Calculators in the Shop

[Tony Haukap]

Anyone using anything fancy like this TI-nSpireCX-CAS?

I was given this about 3 years ago and it's been sitting in a drawer since then. Today I finally decided to open the package and take it out and see what exactly it can do... well, it's way, way beyond my needs and just about everything I've seen on the 'web makes it out to be more for school/student use than for real world use.

After playing around with it I realized my old eyes really needed a calculator with a back-lit color screen!

So, what can this do? Well I found quite by accident that it can convert fractions to and from decimal...

But, there has to be more to this thing...I found a very nice program that runs on it called "EEPro" that's for electric calculations...

However after much searching I haven't found any programs with with Feet-Inches-fractions, conversion to metric and back, etc. I have an HP-50G that has an add-on program that can do feet-inches-fractions and it would seem that *someone* *somewhere* would have done the same for the TI-nSpire, but if it exists I haven't been able to find it.

This calculator is probably overkill for my needs, but I intend to use it just because the back-lit screen makes it so much easier to read. I already have a couple of Foot-Inch calculator models; one's an architectural version that does stairs and roofs among other things and one suited more for contractors that estimates quantities like bricks and studs, etc. So it's not like I'm without that ability, but I'd like to consolidate everything into one calculator if possible.

[Max Neu]

If you are a smart phone user,you can get apps to do anything that will do.I have a few different apps that I use for converting fractions,mm's,decimals, etc.There are also apps specifically for woodworking that are very helpful.

[Justin Ludwig]

Construction MasterPro here. The actual calculator costs about $90 at the BORG, but I have the app on my iPhone and it was $20. Works the same. I mainly use mine for conversions and figuring arcs/ellipses.

[Matt Day]

If you want to go back to school and take a differential equations, that is the Calculator you want! I unfortunately took all those classes and have an older version of one of those calculators that hasn't seen the light of day since college.

I use a calculator app on my iPhone and it does everything I need.

[John Coloccia]

re: conversions and things like that
I simply printed out a reference table that gives me:

-fractions
-decimal
-metric
-number/letter drills

I stuck it to my band saw with a couple of magnets.

That's not the only chart I have. Generally, anytime I need to calculate anything, I either find, or make, a spreadsheet and print it out. Router bushing/bit sizes is another one. Why calculate when you can simply look up? Much fewer errors that way. IMHO, you should avoid doing math in the workshop if at all possible.

I also keep a notebook that has all sorts of useful tidbits in it...like if I want to use some small brads to pin a piece of ebony in place, what size do I drill the clearance hole? I can look that up. I can look up everything having to do with all of the hardware and setups that I use.

One added advantage to using a chart is that you can immediately see the relationship between the difference measures and drill sizes. This comes in very handy if you want to make a hole just a little bigger or a little smaller, or if you fall between sizes and you want to see what the closest matches are.

[Mort Stevens]

Anyone using anything fancy like this TI-nSpireCX-CAS?

If I had a $170 calculator (which I don't) the last place I would take it is out to the shop where it's dusty and could easily get knocked onto the concrete floor! I have a $10 solar powered calc in the shop and while it doesn't do fractions and all that fancy stuff, it does the 4 functions (plus+,minus-,divide/,multiply*) that get used every single day. The foot-inch calculators look interesting and I've been tempted to buy one on a few occasions, but I just can't bring myself to spend $50 on something that doesn't cut wood.

[Tony Leonard]

Wow, that is neat! We didn't have anything like that when I was in engineering school. Wonder if you could write your own apps for it? I try to do everythign I can in my head just to kep the brain oiled. I can't, howeve, do trig by hand. A buddy of mine found a deal at Staples a couple of years ago that resulted in a very nice Sharp scientific (old style) for free! It even has a sliding cover that helps keep it clean. It sure does come in handy when I am using trig or working with decimals that get past my brain capacity. My old Casio from school was programmable, but the tape holding it together finally gave up! Once you get used to doing fractions in your head, it becomes second nature. I guess the other option is to go metric!
I would appreciate the electronics stuff these days as I have started fooling aroudn with that too. Actually been calculating RC times for 555 chips this week. Probably an app for that for the phone, but I rarely take it out to the shop.

Tony
Tony

[Robin Powlus]

Looks like you have a solution in search of a problem.

[Jim Matthews]

You measure?

Whatever for?
https://www.canadianwoodworking.com/...ithout-numbers

[Rod Sheridan]

I only have one calculator, an HP 11C.................My brain only works in RPN......................Rod

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I only have one calculator, an HP 11C.................My brain only works in RPN......................Rod

It took years but I finally recovered from the RPN disease!

[Rod Sheridan]

It took years but I finally recovered from the RPN disease!

LOL..........Did you sit there with an algebraeic calculator saying "How in the heck do I do this"?

Regards, Rod.

[Todd Willhoit]

I only have one calculator, an HP 11C.................My brain only works in RPN......................Rod

+1. Algebraic calculators are a pain. Put the Free42 (HP 42S) app on your phone and never be without a great calculator.

[Lornie McCullough]

LOL..........Did you sit there with an algebraeic calculator saying "How in the heck do I do this"?

Regards, Rod.

I have done that so often, I now refuse to use them. Now it is rpn or pencil and paper or slide rule.

[David L Morse]

I have done that so often, I now refuse to use them. Now it is rpn or pencil and paper or slide rule.

Same here. All those parentheses are a pain.
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