Curta Calculator Replica

[daeken]

Hi Everyone!

This is my first post on the RPF, as I've been holding off on posting about this for a while. While this isn't quite a replica prop, I think that it's about as close as humanly possible.

As some of you may know, the Curta Calculator is a handheld, fully mechanical calculator from the 40s. You can read about it on Wikipedia here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curta I've been downright obsessed with this thing for the past year or so, and I'm on my way to making a replica.

I took the original engineering drawings in German and indexed them, translating names into English and cross-referencing all of the parts. Then I took those and have been working with people to translate them all into German; two of ~140 parts are still not quite finished, but the rest are about perfect. Now I've hired a great Solidworks modeler to redo all of the drawings as Solidworks 3d models and 2d drawings. Over half of the 3d models are now done (in 2 days!).

Every bit of this is being released into the public domain. I want everyone to know the awesomeness that is the Curta. I just got my own original, and I've been taking photos of a teardown. I'm taking it slowly, but all of the photos will be up in the album below, along with proper measurements of parts.

If you're interested in taking a look at this, here's what I have so far:

• http://curtawiki.com/parts -- This is a cross-referenced list of all of the Curta Type I parts, with the original German and translated English diagrams
• https://github.com/daeken/ReCurta -- All of the raw data, drawings, code, and Solidworks models (along with STL files and PDFs of the CAD drawings, soon)
• https://www.dropbox.com/sc/vkbm0i94hue7qmj/AABaKae-9Tn2MZirBxo4h8Rra -- My teardown album. Pure engineering porn.

If you're interested in following the progress or helping out in some way, feel free to join the #curta channel on irc.freenode.net. I'm also considering doing a Kickstarter for replica Curtas (not for profit -- it'd just be nice to cover the money I'm spending on CAD services and getting manufacturing runs set up); if that ends up happening, I'm sure I'll throw it up here. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask!

Take care,
- Cody

 

[Mike J.]

I know the Curta is referenced tangentially in one of the newer William Gibson books.

...Why are you so interested in the Curta?


-MJ

 

[daeken]

I keep hearing that he referenced it in Pattern Recognition, but haven't gotten around to reading it. I should really do that -- been a while since I've read any of his stuff.

As for my interest in the Curta, it really comes down to insane respect for the engineering that went into it. I'm hard pressed to find more intricate machinery, outside of watches (which also greatly interest me). The attention to detail and the passion that led to the Curta is astounding to me; I want everyone to be able to see this for themselves, so I'm trying to make this as accessible as possible.

- Cody

 

[Mike J.]

Well, you could have certain parts machined out of lucite, or something similar, to show off the guts...

I don't like the newer Gibson stuff as much as I liked his cyberpunk stuff.

I worked at a company that sold (among other things) watches, and even though ours were Citizen quartz three hand date movements, I became very interested in serious mechanical watches for a few years. Could never afford anything cool, but I liked following the mags and websites


-MJ

 

[zapwizard]

All I gotta say I those calculators have always amazed me, and good luck!
The released stuff looks amazing.

 

[Johnson]

If you make this replica of the calculator could you sell it for a small amount of money

 

[Johnson]

With all the respect in wich stage you are in making one of those calculators because they have amazed me an I want one so much but I dont have money to buy one
Email:jkak72@gmail.com

 

[daeken]

If you make this replica of the calculator could you sell it for a small amount of money

Unfortunately, I don't think it'll ever be cheap enough to make, to turn a profit on it. We have 99% of the CAD models required to start initial manufacturing, but the tolerances are so tight, it'll cost waaaaay more than an original Curta. I'm going to be making a handful of them for myself and some friends, but that's probably all that will be coming of this.

If you want a Curta for cheap, I really recommend keeping an eye on Ebay -- occasionally a good deal will come up.

 

[Xyborg]

Amazing! Thanks for all of your detailed work on this, and for making your files available.

I've wanted a Curta for a long, long time, and may have an opportunity to buy one locally in March. I've been leery of buying one online, unseen.

Your disassembly photos are wonderful.

 

[Chicago23]

I would totally buy the one if you were to make it. Also I'd be up for a Kickstarter. That would be awesome.