Upgrading Marks Handbook to 4th Edition?

A CD-ROM or DVD copy would be much handier.

Ah, Hen. You youngsters with your new-fangled gadgets. My present copy of Marks was published in 1930. I don't think I could even get an 8-track of it. Seriously, I don't like books on CD. I'm probably just an OF but I can't find stuff nearly as fast that way as I can with a handbook.

It is possible to scan your lovely book with care page by page. Then it's up to you what should be done next: whether simply reprint the book or processing one through OCR system.

It is not easy work but it's possible way to save your rarity and resolve your problem.

caramba

Hi TVP45 - If a DVD is too advanced for you what about a 360k floppy?

I am one of the elderly and also prefer books. You can mark a page(s) with anything but sticking a piece of paper on a CD will ruin it.

And a scanner.

Are we speaking of the "Maks Standard Handbook for Mechanical Engineers" ?

I use to collect and use different handbook on mechanical engineering. The Mark is one of the best as soon as i saw it, I went to to bookshop to get one, urgently.
Its last edition is the 11th ! I understand that being familiar with a certain format is comfortable . . . but in 40 years some changes happened, not on physics and principles, but on technology . . . . or at least on the measurement system.

What about the S.I. (Sisteme International) ?

The paper format is much more comfortable if you are very familiar with the book,
the electronic format is easier and faster at beginning and for the plane text,
a good engineering handbook still need a lot of scheme and diagrams . . .

To be more competitive the electronic format shoul develope more readable diagrams and and easy way to scroll through pages. This is also important becase looking for silver sometimes you find gold.

Thanks Guest,

As I said in my original post, I do have a fairly new edition. I like the older one for its clear explanations. I don't care about systems of units, so that's not a problem.

For example, in the past several weeks I have wanted to know something about controlling a BOF in a steel mill and I have wanted to know the driver wheel configuration of a Mallet locomotive and I wanted the coefficient of adhesion for those driver wheels. In each case, I found more complete, easier to understand explanations in the 3rd edition. Now, I also needed to know the coefficient of friction of PTFE on PTFE. So, I looked in my 9th edition; I didn't find a good enough explanation, so I went online.

There's a fifth edition on EBAY $10 starting bid, just under 4 days to run.

Not sure how this link will work for you. Ebay knows I am in the UK and includes the excessive postage costs:-

http://cgi.ebay.com/Lionel-Marks-Mechanical-Engineer-Handbook-5th-Ed-NR_W0QQitemZ190226714844QQihZ009QQcategoryZ2228QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

If it doesn't work go to EBAY and look for: Lionel Marks