What the world needs is a calculator that uses fractions to the sixteenth so one would not need to transpose to decimal. Is there such an animal?
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Several. I have a Pocket Handyman IV that works to 64's. It was the least expensive, and I wish I had gone one grade higher, because this one does not do sines. I think it was about $29. They (or something similar) are available at HD, Sears, and the woodworking catalogs.
I've got one. It's called the project calc. By calculated industries. It's about $20.00 I picked mine up at Lowes. I have also spotted them at Walmart .
Yes the Texas Instruments TI-30X Solar has a "F<>D" (fraction to decimal) button that converts decimals to the nearest fraction or back. There is no way to limit it to any particular denominator so oddballs are possible but a little extrapolation will get you there.
I like the TI-30X. Selling for about $12 and is still widely available. I have seen them at Walmart and other retailers. It has proven reliable and fairly rugged. It has some advanced features but is not overburdened with them. After 3 years the solar cell still works well in fairly low light conditions. It comes with a sliding cover and a reference card.
Of course, you could use ANY calculator. If you want your answer in sixteenths, just take the number to the right of the decimal place and multiply by 16. :o)
Ken Hill
I use a Jobber 5. Easiest to use, many different functions such as converting metric to feet/inches/fractions, stair layout, triangles, hip and valley, etc. you can contact them at Jobber Instruments, P.O. box 4112, Sevierville, TN 37864. Phone # 1-800-635-1339. Good luck.
Dana
I live and die by calculators - Have 2 one my desk that see a lot of use. I literally wear the buttons off every few years.
The Jobber 5 is great for adding up dimensions and such. It has key numbered "11" through "15" for inputting dimmensions like 11 inches or 15/16". It uses fewer keystrokes than other calculators. For instance - To enter 8' 11 15/16" in a jobber you just hit [8] [11] [15] - Just 3 keystrokes. To enter is in a construction master brand, you hit [8] [feet] [1] [1] [inches] [1] [5] [/] [1] [6] - Or 10 keystrokes.
there are 2 downsides to the Jobber calculators - You MUST work in 16th of an inch. Like hit [8] for 8/16, or 1/2". This is fine once you get used to doing it, but can be a pain to learn. And the keyboard layout isn't standard, like the one on the right side of a computer keyboard. You can see it at: http://www.jobbercalculator.com/ They also have a calculator program you can use on a PC.
The "Construction Master" brand of calculators isn't bad for some things. They're more cumbersome for inputting dimensions, but it's easy to divide or multiply them. You can have the calculator round off the dimensions to 1/2" through 1/64". They all do simple slope-rise-run calcs. Some have trig functions, which are helpful if you need them. And they function easily as regular calculators when you need to balance the checkbook, etc. They have a website at: http://calculated.com/products/construction/
Always be on the lookout for conspicuousness.