Jump to content
 

"Anything You Can do, I Can Do Better ! Robinson and Downes.


Recommended Posts

  • RMweb Premium

I've heard the pencil version of the joke before, but if you did get the point of the dividers one, the punch line would be a visit to A&E.

The version I remember was the constipated mathematician who worked it out with a slide rule.

 

But then I don't suppose many people would know what a slide rule is/was!

Link to post
Share on other sites

The version I remember was the constipated mathematician who worked it out with a slide rule.

 

But then I don't suppose many people would know what a slide rule is/was!

My older brother used a slide rule when he first trained as a surveyor many years ago. He worked out loads of things with it!

Link to post
Share on other sites

The version I remember was the constipated mathematician who worked it out with a slide rule.

But then I don't suppose many people would know what a slide rule is/was!

I remember using a circular slide rule which belonged to my Father.

Link to post
Share on other sites

 

American clapboard number 4 finished though it needs tidying up here and there and door knobs when I can find them !

 

When compared to the average British style house - no more than a square box punctuated with a few windows, and maybe a porch if it's on a posh private estate where the show house is about the only one where everything fits and is not going to disappear down an old disused mine shaft when it's finished ! - American homes, and clapboard built in particular, are truly massive by comparison but here I have build to the exact scale and they look more like Gauge One Buildings than they do O Gauge but they could be scaled down I suppose without loosing too much of the impact.

 

Cheers.

Allan.

 

post-18579-0-19156100-1413892359_thumb.jpgpost-18579-0-63757600-1413892372_thumb.jpgpost-18579-0-30521700-1413892387_thumb.jpgpost-18579-0-45144600-1413892479_thumb.jpgpost-18579-0-64748700-1413892424_thumb.jpgpost-18579-0-03504500-1413892452_thumb.jpgpost-18579-0-14155500-1413892502_thumb.jpgpost-18579-0-59808200-1413892523_thumb.jpgpost-18579-0-24566500-1413892542_thumb.jpg

  • Like 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

Still got my slide-rule (and my F-I-Law's) in the drawer of this desk, but haven't used either in 50 years.

 

Simple tutorial.... The "numbers" are on a logarithmic scale, so multiplication became the addition of lengths "input" onto the fixed scale and the sliding scale. 

Similar calculations used for problems involving angles.

Indispensable pieces of kit in their day despite their limitations, especially for getting a "ball-park" figure and as a cross-check on a long-hand calculation. 

 

Can't remember when I got my first "Calculator" , but I remember being fascinated by a friend's works-issue Texas Scientific calculator in about 1959/60 which did sine, cosine, tan etc. and Square-roots calculations to 8 places of decimals! I believe that It cost £400 ! . (average wage was about £10/week then).  I remember it was about 2 years later before I could afford one, when the prices had dropped.

 

Sorry, very off-topic.. Going back to admire Allan's modelling prowess... much more interesting than maths problems!

  • Like 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

Truly impressive, Allan!

 

On the slide rule front my Father still has his from his A levels and then as a Civil Engineer on BR Western Region.  I swear he was almost as quick working out my prep with me at School as I was with the calculator!

Link to post
Share on other sites

My only mathematical aid is a Boots own brand shirt-pocket calculator over thirty years old, which only recently needed replacement batteries for the first time. Its main use involves the only demand on my intra-cranial memory cells: 1" = 25.4 mm. 

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

For buildings on a large scale, albeit in 4mm, check out this topic about the modelling of Carlisle Citadel and its surrounds.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/68919-carlisle-buildings-central-hotel-new-photos/?p=1635660

 

The pictures of the hotel builds are trully remarkable. This is one project to keep an eye on.

 

post-1643-0-06490000-1414048831_thumb.jp

 

post-1643-0-69368500-1414048786_thumb.jp

Edited by Highlandman
  • Like 8
Link to post
Share on other sites

It's a real honour to have Peter Leyland's magnificent buildings displayed on this thread and a real refreshing change from me and my  fire cement, Colron and clapboard !

 

Magnificent doesn't even start to describe it. Crafsmanship  right up there at the very top where it belongs.

 

Cheers .

 

Allan

Link to post
Share on other sites

And there's even greater demand for buildings in focus !

 

Here's a few taken outside this morning.

 

Superb work as usual Allan - those double doors are exquisite, I expect the hinges even squeak. Love the round window/grill too.

Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi Allan,

always like the black & white touch, it works really well, is it a recent build or one you did earlier in the day :-)

Love the roof detail and colouring, lovely model.

cheers

Peter

 

Thanks Peter.

 

Black and white. Two extremes. Ultimate impact yet so easy to model.

 

It's the latest build for a customer which means we'll be able to eat again soon !

 

Cheers.

Allan

 

BTW Peter, how long did it take you to build the hotel and Carlisle buildings in general ? wanna see if you're as fast as you are good !

  • Like 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

On Family Bathrooms today, a couple were revisited in Cornwall to see how they had settled into their 50 million one up, one down ex fishermans hovel.

 

"Hello !!" gushed Mrs Twee-Naff-Patch in false suprise as she answered the door to the Presenter "Come on in, please do !" then " What a suprise !" she lied.

 

"So" double gushed the Presenter " How do you like Cornwall and all its homeless locals who can't even afford to rent a winkle stall ?" 

 

" Oh, absolutely wonderful " enthused Mrs Twee-Naff-Patch "We love it so much that we're going to buy the rest of it "

 

"Wowee!" exclaimed the Presenter in false well rehearsed  and well paid excitement "What about the locals, where are they going to live - if they can afford to live at all ha,ha,ha ?"

 

"Sod 'em " snarled Mrs T-N-P in true naffism " What's wrong with an upturned rowing boat on the beach, I mean, there's  enough  bloody upturned wrecks on our 50 mile stretch of private beach to house half of Cornwall - at a price of course "

 

Then shut the door in the camera crew's face to go and  give her WI rasbury jam an urgent stir on the aga as Mr T-N-P dragged 50 tons of freshly picked veg into the kitchen.

Edited by allan downes
Link to post
Share on other sites

Engine shed based on the old shed that stood at Perth.

 

This was one huge shed where the the loco's entered through the massive doors beneath the glazed arches and because of this arrangement, the frontage stands at almost one foot high in 7mm !

 

This is gonna be one long haul....

 

Cheers.

Allan

 

post-18579-0-31070800-1414687143_thumb.jpgpost-18579-0-36325700-1414687170_thumb.jpgpost-18579-0-94100100-1414687196_thumb.jpgpost-18579-0-25220000-1414687431_thumb.jpgpost-18579-0-52833100-1414687447_thumb.jpgpost-18579-0-05635500-1414687470_thumb.jpgpost-18579-0-45842300-1414687492_thumb.jpg

 

 

  • Like 11
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...