I inherited my granddads CURTA, he used it for his work in the 50's and 60's my most beloved single object from him. I got it after he passed away so I had to learn on my own how to do basic arithmetics with it. Brings me joy.
timestamps: 0:00 - 2:49 Adam being amazed by history 2:49 - 3:21 Adam being amazed by packaging material 3:21 - 4:04 Adam being amazed by wooden crate 4:04 - 4:30 Adam being amazed by letter 4:31 - 4:35 Adam opening wooden crate and being amazed 4:35 - 5:07 Adam looking at curta calculator and being amazed 5:07 - 5:12 Adam swearing because he's so amazed 5:12 - 6:12 Adam being amazed by the fact that his name is on the thing 6:12 - 7:45 Adam playing with the curta calculator and being amazed 7:45 - 8:35 Video of assembly process
Some more calculation is done at th-cam.com/video/ShFkJgck6Pw/w-d-xo.html and at the end of the assembly video: th-cam.com/video/zh2Z11miQ0w/w-d-xo.html
A relative of mine had a Curta, I used to play with it as a kid and loved the intricacy of it, when he died I was offered it, but I didn't take it. Part of my daily routine is to kick myself.
Amazing! My dad was the national distributor for Curta back in the 50's. My brother and I used to demonstrate it at conventions so that my dad could say, "So easy, a child can work it." My dad and brother also repaired them. It was a beautiful, extremely well-made machine. When electronic calculators came in, it put my dad out of business. Fortunately, he was at the age where he could retire. This reproduction is amazing! Like you, I found it emotionally very touching.
This is a really beautiful piece of mechanical magic. The amount of time, patience and precision that goes into putting something like this together is nuts. I am right there with Adam, I 'd be terrified to operate it and break something because of my own clumsiness. Edit: I too was just as confused as Adam when he was trying to figure out which was the box went, then like Adam felt an little dumb when he set it up right. haha
Definitely an amazing piece of engineering. The original as well as the 3D printed. Wonder whether he considered printing one of transparent material though. It would be fascinating to see how the mechanics actually work in action, wouldn't it?
Thedragonixxx printing with transparent material doesn't work all that well especially for thicker things the better bet would just use clear plastic tube and then the rest being colored inside .
It is so wonderful to see what a person under horrible conditions can design and dream about. If I had known of this product in the 50's (i was a child), I would have bought one for my father who was a mechanical engineer. I did buy him that Texas Instrument Calculator and the definitive one that came later when I was in high school. He used the scientific calculator until he retired. Thank you for sharing.
Every time I look at one of these I just can't believe they're from the 50s. Like even the font that says Curta looks so modern and the overall material and everything. Amazing piece of awesome engineering. Edit: Obviously the 3D Printed one is amazing as well!
Der Eggad The 50s wasn't prehistoric times. Modern typography arose in the 1800s, modern engineering in the 1910s, precision engineering in the 1920s-30s, micro-engineering in the 50s, etc. Yeah most modern design and production concepts began well before you were born, who woulda guessed? And frankly the 3d printed one is less amazing, it's just a less precise duplicate created on a relatively dumb machine.
DoctorShocktor that's rather ignorant. the point of the comment is that while our styles and aesthetics have changed, the curta retains a modern look. of course the 50s we're not prehistoric, but it's the era is obviously dated. the vast majority of people don't wear beehive hairstyles with floral dresses or pompadours with black leather jackets, yet the curta has an almost contemporary feel to it. as well, i do not understand how the 3d printed replica is less precise; it uses the same schematics and mechanisms as a genuine curta, but in 3x scale and in ABS plastic. it is the same machine in a different medium. and i must say, for a dumb machine in its infancy, 3d printers are certainly versatile enough to make "smarter" machines with relative ease.
I can but shake my head in awe and amazement at the engineering, genius and craftsmanship that went into both the originals and the 3x model. They are beautiful pieces of art. Well done, Marcus. Very well done.
I seen the word “Curta” and just smashed the icon to watch. Then I realised it was Adam and I thought this is going to be good. I wasn’t wrong. Adams infectious happiness makes me smile. The ingenuity of Mr Wu to create this is beyond words. Great video.
I never knew such an beautiful scientific instrument existed. Thank you Mr. Curta for the genius of the original design. To Mr. Wu for lovely recreating such an iconic machine. Adam Savage’s joy is sharing this wonderful work brought tears of enjoyment and was a bright light to help finish my day after a long week.
Oh hell no. I started watching this thinking that a Curta Calculator would be mass produced nowadays and I could buy it for $35 on Amazon. Nevermind. It costs $2k.
Let me explain why. It's interworkings are all custom as the calculator is made. Meaning, instead of a normal watch where they're all the same internal workings going the same way. The Kurta is a fully custom gear working. Meaning, if you where to compare one from to the other, they would be completely different for the gear timings. Meaning, a person would have to go one by one and make sure each number worked. On. Each. Slide. That is why they cost an arm and a leg.
A few years ago the president of a company where I did some contract work showed me a real Curta. What an amazing machine. I just saw the video of the assembly of the mostly 3D printed Curta quite recently. It really shows the complexity of the device and how many parts it has. If it ever was to break (unlike the real thing) you can always have new replacement parts 3D printed.
