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Sterling Plastics, Inc.
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Sterling Plastics, Inc. was founded by George and Mary Staab of Mountainside N.J., and produced a line of basic mannheim slide rules with a common mold. they purchased Acu-Rule Mfg. on June 25, 1968. Sterling operated in Mt. Olive for about a year and then moved the plant equipment to Union, New Jersey, then settling in Mountainside, New Jersey. Sterling Plastics was purchased and became a division of Borden Chemical in 1970. Slide rules were produced as late as 1972. Most models use the same mold, but vary by the color of the text or plastic slide or stock. Sterling, prior to Borden, introduced red ink on the slides and renamed the Student 584 model to "Senior 589", even though just the text color changed. The stock on the basic student/senior mannheim was given extra reinforcemnts with extra bridges across the back of the slot. When Borden took over Sterling Plastics, in 1970, Borden began molding parts (stock or slide) of their slide rules with green colors. Additionally, although most of the slide rules had no model number marking, the retail packaging, printed with the Borden Chemical logos, reveals that the 3-digit Sterling model numbers beginning with "5" were replaced with numbers beginning with "6". 584 became 684, 589 to 689, 594 to 694, etc.
584 587 Acumath 400


Sterling 538 Pocket Slide Rule (Folded Film Type)
REF

B Potratz Collection
Sterling 538 Pocket Slide Rule (Folded Film Type)
Made in USA probably by C-Thru for Borden Chemical/ Sterling Plastics, Mountainside, NJ.
Note: Instructions printed on paper sleeve, typical of C-Thru slide rules
Front Scale: 6 in || A [ B, CI, C ] D ||15cm
Slide: Back: Decimal Equivalents
Archive


Sterling 584 white - First 2 bridge version with model number
ISRM 14.01.10.70 		Sterling 584 white - First 2 bridge version with model number
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Note: First version off of the injection mold with model number imprinted in upper left stock, with early style stock construction having 2 bridges. Later versions removed the model number from the mold for future variances, but it still shows in instructions.
Front Scale: A [ B, CI, C ] D, K
Back Slide (flip to use Trig Scales): [ S, L, T ]
Gift of the Bill Wehrend Collection, Palo Alto, California.
10" Instructions (4.4MB PDF)


Sterling 584 white - Second 2 bridge version with model number removed
ISRM 14.01.10.71 		Sterling 584 white - Second Version with model number removed
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Note: Second version off of the injection mold with model number removed off of upper left stock and replaced with "Precision", with early style stock construction having 2 bridges. Model number still shows in instructions. Now different model numbers can be assigned to models have different colors of plastic or text.
Front Scale: A [ B, CI, C ] D, K
Back Slide (flip to use Trig Scales): [ S, L, T ]
Gift of the Bill Wehrend Collection, Palo Alto, California.
10" Instructions (4.4MB PDF)
Ebay Photo


Sterling 587
ISRM 11.08.16.01
Finley Carlyle Pearce in 1973
Finley Carlyle Pearce (1915-1998) worked as a pressure vessel inspector for the State of California where he lived in Yorba Linda, Calif. for 29 years. Mr. Pearce retired from Shell Chemical after 30 years as a chemical engineer and safety officer. He was an active member of the LDS Church, and served as a bishop, stake president and patriarch. He was also very active and supportive of the Boy Scouts of America. He and his wife Orba had five sons and two daughters.
 Sterling 587 - Closed Simplex
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: A [ B, CI, C ] D, K
Back Slide (flip to use Trig Scales): [ S, L, T ]
Donated by Ron Pierce of Littleton, Colorado
Ron Pearce describes the slide rule that belonged to his father, Finley Pearce: "He was a chemical engineer who worked primarily for Shell Chemical. The personal attachment for me is that as far as I know most of my siblings, including myself, literally cut our teeth on the slide rule case that held this slide rule. The case is gone, but the rule remains." "In another slide rule story, I recall being called to the president's office at Southern Pacific Transportation (railroad). The president was Denman McNear who was himself an engineer. I was a cost analyst at the time and used an HP financial calculator to perform my analysis. Mr, McNear would check our figures using his pocket slide rule which was about the same size as my father's slide rule."


