• Scam Alert. Members are reminded to NOT send money to buy anything. Don't buy things remote and have it shipped - go get it yourself, pay in person, and take your equipment with you. Scammers have burned people on this forum. Urgency, secrecy, excuses, selling for friend, newish members, FUD, are RED FLAGS. A video conference call is not adequate assurance. Face to face interactions are required. Please report suspicions to the forum admins. Stay Safe - anyone can get scammed.
  • The 2026 Calgary Area Meetup is set for Saturday May 30th at 10am. The signup thread is here! Robinhood has graciously offered to host the meetup again this year. Please note that you MUST RSVP to the notice linked above if you wish to come.

Anyone still using a classic calculator?

Elektrishun

Ultra Member
Getting rid of some stuff and thnigs. I thought most of my calculators were long gone but I found a few more. The one I sometimes use at my workbench is a Casio fx-991MS. It has a little solar panel for charging. As well, I have a Texas Instruments TI-30XA, the big brute TI-84 Plus (monochrome display), and a Sharp ELSIMATE EL-344R (it has a solar panel too). Similar to old cell phones, open a drawer and suddenly there's another one. I'll keep the Casio but the rest will go to the second hand store.

With smart phone calculator apps or online calculators I rarely use the Casio but I find it comforting to know it's there.
 
I have a couple regular old calculators laying around that get used, one in the desk, one at the hangar, one in the truck

I do use the phone for a lot, its always in your pocket, and I have the various handy dandy apps for triangles and such that make it convenient
 
I have a couple in the shop specifically to not use the phone when my hands are (pick one): oily, resin gooey, over a swaf pile, gloved hands.... Easier on the wallet to replace a 10$ calculator
 
I have a couple in the shop specifically to not use the phone when my hands are (pick one): oily, resin gooey, over a swaf pile, gloved hands.... Easier on the wallet to replace a 10$ calculator

That's the same reason I have an old phone in the garage - for taking pictures when my hands are not clean enough to handle my good phone.
 
Last edited:
Always have a couple of thrift-store calculators on the workbench. Better to muck up a $2 calculator than a $800 phone.
 
I still use a TI-84 regularly. Goes through batteries pretty fast though. I keep it around in case I ever have to rig a Dehavilland DHC-7 again. Not likely that will happen. It's the go to calculator for that. Unfortunately I lost the program for that job. I don't think I'll type it in again.
 
I still use a TI-84 regularly. Goes through batteries pretty fast though. I keep it around in case I ever have to rig a Dehavilland DHC-7 again. Not likely that will happen. It's the go to calculator for that. Unfortunately I lost the program for that job. I don't think I'll type it in again.
Does your model of TI-84 have the color display and option for a plug-in power adapter?
 
Anyone remember these? New battery and it still works as good as ever. I can even still do my cheese head junior high school "trick" with it.
 

Attachments

  • 20261026_183336.jpg
    20261026_183336.jpg
    1.5 MB · Views: 6
  • 20261026_183356.jpg
    20261026_183356.jpg
    1.5 MB · Views: 6
That's not a calculator, this is a calculator.
 

Attachments

  • 1793068768181133414413778835535.jpg
    1793068768181133414413778835535.jpg
    3.3 MB · Views: 0
Back
Top