What's wilder to think about is how many more people died without actualising their designs or ideas. What's more wilder is the number of people who can't go to school or are denied education because of war and all manner of human caused tragedies
While he was in the concentration camp (he was Jewish), he was ordered to work with the local machine shop to produce this rumored amazing mechanical calculator. The head of the shop actually told him that if his design actually resulted in a working mechanical calculator as Curt claimed, one would be given to Hitler as a present and he (Curt) would surely be declared an Aryan and his life spared. Curt did not want to become an Aryan by any means, but he did realize that turning his ideas into a working device could save his life. So he began to draw the detailed plans based on the device he had imagined he could build.
Bo88y Beretta Replicas encounter the same problem that the originals had - that every single gear train has to be custom-adjusted and tuned to mate with its neighbours, and the tolerances are super tight at that scale. They're literally custom make movements.
This is hands down the single most amazing thing I've yet to see done with a 3d printer. It's an amazing mechanical device to begin with, and to replicate it even at 3x is fantastic. Nice work Marcus.. Grats Adam on having one..:)
My partner has a couple of Curta Calculators & does 3-D printing, so I was delighted to watch this video. Thanks Adam, for sharing this wonderful bit of artistry!
Hi Adam, I purchased my first Curta in the late 60's -remember the ads in Popular Mechanics and Scientific American! We used it extensively for TSD rallies along with a Heller 100th reading odometer and a split stopwatch. My initial Curta was stolen when my wife was assaulted and had her handbag stolen- Yes she was my 1st concern but the loss of the Curta a close second... Since this time I have acquired 2 Type 1s and 1 Type 2 all in immaculate condition. These are truly one of the most amazing devices ever and a small community that still knows them and collects them. I LOVE the 3D printed version- what an incredible piece. I really want one!
Wow. Being a 3D printing expert and a mathematics lover, that is an absolutely beautiful and amazing rendition of the Curta calculator. Bravo to Marcus and I share Adams unbridled, giddy enthusiasm in this!
Adam: I know you don't read comments, but ... I loved the Kurta when I first saw it. I was able to buy a Model II for about $150 or so, IIRC, in the mid 1960s. As you say, it was obsolete shortly thereafter but it will forever have a place in my heart. (Right along with my 6" Post slide rule that saw me through countless college classes and my late father's 12" K&E.) What an odd feeling ... I think you had it too ... to see something so beautiful and functional and KNOW that it is probably the least sensible way to get the job done today. Thank you for this video ... and your perfectly relatable reaction.
I am so glad object like this exist and that we remember how to build them. What a thing of beauty. My respect to the original inventor, the maker and the collector. Lucky you Adam.
Marcus Wu, What you created is spectacular. My mind is blown and I can only imagine the complete utter excitement that Adam has each and every time he even glances at your creation. I also truly respect your quick responsiveness in giving the credit for the amazing box that encased your creation. I can now see why Adam would make a video in order to show off such an amazing gift as he allowed the world to see it be unpacked. Many applause sir. Bravo!
The Curta is truly a work of art and Mr. Wu deserves a big congratulations for making such a magnificent piece. I remember well learning to use a slide rule and bought one of the first TI calculators.
Building the Curta using a 3D printer is unbelievable. Of course building the original Curtas was pretty amazing. Seeing that old DataMath brought back memories. I started with TI in 1973. The calculators we were building (almost all by hand) had 3 circuit boards and over 100 components. They sold for $160 at Nieman Marcus. Three years later we were building TI-1200s. They had about 6 parts and sold for $10 at checkout stands. We built 75,000 per day! It was a hell of a ride. I am proud to have been part of a group that put calculators in every school kids hands.
That is by far the most awe inspiring thing I have seen on this TH-cam Channel.. The only thing I can say .. is I SO WANT ONE !!! .. I MUST HAVE ONE !!!!
When I was surveying for the Forest Service back in the late sixties and very early seventies each crew had one Curta assigned. They are very definitely mechanical works of art..
That will be in a museum one day along with a QR code leading to the build/assembly video................ Imagine seeing a Roman sword in a museum with a video of that exact sword being built playing in the background 🙂. The future is gonna be kind of awesome in some ways 🤔.
I applaud you, sir. Mauren is my home village, too. But I admit, I haven't really spend much thought about Curtas as of yet, even though my father owns a few of these nifty little machines. But hey, thanks to your ingenuity and dedication, I'm actually learning here a thing or two about my old neighborhood. Thanks and keep up the great work!
I was just there a week ago and went to the museum in Valduz. I saw the Curtis on display, but did not know much about it. This video was great to give perspective. Go figure, you can go to a place and soak it all in, but you have to go to this video to truly understand the meaning.
Calling someone "insane" is probably one of the highest compliments a maker can give someone when looking at their work. I think Adam said that word a dozen times this video (which seems about right to me).
I really love Curta too. Sadly I don’t have my own yet. Adam, please disassembe and assemble one of your original Curtas. I want to see how it looks inside. I know you want to do that.
There are a few good videos to get an idea for the internals of the Curta calculator: How the Curta Works: th-cam.com/video/loI1Kwed8Pk/w-d-xo.html -- This video is excellent and is how I discovered the Curta Calculator. Curta Calculator Assembly: th-cam.com/video/AnTb26WHx2Q/w-d-xo.html -- It is in German, but it shows the assembly of an original Curta. 3D Printed Curta Calculator Assembly: th-cam.com/video/zh2Z11miQ0w/w-d-xo.html -- This one is mine and covers assembly of the 3D printed Curta Calculator. It is similar to the video of the assembly of the original Curta, but for the 3D printed parts.