P019 Sterling 587 Promotional 		Sterling 587 - Promotional
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: A [ B, CI, C ] D, K
Back Slide (flip to use Trig Scales): [ S, L, T ]
Back Adv: LightninMixers and Agitators, Mixing Equipment Co., Inc., Rochester, NY
Original owner: Michael P. Taylor, retired Director Dow Chemical. Graduated Univ of Houston, TX. Taught at TAMU and UH. Designed/Built the Houston Dow Center &Dow Chemical plant in Toronto.


Sterling 587 Promotional (ESNA)
ISRM 11.11.11.02
5" Instructions
(4.4MB PDF)
Sterling 587 - Promotional (ESNA)
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: A [ B, CI, C ] D, K
Back Slide (flip to use Trig Scales): [ S, L, T ]
Back Adv: Amerace ESNA Corp. Union, New Jersey
Donated by David Sweetman


Sterling 589 Senior (Early 2 brace Version)
ISRM 13.09.14.01 		Sterling 589 Senior (red text on slide) - Early Version
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Note early style stock construction with only 2 bridges
Front Scale: A [ B, CI, C ] D, K
Back Slide (flip to use Trig Scales): [ S, L, T ]


Sterling 589 Senior (5 braces)
ISRM 11.11.11.04 		Sterling 589 Senior (red txt on slide)
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: A [ B, CI, C ] D, K
Back Slide (flip to use)
[ S, L, T ]
Original Owner: Walter T.Irwin, 1923 Houston Dr., Las Vegas, Nevada.
Donated by David Sweetman


Sterling 594 Decimal Trig Log-Log ©1965
ISRM 12.06.24.56 		Sterling 594 Decimal Trig Log-Log ©1965
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: LL01, K, A [ B, T<45, T>45, ST, S ] D, DI, LL1
Back Scale: LL02, LL03, DF, [ CF, CIF, L, CI, C ] D, LL3, LL2
Note slight differences in scale label fonts.
Donated by the Huang Collection.
The donor, who prefers to remain anonymous, obtained a B.S. degree in Physics from Taiwan's National Tsing Hua University in 1971. His love for computation has encouraged him to build a collection of slide rules, HP and TI calculators, as well as abaci, many displayed at ISRM.


Sterling Executive (594-X) Decimal Trig Log Log
ISRM 22.07.06.47 		Sterling Executive (594-X) Decimal Trig Log Log ©1965
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ. - Unique Tan/Brown color
Front Scale: LL01, K, A [ B, T<45, T>45, ST, S ] D, DI, LL1
Back Scale: LL02, LL03, DF, [ CF, CIF, L, CI, C ] D, LL3, LL2
Note: Missing Model number but has copyright date
Gift of Cindy Tate.of Bozeman, Montana. Victor B. Tate II collection.

Note: Special Padded sleeve not found on other Sterling models.


Sterling 594 Decimal Trig Log-Log (1965)
ISRM 14.10.10.11 		Sterling 594 Decimal Trig Log-Log (1965)
Made in USA - Sterling, Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: LL01, K, A [ B, T<45, T>45, ST, S ] D, DI, LL1
Back Scale: LL02, LL03, DF, [ CF, CIF, L, CI, C ] D, LL3, LL2
Note: Missing Model number and copyright date (look at the 594s)
Gift of Edward Wright, Odenton, Maryland.


