The Curta calculator and something different

[brianweldor]

A fantastic link about the Curta mechanical hand calculator http://www.vcalc.net/cu.htm
and if you ever wanted to make something special, this organization is always looking for new machines http://www.srl.org

 

[kd0afk]

Are there blueprints anywhere for the curta? Might be the ultimate test of a 3d printer.

 

[dll932]

Just found this thread. I had a Curta. Made like a Swiss watch. You can download 3D files to print one.

 

[Mike Henry]

There's a set of CAD drawings for one of the Curta calculators, one at 1:1 scale and another at 3:1. I've printed most of the parts for the latter except from a few small one that don't print well at FDM reslutions. If anyone is interested I'll dig up links to the CAD files.

 

[stargrit]

There's a set of CAD drawings for one of the Curta calculators, one at 1:1 scale and another at 3:1. I've printed most of the parts for the latter except from a few small one that don't print well at FDM reslutions. If anyone is interested I'll dig up links to the CAD files.

 

[Wlodek]

I have a Curta. I dismantled it for cleaning. It is a complex, precision instrument. Making a working one a 3D printer sounds absurd.

 

[Mcgyver]

I have a Curta. I dismantled it for cleaning. It is a complex, precision instrument. Making a working one a 3D printer sounds absurd.

I don't know much about 3D printing, except the results often seem a bid crude, so your comment sent me searching.....guess they increased the size to get around the lack of resolution

YouTube

 

[Mike Henry]

I have a Curta. I dismantled it for cleaning. It is a complex, precision instrument. Making a working one a 3D printer sounds absurd.

Hence the design for one at 3:1 scale. It seems workable from a 3D print so long as the smallest parts are made on an SLA or DLP printer that resolves down to 25 µ. It's no substitute for a real Curta but makes for an interesting project if that's how you define fun.