One of the best ever un-boxing videos on TH-cam in the Grown Man category. Congratulations to Marcus Wu and Cocobolo Studio for making it so - very awesome and beautiful work :)
Charles I did that and STILL want to buy one. Yes I know it is expensive as hell but they also keep their price well, which means there is not cost really to owning it. You can sell it and get back more than you paid for it. My main concern keeping me from buying it, is the impracticality of buying something that expensive. You have to verify very carefully that you are getting a Curta in appropriate condition. That it does not get lost in transport etc. But if I could meet a person and inspect its condition, I think I would be willing to pay what it costs.
@@erikengheim1106 Thing is though, as cool as they are they're basically entirely useless. I really can't justify spending that much on something just for the coolness factor.
@@CLaw-tb5gg It is the same as buying art of gold though. Both are pretty much useless, but they are ways of storing value. The first time someone made me aware of this was a friend who collected expensive watches. I wondered how he could afford it, but he pointed out to me that, it didn't really cost him anything, as collectable watches don't fall in value. That is quite different from say a fancy Apple Watch. They may seem cheaper but after a couple of years an Apple watch will have lost most of its value. The cost of owning something is the value depreciation. That is why it is very different to buy an expensive computer and a Curta. Your computer will loose massive amounts of value over a few years, while the Curta will actually increase in value. Yes the computer has more utility but a Curta is more useful in terms of value storage than a modern computer.
I don't think there's a single calculator that is as awesome as a cuarta, and the fact that he has made one at a massive scale is just beautiful. This masterpiece will really be worth something some day.
i know how to use an abacus...it drives me crazy when i see them being used on a program and they are trying to impress someone by "calculating" and doing it completely wrong
@@derkaiser9881 an abacus can count up to a trillion, at least the one my brother had and he was blind...so i learned how to use one that way... we never actually counted up that far (for obvious reasons) but the way the bead value worked you could see how that was possible...many links online if curious about how they function and operate and the history itself is really fascinating... www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abacus
I don't think my comment was really strong enough. Marcus: your work here is absolutely beautiful, and I applaud such amazing craftsmanship and attention to detail. And Adam: I'm sure you've heard this a million times already, but as far as I'm concerned you are almost single-handedly responsible for a sea change in our society, where being incandescently excited about nerdy, geeky things has become a trait to admire and emulate. Thank you for making this sort of thing cool, the way it should be!
Absolutely love historical analog pieces like this. It's wild to think of a time with no electronics but every time I do I just am awestruck at the inginuity of the inventors of that time.
I wonder if it'd be possible to print a 1:1 curta with a resin printer. They typically have very high resolution compared to FDM printer. In the meantime I'm going to try to print the 3x sized one.
I don't think a 1:1 scale printer is possible with a resin printer. I've seen the 1:1 scale parts and they are very small. At that size, the resin may not have the strength or rigidity necessary to operate. It would certainly be interesting to try, though. I'm looking forward to getting a resin printer soon.
I had seen the videos that Marcus posted about this build and am really happy to have seen this posted on Tested by Adam. Marcus deserves the accolades. He is also too modest - here's a link to his own TH-cam channel - th-cam.com/users/riptide1024
It's such a beautiful cosmetic reconstruction that one doesn't even really expect it to function, so when it does??? Absolutely amazing. In close-up, without a reference for scale, it was hard to differentiate between the original and the 3:1 Fantastic work.
I'm a retired accountant. That machine reminds me of the Muldiva and Brunsvega machines that we used to use before calculators became available. I still have a Brunsvega in my desk at home.
@@The4stro Despite the amount of work involved, I wanted as many as possible to enjoy the project. It might be weird, but I enjoy seeing that something I did inspired others and I get excited every time I see a new make posted to the listing on Thingiverse (as of this moment, there are 7 posted counting the one I did for Adam Savage and not counting the original I made for myself).
wow!!! that's amazing. obviously up to agreements between maker and receiver but I can't help but hope Marcus was handsomely rewarded though it would be hard to put a price on this.
Unfortunately, the time cost involved is high. I don't know if there's a way I can sell them assembled. Maybe as a kit, but it would still require significant work to manually fit, paint, and assemble all the parts.
They're at www.thingiverse.com/thing:1943171 If you're talking about the source CAD files, they are on OnShape (cad.onshape.com/documents/57e3f5c529d2af11276b1529/w/eafe4a700fe87f2b71bc3d31/e/a1cecd297d7cbe45e3c24de8)
Some people are going to watch this and think, "this dude is getting way too emotional about a 'thing.'" I hope those people are passionate about something else, and not just dead inside. The history of the Curta. The fact that this guy appreciated it enough to follow through with such a project. The detail and care to do such an amazing job. These people are why we no longer live under rocks. On the other hand, I'm going to throw out every project, finished and unfinished, in my workspace because I will never do anything this impressive.
i was unaware of the curta prior to reading that book. was amazed to discover it was a real thing. such a lusty little object. i can't fathom the work that would have gone into Macus' build. kudos!
Adam you rock on tested and you rocked on mythbusters thanks for all the cool stuff you did in mythbusters and the stuff your still doing on tested and mythbusters has helped me through some tough times
We need more people excited about truly historical things. It is the sum of all the things humans have endeavored and accomplished that has brought us to where we are now. And I truly believe the respect and admiration Adam and wu show twords this amazing device and the history behind it is what we all need a bit of in our lives. Get excited, find a passion, learn the history, and evolve from that point. That is humanity's purpose.