Sterling 585 Deluxe (Black Text slide - open back)
ISRM 11.11.11.01 		Sterling 585 Deluxe (Black Text slide - open back)
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Note Open Back
Front Scale: 10in 1/16 // A [ B, CI, C ] D, K \\ 10in .050
Back Slide (flip over to use): [ S, L, T ]
Donated by David Sweetman


Sterling 585 Deluxe 10" (red text slide - open back)
ISRM 12.06.24.63 		Sterling 585 Deluxe 10" (red text slide - open back)
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: 10in 1/16 // A [ B, CI, C ] D, K \\ 10in .050
Back Slide (flip slide over to use): [ S, L, T ]
Donated by Huang Collection


Sterling 585 Deluxe 10" Mannheim 1968
ISRM 20.08.15.15 		Sterling 585 Deluxe 10" (Green/White stock) 1968 (Pre-Borden)
Made in USA by Sterling Plastics, Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: 10in 1/16 // A [ B, CI, C ] D, K \\ 10in .050
Back Slide (flip slide over to use): [ S, L, T ]
Gift Of Ross Llewallyn of Atlanta, Georgia.


Sterling 585 Deluxe 10" Mannheim 1970
ISRM 20.08.15.15 		Sterling 585 Deluxe 10" (Green/White stock) 1970 Borden
Made in USA by Sterling/Borden Chemical - Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: 10in 1/16 // A [ B, CI, C ] D, K \\ 10in .050
Back Slide (flip to use trig scales): [ S, L, T ]
Gift of Robert Carlisle Collection


Sterling No.687 Retail Package ©1968
ISRM 23.02.11.01
Sterling Student Geometry Instruments, No.534, No.535, No.607 		Sterling No.687 Retail Package ©1968 (Stock labeled No.587)
Made in USA by Sterling Plastics - Mountainside, New Jersey.©1968
Front Scale: A [ B, CI, C ] D, K
Back Slide (flip to use Trig Scales): [ S, L, T ]
Original owner: Max D. Teuton 1953-1998 (specimens found in his estate).
Gifted by Davied Teuton (son) of Rocklin, California.
These Sterling products were found with machinist tools in Max D. Teuton's estate by his son David Teuton. Max worked as a welder before enlisting in the Navy and he served abourd the USS Los Angeles. After hid discharge, he worked in the mail room of Autonetics, a division of North American Aviatio in California, and met his wife Helen. He quit his job and using the GI Bill, graduated from California State University, Long Beach with a degree and was hired by Autonetics again as an accountant. Later he moved into the construction industry and worked on various projects including a nuclear power plant, a hydroelectric dam and a freeway.
The specimens shown are preserved in their original packaging, so Max never found the need to use them after they were acquired, possibly while he was in High School.. They help to identify the part number transitions, before Sterling was purchased by Borden Chemical.

Sterling Plastics, Division of Borden Chemical.

Note: 1070 era. Model numbers changed to 6XX and colored plastic is introduced.


Sterling 651 Metric Converter
ISRM 12.07.18.01 		Sterling 651 Metric Converter - Green colors
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ. - 1972
Front Scale: Volume, Weight, Liquid
Back Slide (flip to use): Linear distances and Area
Note: White slide, Green Stock
Owned by Ward Anthony, Littleton, Colorado. Donated by his son Russell Anthony, Lafayette, CO. Ward B. Anthony ( -2012) was an aerospace engineer at Martin Marietta in Littleton, Colorado and worked on many of the launch systems. He used this slide rule in his profession. He built his own home in Morrison, CO.


Sterling (651) Metric Converter
REF S148 		Sterling (651) Metric Converter
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: Volume, Weight, Liquid
Back Slide (flip to use): Linear distances and Area
Note: White slide, Yellow Stock
Manual Donated by Albert Klumpp, Arlington Heights, Illinois 213Kb PDF


Sterling (651) Metric Converter pre-1963
ISRM 22.07.06.62
 Sterling (651) Metric Converter
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: Volume, Weight, Liquid
Back Slide (flip to use): Linear distances and Area
Note: Yellow slide, White Stock
Advertising: Pipe Specialtists, Inc. Boulder, Colo., Tuls, Okla. Houston, Tx.
Gift Of Cindy Tate of Bozeman, Montana. Victor B. Tate collection. 213Kb PDF


