a quick guide to calling 999, if you can't see.

Take your first two fingers and locate the dial, put your fingers in the last two holes next to the metal prong.

As so, now you have your fingers in 9 and 0.

Remove your right most finger (which should be on 0). Now dial with your other finger (which should be on 9).

Go all the way around until you reach the other side of the prong and release. Do this two more times then hopefully you will get the emergency services operator. Good luck!

More on the PT400

The latest typewriter in the collection is the Boots PT400 which arrived a few days ago. This is a very similar machine to the likes of the SR10 and Red Fox but the format just works so well. This machine in particular seems to have been very well maintained since it was originally bought in Cambridge in 1988 (the manual came with it with the purchase details on it). One of the best working machines in the collection in fact!

Typing on a Traveller de Luxe S

Another typing video.

Showcase (13) : Triumph-Adler Tippa

This fine small portable machine is from early 1960s was the first typewriter we received with German language keys such as Ü and the eszett. The typewriter is in good condition though feels like one which has worked hard in it's time. The typewriter has received a new ribbon and has a good clear typeface (see below).

The Tippa range of typewriter was originally from the German manufacturer Gossen. The Tippa range was sold to Adler in 1956, later it was produced by Triumph-Adler (Triumph taking over Adler in 1966). Our example is an Adler Tippa 1 likely from about 1964.

Sanyo CX-8131

A typical calculator from Japan in the mid-1970s. The CX-8131 offered the basic arithmetric functions plus square roots and percentages. Plus there was a key to switch the sign of a number and memory. All results were displayed on a nice green Vacuum Fluorescent Display (VFD) display.

The calculator works pretty well, maybe not very exciting but the red, white and blue colour scheme for the keys is pleasing.

Number 30!

A new arrival to the typewriter collection, and the thirtieth in the collection. I wasn't planning on getting a second typewriter this year so soon but have been a bit unwell so this is to cheer me up. And it is a rather pleasing Boots PT400. More of which in the coming weeks.