Adam you are such a super nerd and it's great. It's moments like this that are the reason I subscribe to your channel. What an amazing thing to have. That's not even to mention the original Curta's you have there. That's awesome man...
Can we just take a moment and appreciate Adam's excitement that's similar of an excited kid opening up present on a Christmas morning. Man, that bring back memories.
I have a # 2 setting here on my shelf. Being a journeyman Toolmaker I can appreciate the precision of this fine crafted calculator. I bought it in 1968. I would sell it since I am 88 and would like to pass it to someone that take good care of it - for a price.
Read about Marcus' journey to design and build this 3D printed Curta calculator here: wudev.digitaltorque.com/2015/04/3d-printing-challenge.html
Adam, you sir have geeked out so much in this video that it makes me question being a geek at all
I am Like number 35.000! :D
i love crack
I inherited my granddads CURTA, he used it for his work in the 50's and 60's my most beloved single object from him. I got it after he passed away so I had to learn on my own how to do basic arithmetics with it. Brings me joy.
timestamps:
0:00 - 2:49 Adam being amazed by history
2:49 - 3:21 Adam being amazed by packaging material
3:21 - 4:04 Adam being amazed by wooden crate
4:04 - 4:30 Adam being amazed by letter
4:31 - 4:35 Adam opening wooden crate and being amazed
4:35 - 5:07 Adam looking at curta calculator and being amazed
5:07 - 5:12 Adam swearing because he's so amazed
5:12 - 6:12 Adam being amazed by the fact that his name is on the thing
6:12 - 7:45 Adam playing with the curta calculator and being amazed
7:45 - 8:35 Video of assembly process
well done!
Askejm
Amazing!
Looks like Adam was about to сum at any moment
@@Irongrip62 Nerdgasm :D
Us being amazed that he didn't do any calculations.
How can you post a video on this and *not* do a calculation on it?
I was thinking the same thing:/
Some more calculation is done at th-cam.com/video/ShFkJgck6Pw/w-d-xo.html and at the end of the assembly video: th-cam.com/video/zh2Z11miQ0w/w-d-xo.html
my guess is that he broke something while trying it and they just didnt include that in the video.
I guess he just didn't want to damage it
Well, he calculated 550 times 1 and then 550 times 0...
The childlike joy of Adam whenever he sees something he loves never gets old.
Adam is a hoarder. A hoarder with good taste, money, and proper storage, given. Yet, he is a hoarder none-the-less.
Ben M
Diffrence between collector and hoarder . Not much.
Rotting garbage ,level of dust ?
Maybe ?
Hoarding is collecting gone out of hand. I don't think Adam is in the danger zone just yet. :-)
oh gee whiz.. are jews a race today?
you're not good enough if you're not a jew.. talk about racism
He glows in the dark.
A relative of mine had a Curta, I used to play with it as a kid and loved the intricacy of it, when he died I was offered it, but I didn't take it. Part of my daily routine is to kick myself.
Ooof in so sorry for your disappointingly dumb mess up
i think i may have seem one once at a flea market and thought it was a pepper mill.
As you should.
Sorry man
lol $1000 just gone like that
Amazing! My dad was the national distributor for Curta back in the 50's. My brother and I used to demonstrate it at conventions so that my dad could say, "So easy, a child can work it." My dad and brother also repaired them. It was a beautiful, extremely well-made machine. When electronic calculators came in, it put my dad out of business. Fortunately, he was at the age where he could retire. This reproduction is amazing! Like you, I found it emotionally very touching.
It was flimsy junk that’s why they’re increasingly rare and inoperable.
Mechanical adding machines in general have always fascinated me. It takes an amazing mind to conceive such a device.
This is a really beautiful piece of mechanical magic. The amount of time, patience and precision that goes into putting something like this together is nuts. I am right there with Adam, I 'd be terrified to operate it and break something because of my own clumsiness.
Edit: I too was just as confused as Adam when he was trying to figure out which was the box went, then like Adam felt an little dumb when he set it up right. haha
The lid of boxes are "naturally" supposed to be the smaller part, lol.
You should take a look a the computer history museum's difference engine.
Disney Dan +44 7377 888781 Prank Call me 🤙
^ My last comment did that... what the fuck
Good presentation of the core mechanisms: th-cam.com/video/loI1Kwed8Pk/w-d-xo.html
"What's that coffee grinder over there?"
"My calculator."
hahahah it would be funny to leave it in the kitchen next to the coffee beans
Definitely an amazing piece of engineering. The original as well as the 3D printed. Wonder whether he considered printing one of transparent material though. It would be fascinating to see how the mechanics actually work in action, wouldn't it?
Now I want a see through one. That would be super rad. Good call.
The closest that comes to that is probably this simulation software: th-cam.com/video/kf_xcu9g_4g/w-d-xo.html
Thedragonixxx transparent 3d printing filament isn't that transparent (more like translucid) I don't think it would work well
Thedragonixxx printing with transparent material doesn't work all that well especially for thicker things the better bet would just use clear plastic tube and then the rest being colored inside .
you could use a curing printer instead of extruding for glass like finish.
It is so wonderful to see what a person under horrible conditions can design and dream about. If I had known of this product in the 50's (i was a child), I would have bought one for my father who was a mechanical engineer. I did buy him that Texas Instrument Calculator and the definitive one that came later when I was in high school. He used the scientific calculator until he retired. Thank you for sharing.
Every time I look at one of these I just can't believe they're from the 50s. Like even the font that says Curta looks so modern and the overall material and everything. Amazing piece of awesome engineering.