Sterling 651 Metric Converter
ISRM 13.01.08.01 		Sterling 651 Metric Converter - Inverted colors
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ. - 1972
Front Scale: Volume, Weight, Liquid
Back Slide (flip to use): Linear distances and Area
Note: Yellow slide, White Stock
Donated by Susanne Petersson of Park Ridge, Illinos
This slide rule was owned by Susanne Petersson's brother, Andeas, who recalls that his grandmother, gave this to him along with a set of drafting tools. Another donation of a Reiss slide rule is in the Germany/DDR gallery
In Family photo on left: Grandmother, Susanne, sister Sylvia, brother Andreas


P168 Sterling Pocket Metric Converter
Instructions 213Kb PDF
Sterling Pocket Metric Converter
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: Volume, Weight, Liquid, Linear distances and Area
Back Slide (flip over to use): Fahrenheit-Celsius Conversion
Instructions Donated by Albert Klumpp, Arlington Heights, Illinois


Sterling 684 white
ISRM 05.01.04.01 		Sterling 684 white - 1968
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: A [ B, CI, C ] D, K
Back Slide (flip to use Trig Scales): [ S, L, T ]
Note: this is the transition from 2 bridges holding the stator together to 5 bridges. Evidently the first design was not reliable and the Sterling engineers modified the standard tooling to strengthen the stock. This was not intirely foolproof, as is evident from the 684 below, which belonged to the ISRM Curator's father.


Sterling 684 Slide Rule
ISRM 06.01.24.01


Leslie Konshak USAF SMSgt,
Retirement Ceremony (1958)

Sterling 684 white (Later Version)
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Note late style stock construction with 5 bridges
Front Scale: A [ B, CI, C ] D, K
Back Slide (flip to use Trig Scales): [ S, L, T ]
Donated by Susan E. Konshak (1919-2003) and Leslie (Les) Konshak (1914-2010)
Mike Konshak, the ISRM Curator writes about his parent's slide rule: "Like most things Dad and Mom had, it was not elegant, always practical, and in this case is one of the least expensive out there. Yes, it's a Sterling 684 which many collectors wouldn't even give a second glance. Sometime along the way the plastic slide rule broke and rather than toss it away, Dad (or Mom) epoxied it back together and it was given a new life. Eat it up, wear it out, do with or do without. Les spent 20 years in the USAF retiring as a Senior Master Sergeant in 1959. He was an original founder of the The Retired Enlisted (Men's) Association (TREA) first charter in Colorado Springs, He spent 10 years working at Ampex Corp. in Colordao Springs and retired with a small pension. He and Susan (ne Garrard) spent their last years living in Tucson, Arizona Dad passed on in 2010 at age 93. Mom passed on in 2003 at 84. They are both buried at Fort Logan National Cemetary in Colorado. They had 4 children, 7 grandkids and as of 2011, 5 great grandchildren"


Sterling 685 Deluxe 10" Mannheim
ISRM 21.08.07.35 		Sterling 685 Deluxe 10" Mannheim - 1968
Made in USA by Plastics, Division of Borden Chemical. Mountainside, NJ
Front Scale: 10in 1/16 // A [ B, CI, C ] D, K \\ 10in .050
Back Slide (flip slide over to use trig scales): [ S, L, T ]
Gift of William Lisowski collection of Easton, Pennsylvania


Sterling 685 Deluxe 10" Mannheim red text slide
ISRM 11.11.10.01 		Sterling 685 Deluxe 10" Mannheim red text slide solid Back
Made in USA by Sterling Plastics, Division of Borden Chemical. Mountainside, NJ
Front Scale: 10in 1/16 // A [ B, CI, C ] D, K \\ 10in .050
Back Slide (flip slide over to use trig scales): [ S, L, T ]
Gift of Peter D. Eickenberry, Sr, Collection. of Olympia, Washington


Sterling 685 Deluxe 10" Mannheim green slide
ISRM 21.05.29.01 		Sterling 685 Deluxe 10" Mannheim green slide - 1968
Made in USA by Sterling Plastics, Division of Borden Chemical. Mountainside, NJ
Front Scale: 10in 1/16 // A [ B, CI, C ] D, K \\ 10in .050
Back Slide (flip slide over to use trig scales): [ S, L, T ]
Original owner: Robert G. Goody, 1915-2000
Gift of Nancy H. Goody (daughter) of Albany, New York Belonged to father.
Robert G. Goody (1915-2001) was a Professional Electrical Engineer and became the Chief Engineer for Federal Pacific Electric in Newark, New Jersey from the 1950s through the 70's. He was listed in the Men of Science Who's Who. His Amateur radio call sign was WB2MZL.