Edit: Obviously the 3D Printed one is amazing as well!
Der Eggad The 50s wasn't prehistoric times. Modern typography arose in the 1800s, modern engineering in the 1910s, precision engineering in the 1920s-30s, micro-engineering in the 50s, etc. Yeah most modern design and production concepts began well before you were born, who woulda guessed? And frankly the 3d printed one is less amazing, it's just a less precise duplicate created on a relatively dumb machine.
DoctorShocktor there's actually a subreddit for people like you. Reddit.com/R/iamverysmart
DoctorShocktor that's rather ignorant. the point of the comment is that while our styles and aesthetics have changed, the curta retains a modern look. of course the 50s we're not prehistoric, but it's the era is obviously dated. the vast majority of people don't wear beehive hairstyles with floral dresses or pompadours with black leather jackets, yet the curta has an almost contemporary feel to it. as well, i do not understand how the 3d printed replica is less precise; it uses the same schematics and mechanisms as a genuine curta, but in 3x scale and in ABS plastic. it is the same machine in a different medium. and i must say, for a dumb machine in its infancy, 3d printers are certainly versatile enough to make "smarter" machines with relative ease.
DoctorShocktor 3D printing it's in infancy now
a good design is timeless
I can but shake my head in awe and amazement at the engineering, genius and craftsmanship that went into both the originals and the 3x model. They are beautiful pieces of art. Well done, Marcus. Very well done.
+1
I love how infectious Adam's happiness and excitement is.
I seen the word “Curta” and just smashed the icon to watch. Then I realised it was Adam and I thought this is going to be good.
I wasn’t wrong. Adams infectious happiness makes me smile. The ingenuity of Mr Wu to create this is beyond words.
Great video.
Thanks for the kind words!
@@MarcusWu you are more than welcome 🙏
I never knew such an beautiful scientific instrument existed. Thank you Mr. Curta for the genius of the original design. To Mr. Wu for lovely recreating such an iconic machine. Adam Savage’s joy is sharing this wonderful work brought tears of enjoyment and was a bright light to help finish my day after a long week.
This project got me through a bunch of long days -- I'm happy that it could do the same for someone else
Oh hell no.
I started watching this thinking that a Curta Calculator would be mass produced nowadays and I could buy it for $35 on Amazon.
Nevermind. It costs $2k.
FeelsBadMan
Let me explain why.
It's interworkings are all custom as the calculator is made. Meaning, instead of a normal watch where they're all the same internal workings going the same way. The Kurta is a fully custom gear working. Meaning, if you where to compare one from to the other, they would be completely different for the gear timings. Meaning, a person would have to go one by one and make sure each number worked. On. Each. Slide.
That is why they cost an arm and a leg.
Just buy a 3D printer and make a bigger one
@@Aquablue62 Expect you forgot about the cost of filament and how you have to assemble it in perfect conjunction.
Imagine a world where we all use this intead of digital calculators.
A few years ago the president of a company where I did some contract work showed me a real Curta. What an amazing machine. I just saw the video of the assembly of the mostly 3D printed Curta quite recently. It really shows the complexity of the device and how many parts it has. If it ever was to break (unlike the real thing) you can always have new replacement parts 3D printed.
It's wild to think that Curt could have easily died in that concentration camp and the world would have never known about this thing.
What's wilder to think about is how many more people died without actualising their designs or ideas. What's more wilder is the number of people who can't go to school or are denied education because of war and all manner of human caused tragedies
While he was in the concentration camp (he was Jewish), he was ordered to work with the local machine shop to produce this rumored amazing mechanical calculator. The head of the shop actually told him that if his design actually resulted in a working mechanical calculator as Curt claimed, one would be given to Hitler as a present and he (Curt) would surely be declared an Aryan and his life spared. Curt did not want to become an Aryan by any means, but he did realize that turning his ideas into a working device could save his life. So he began to draw the detailed plans based on the device he had imagined he could build.
S H if that’s true, that’s kinda amazing
@@jamesbizs Yeah, and AFAIK, it's true.
I wish someone would make a replicas because I want one so damn bad
Bo88y Beretta Replicas encounter the same problem that the originals had - that every single gear train has to be custom-adjusted and tuned to mate with its neighbours, and the tolerances are super tight at that scale. They're literally custom make movements.
Bo88y Beretta Probably not possible at least cheaply. Too many tiny hard to make parts that are all needed to function properly.
Bo88y Beretta the files are all on thingiverse if you want to print that shizznazzle
MrRtkwe klkokookmmmonmokokno
No wonder it was made obsolete by a digital calculator.
Adam's reaction is why i really love the guy. He truely loves what he does and really appreciate the work others put in things they create.
This is hands down the single most amazing thing I've yet to see done with a 3d printer. It's an amazing mechanical device to begin with, and to replicate it even at 3x is fantastic. Nice work Marcus.. Grats Adam on having one..:)
And to think that after all that he didn't even do any math on it...
Really mad about that. Thanks for pointing that out.
I do some math at the end of my assembly video: th-cam.com/video/zh2Z11miQ0w/w-d-xo.html (and a few of my other videos as well)
Thanks for the link Marcus I watched the whole video. Fascinating. Also thankyou for showing it in action!
danthekilla he added 550 to 0 though
and subtracted 550 from 550 :)
My partner has a couple of Curta Calculators & does 3-D printing, so I was delighted to watch this video. Thanks Adam, for sharing this wonderful bit of artistry!
I'm damn near hyperventilating from watching that! My hat's off to Marcus Wu. Thank you for sharing his remarkable work with us, Adam!
If this makes you hyperventilate, you have serious social and emotional problems.
@david Or maybe you just lack basic comprehension.
Probably not, especially seeing as how you are unable to elaborate.
Hi Adam,
I purchased my first Curta in the late 60's -remember the ads in Popular Mechanics and Scientific American! We used it extensively for TSD rallies along with a Heller 100th reading odometer and a split stopwatch. My initial Curta was stolen when my wife was assaulted and had her handbag stolen- Yes she was my 1st concern but the loss of the Curta a close second...
Since this time I have acquired 2 Type 1s and 1 Type 2 all in immaculate condition. These are truly one of the most amazing devices ever and a small community that still knows them and collects them. I LOVE the 3D printed version- what an incredible piece. I really want one!
That thing is absolutely beautiful
Wow. Being a 3D printing expert and a mathematics lover, that is an absolutely beautiful and amazing rendition of the Curta calculator. Bravo to Marcus and I share Adams unbridled, giddy enthusiasm in this!
Someone knows EXACTLY how to make you happy.
Adam: I know you don't read comments, but ... I loved the Kurta when I first saw it. I was able to buy a Model II for about $150 or so, IIRC, in the mid 1960s. As you say, it was obsolete shortly thereafter but it will forever have a place in my heart. (Right along with my 6" Post slide rule that saw me through countless college classes and my late father's 12" K&E.) What an odd feeling ... I think you had it too ... to see something so beautiful and functional and KNOW that it is probably the least sensible way to get the job done today. Thank you for this video ... and your perfectly relatable reaction.
This video is so fucking wholesome, and wow mechanical engineers can be truly genius. This thing is incredible.
I am so glad object like this exist and that we remember how to build them.
What a thing of beauty.
My respect to the original inventor, the maker and the collector.
Lucky you Adam.
Marcus Wu is a true craftsman. my god that's beautiful.
exactly!!
I have a Type 2 Curta. It was given to me by an old friend of my mothers many years ago. What an amazing piece of engineering
Marcus Wu,
What you created is spectacular. My mind is blown and I can only imagine the complete utter excitement that Adam has each and every time he even glances at your creation. I also truly respect your quick responsiveness in giving the credit for the amazing box that encased your creation. I can now see why Adam would make a video in order to show off such an amazing gift as he allowed the world to see it be unpacked. Many applause sir. Bravo!
Recreated
The Curta is truly a work of art and Mr. Wu deserves a big congratulations for making such a magnificent piece.
I remember well learning to use a slide rule and bought one of the first TI calculators.
Well worth the expletives. That's a masterpiece!
I love how passionate you are Adam. Considering the incredible wealth from the TV era, you are truly chasing your passions.
Me: Hey, this looks cool! I want one of these!
Me:* Looks it up*
Me:* Sees price*
Me: Nope
Lol, that was me before I started down the path of 3D printing one
that's what your third kidney is for...oh right not many have that sort of self generating renal system redundancy backup...
Building the Curta using a 3D printer is unbelievable. Of course building the original Curtas was pretty amazing. Seeing that old DataMath brought back memories. I started with TI in 1973. The calculators we were building (almost all by hand) had 3 circuit boards and over 100 components. They sold for $160 at Nieman Marcus. Three years later we were building TI-1200s. They had about 6 parts and sold for $10 at checkout stands. We built 75,000 per day! It was a hell of a ride. I am proud to have been part of a group that put calculators in every school kids hands.
stunning, you can absolutely see the love and care that went into making this
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That is by far the most awe inspiring thing I have seen on this TH-cam Channel.. The only thing I can say .. is I SO WANT ONE !!! .. I MUST HAVE ONE !!!!
When I was surveying for the Forest Service back in the late sixties and very early seventies each crew had one Curta assigned. They are very definitely mechanical works of art..
That will be in a museum one day along with a QR code leading to the build/assembly video................
Imagine seeing a Roman sword in a museum with a video of that exact sword being built playing in the background 🙂. The future is gonna be kind of awesome in some ways 🤔.
The Curta factory was in my home village, Mauren in Liechtenstein.
I know the factory is no longer there, but that would be an amazing place to visit
I applaud you, sir. Mauren is my home village, too. But I admit, I haven't really spend much thought about Curtas as of yet, even though my father owns a few of these nifty little machines. But hey, thanks to your ingenuity and dedication, I'm actually learning here a thing or two about my old neighborhood. Thanks and keep up the great work!
SittingDuck I like that sound. LIEECCCHTENNNSTEIIN. very nice.
Two of his His Prince's subjects in the same TH-cam comment sections, what are the odds?
I was just there a week ago and went to the museum in Valduz. I saw the Curtis on display, but did not know much about it. This video was great to give perspective. Go figure, you can go to a place and soak it all in, but you have to go to this video to truly understand the meaning.
Calling someone "insane" is probably one of the highest compliments a maker can give someone when looking at their work. I think Adam said that word a dozen times this video (which seems about right to me).
I really love Curta too. Sadly I don’t have my own yet. Adam, please disassembe and assemble one of your original Curtas. I want to see how it looks inside. I know you want to do that.
There are a few good videos to get an idea for the internals of the Curta calculator:
How the Curta Works: th-cam.com/video/loI1Kwed8Pk/w-d-xo.html -- This video is excellent and is how I discovered the Curta Calculator.