Ebay Photo


Sterling 689 green slide
ISRM 13.06.25.10

Norma Tanner with Pickett Teaching slide rule
Sterling 689 green slide
Made in USA - Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: A [ B, CI, C ] D, K
Back Slide(flip to use Trig Scales): [ S, L, T ]
Gifted by Norma Tanner of Libertyville, Illinois
Norma has been a participant of the ISRM Slide Rule Loaner Program. In addition, she had her own collection that she loaned out to students. This one is part of the collection sent to ISRM. Norma writes: "After teaching math and/or science for 24 years, I am now enjoying retired life. Having been educated at MIchigan State University during a time when using a slide rule was the only technology available for advanced calculations, I decided to create a unit of study for my students that would introduce them to the slide rule. My goals were for students to strengthen their ability to estimate and use scientific notation, as well as to discover the historic significance of the slide rule. While it was hard for them to put aside their electronic calculators, they were fascinated, engaged, and thrilled when they could multiply 2 x 3 and actually get 6 instead of 5.9. In the end my students were happy to be reunited with their calculators, but had a new appreciation for the value of estimating, scientific notation, and accuracy in measurement. Goals met! "


Sterling 689 green stock, white slide
ISRM 13.09.14.02 		Sterling 689 green stock, white slide
Made in USA - Borden Chemical/ Sterling Plastics, Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: A [ B, CI, C ] D, K
Back Slide(flip to use Trig Scales): [ S, L, T ]
Ebay Photo


Sterling 694 Decimal Trig Log-Log (1972)
ISRM 11.11.11.03 		Sterling 694 Decimal Trig Log-Log (1972)
Made in USA - Borden/Sterling, Mountainside, NJ.
Front Scale: LL01, K, A [ B, T<45, T>45, ST, S ] D, DI, LL1
Back Scale: LL02, LL03, DF, [ CF, CIF, L, CI, C ] D, LL3, LL2
Note: Missing Model number and copyright date (look at the 594s).
Donated by David Sweetman
Instructions

Sterling Plastics - Non-Slide Rule Calculating Products

These are all pre-1970 Borden Chemical era and may be duplicated in the Addiators gallery


Sterling 565 4-Digit Dial-A-Matic Adding Machine
ISRM 04.10.09.01 		Sterling 565 4-Digit Dial-A-Matic Automatic Adding Machine
Made in USA by Sterling Plastics, Mountainside, NJ.
Front: Four dials - Thousands, Hundreds, Tens and Units


Sterling 566 4-Digit Dial-A-Matic Adding Machine and Pencil Box
REF 		Sterling 566 4-Digit Dial-A-Matic Adding Machine and Pencil Box
Made in USA by Sterling Plastics, Mountainside, NJ.
Note: This unit slits in two and rotates about the rivet to get access to the pencil box.
Front: Four dials - Thousands, Hundreds, Tens and Units
Archive - ebay photo


Sterling 567 5-Digit Dial-A-Matic Adding Machine
REF 		Sterling 567 5-Digit Dial-A-Matic Automatic Adding Machine
Made in USA by Sterling Plastics, Mountainside, NJ.
Front: Five dials - Ten Thousands,Thousands, Hundreds, Tens and Units
Archive - David Riches collection, UK


Sterling 568 6-Digit Dial-A-Matic Adding Machine
ISRM 14.09.08.07 		Sterling 568 6-Digit Dial-A-Matic Automatic Adding Machine
Made in USA by Sterling Plastics, Mountainside, NJ.
Front: Six dials - 100 Thousand, Ten Thousands,Thousands, Hundreds, Tens and Units
Gift of Edward Wright, Odenton, Maryland

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International Slide Rule Museum