Curta Calculator Assembly: th-cam.com/video/AnTb26WHx2Q/w-d-xo.html -- It is in German, but it shows the assembly of an original Curta.
3D Printed Curta Calculator Assembly: th-cam.com/video/zh2Z11miQ0w/w-d-xo.html -- This one is mine and covers assembly of the 3D printed Curta Calculator. It is similar to the video of the assembly of the original Curta, but for the 3D printed parts.
One of the best ever un-boxing videos on TH-cam in the Grown Man category. Congratulations to Marcus Wu and Cocobolo Studio for making it so - very awesome and beautiful work :)
What everyone does:
"I want to buy a Curta!" *goes to eBay and sees the prices* "Actually no I don't!"
Charles I did that and STILL want to buy one. Yes I know it is expensive as hell but they also keep their price well, which means there is not cost really to owning it. You can sell it and get back more than you paid for it.
My main concern keeping me from buying it, is the impracticality of buying something that expensive. You have to verify very carefully that you are getting a Curta in appropriate condition. That it does not get lost in transport etc.
But if I could meet a person and inspect its condition, I think I would be willing to pay what it costs.
@@erikengheim1106 Thing is though, as cool as they are they're basically entirely useless. I really can't justify spending that much on something just for the coolness factor.
@@CLaw-tb5gg It is the same as buying art of gold though. Both are pretty much useless, but they are ways of storing value.
The first time someone made me aware of this was a friend who collected expensive watches. I wondered how he could afford it, but he pointed out to me that, it didn't really cost him anything, as collectable watches don't fall in value.
That is quite different from say a fancy Apple Watch. They may seem cheaper but after a couple of years an Apple watch will have lost most of its value. The cost of owning something is the value depreciation.
That is why it is very different to buy an expensive computer and a Curta. Your computer will loose massive amounts of value over a few years, while the Curta will actually increase in value.
Yes the computer has more utility but a Curta is more useful in terms of value storage than a modern computer.
I don't think there's a single calculator that is as awesome as a cuarta, and the fact that he has made one at a massive scale is just beautiful. This masterpiece will really be worth something some day.
TIL: Adam doesn't know how to pronounce "abacus" or "expletive".
i know how to use an abacus...it drives me crazy when i see them being used on a program and they are trying to impress someone by "calculating" and doing it completely wrong
@@scottmantooth8785 I have absolutely no idea how they work but I kinda want to know.... sounds different.
@@derkaiser9881 an abacus can count up to a trillion, at least the one my brother had and he was blind...so i learned how to use one that way... we never actually counted up that far (for obvious reasons) but the way the bead value worked you could see how that was possible...many links online if curious about how they function and operate and the history itself is really fascinating... www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/abacus
He uses the correct pronunciation of "expletive" for UK English.
I am absolutely *awestruck* by this--both the sheer genius of the mechanism, and the phenomenal construction.
Un-freaking-believable!
I don't think my comment was really strong enough.
Marcus: your work here is absolutely beautiful, and I applaud such amazing craftsmanship and attention to detail.
And Adam: I'm sure you've heard this a million times already, but as far as I'm concerned you are almost single-handedly responsible for a sea change in our society, where being incandescently excited about nerdy, geeky things has become a trait to admire and emulate. Thank you for making this sort of thing cool, the way it should be!
adam gets to unbox such awesome stuff, jelly much :P
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nah thx
Instinct Gaming n
Absolutely love historical analog pieces like this. It's wild to think of a time with no electronics but every time I do I just am awestruck at the inginuity of the inventors of that time.
Curta calculators just doubled in cost on ebay.
I love the sheer excitement this guy has at 2:45. The genuine affection he has for these things is infectious
I wonder if it'd be possible to print a 1:1 curta with a resin printer. They typically have very high resolution compared to FDM printer. In the meantime I'm going to try to print the 3x sized one.
I don't think a 1:1 scale printer is possible with a resin printer. I've seen the 1:1 scale parts and they are very small. At that size, the resin may not have the strength or rigidity necessary to operate. It would certainly be interesting to try, though. I'm looking forward to getting a resin printer soon.
As someone who bought a 3d printer for the sole purpose of making my own finescale models, I really appreciate your videos Mr Savage!
I had seen the videos that Marcus posted about this build and am really happy to have seen this posted on Tested by Adam. Marcus deserves the accolades.
He is also too modest - here's a link to his own TH-cam channel - th-cam.com/users/riptide1024
It's such a beautiful cosmetic reconstruction that one doesn't even really expect it to function, so when it does??? Absolutely amazing.
In close-up, without a reference for scale, it was hard to differentiate between the original and the 3:1
Fantastic work.
I loved the joyful spit of expletives of Adam's. It always crank me up (get it?)
Incredible. Thank you... Marcus & Adam 🌻
Need more warp stabilization.
I'm a retired accountant. That machine reminds me of the Muldiva and Brunsvega machines that we used to use before calculators became available. I still have a Brunsvega in my desk at home.
I think numberphile did a video about the insides of a Curta.
I didn't even know what a Curta Computer was when I started watching this video, but now... This is a beautiful work of art [both old and new]!
I didn't know he's now doing unbox therapies?
Tate Martinis pools closed
Watching these videos first thing in the morning is so great - Adam's excitement makes my mornings feel so lively!
Where can i buy a copy of the stl files?
You don't need to buy them -- they're available (along with a build manual) on thingiverse: www.thingiverse.com/thing:1943171
@@The4stro Despite the amount of work involved, I wanted as many as possible to enjoy the project. It might be weird, but I enjoy seeing that something I did inspired others and I get excited every time I see a new make posted to the listing on Thingiverse (as of this moment, there are 7 posted counting the one I did for Adam Savage and not counting the original I made for myself).
One of the few channels with Unboxing videos *worth* watching. Thanks for showing us these unique and awesome things, Adam.
wow!!! that's amazing. obviously up to agreements between maker and receiver but I can't help but hope Marcus was handsomely rewarded though it would be hard to put a price on this.
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I wish I could be as happy as Adam is about this calculator
Marcus just sold 1000 of them.
blogobre where can I buy one
Unfortunately, the time cost involved is high. I don't know if there's a way I can sell them assembled. Maybe as a kit, but it would still require significant work to manually fit, paint, and assemble all the parts.
Marcus Wu maybe sell a non painted kit whit only the nubers painted? I would buy one even for 500 bucks
Marcus Wu what about the blue prints for the 3d printed model?
They're at www.thingiverse.com/thing:1943171 If you're talking about the source CAD files, they are on OnShape (cad.onshape.com/documents/57e3f5c529d2af11276b1529/w/eafe4a700fe87f2b71bc3d31/e/a1cecd297d7cbe45e3c24de8)
Some people are going to watch this and think, "this dude is getting way too emotional about a 'thing.'" I hope those people are passionate about something else, and not just dead inside. The history of the Curta. The fact that this guy appreciated it enough to follow through with such a project. The detail and care to do such an amazing job. These people are why we no longer live under rocks. On the other hand, I'm going to throw out every project, finished and unfinished, in my workspace because I will never do anything this impressive.
anyone else immediately think of William Gibson’s Pattern Recognition?
I still need to finish reading that book -- it's on my night stand right now.
i was unaware of the curta prior to reading that book. was amazed to discover it was a real thing. such a lusty little object. i can't fathom the work that would have gone into Macus' build. kudos!
It's the reason I clicked the video, nice to know I wasn't alone there!
Oh yea!
I read and re-read the book maybe three times. (And all the other Gibson’s books too :) )
I'm a huge Gibson fan, I've probably read his Blue Ant trilogy once a year for the past 3 years.
Now that is....cool! Nothing more needs to be said.
Marcus Wu you have an insane amount on dedication to your creation........and exceptional job.
I kinda wish someone said "MADNESS? THIS IS CURTA!!!!!! ' at the end of the program ;P
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As an engineer I'm totally geeking out over this. Such a gorgeous blend of sophistication and engineering marvel.
Are drawings available
The geek in me yells "that is so freaking cool"
The only thing geekier is Clickspring's Antikythera Device he's building
The machining he does is amazing
@@MarcusWu
Of all the TH-cam machining channels the top 3 IMO are Clickspring, Stefan Gőtteswinter, and This Old Tony.
www.thingiverse.com/thing:1943171 (from my to print list)
The engineering drawings are available at www.museummura.li/content.aspx?nid=5051&groupnr=5051 (links on the right side of the page)
Direct link to engineering drawings: www.museummura.li/files/attachments/curta_1_engineering_drawings.zip
Adam you rock on tested and you rocked on mythbusters thanks for all the cool stuff you did in mythbusters and the stuff your still doing on tested and mythbusters has helped me through some tough times
There is a joke to be made here but I will not be the one to make it....
5chr4pn3ll I mean, it wouldn't "curta" do it.
We need more people excited about truly historical things. It is the sum of all the things humans have endeavored and accomplished that has brought us to where we are now. And I truly believe the respect and admiration Adam and wu show twords this amazing device and the history behind it is what we all need a bit of in our lives. Get excited, find a passion, learn the history, and evolve from that point. That is humanity's purpose.
It is amazing to see how much joy it brings Adam to see special things like this!
Really entertaining.
I didnt care to much about the calculator but seeing Jamie be so excited and the impressive craftsmanship of the box and calculator was awesome.
What a masterpiece! I use my 3d printers a lot but damn, that finish is amazing! Marcus Wu did an amazing job. I can feel Adams joy right now.
Adam you are such a super nerd and it's great. It's moments like this that are the reason I subscribe to your channel. What an amazing thing to have. That's not even to mention the original Curta's you have there. That's awesome man...
This may just be the most beautiful thing I've seen in my entire life.
Oh, Adam! I'm so happy for you; it's so moving to see the joy in your nerdly little heart!
Can we just take a moment and appreciate Adam's excitement that's similar of an excited kid opening up present on a Christmas morning. Man, that bring back memories.
Yes! There is a great amount of history behind this calculator!
I still have my grandfather's version of this calculator. how awesome!
I think that was the biggest nerdgasom I've ever seen Adam have!
Holy hell, that is a thing of beauty. Brave Marcus Wu, Bravo!
Macus take 3D printer to another level! Dedication because they build a curta without have one! I try to build my own
I have loved my type 2 Curta for many years. Cool to see the printed one.
I have a # 2 setting here on my shelf. Being a journeyman Toolmaker I can appreciate the precision of this fine crafted calculator. I bought it in 1968. I would sell it since I am 88 and would like to pass it to someone that take good care of it - for a price.
His enthusiasm is contagious!
I feel the urge to own Curta for no good reason.
LOL You pronounce words like you've read them a hundred times but have never heard someone say them out loud... and I love you for that...
This by far is the best Tested I have ever seen.