2000 Edition of the Thomas Register in hardback - worth 50 cents per book?

J. Elliott · Mar 12, 2004

Hmmm, on my way back from lunch I realized I wasn't going to make a 3PM eBay auction. Stopped by the public library, dropped my bid, and on the way out saw the discard table piled high with crisp green hardbound copies of the Thomas Register. Nary a greasy fingerprint in sight. (That's pronounced gree-zee over 5 sylables fer you foreigners.)

34 books altogether, and with a sweet Carolinas Edition for local folk. Only 50 cents per, thank you, with the librarian telling me how pleased they were to get rid of 'em as she fetched me the hand cart....

Well, I've never seen these things before, but have heard of them. They seem useful, but did I do myself a favor or waste $17?

L Webb · Mar 12, 2004

Sounds like you did the library a great favor.
I don't know about those editions, but the So Cal Thomas Register is the same exact size as the MSC big blue book.

Les

bspooh · Mar 12, 2004

I am a manufacturere and I recieve these books, and they just sit in the corner getting dusty...I prefer to use thomas register online....

I have the whole set of these books, but they wouldn't be worth shipping to anyone because of the cost..they are HEAVY!!

But, if anyone would like to pay shipping, I have the whole set for free...

brent

JRIowa · Mar 12, 2004

J.,

If I remember, an anual subscription for the set is $1800. I'm like Brent, don't use except for online.

JR

D. Thomas · Mar 12, 2004

$1,800 ?? Sheesh, in the early 1990's I used to get a set every year..don't remember what they cost but my cheapskate inclinations wouldn't have paid even a third of that....I was thinking the whole set was only 350 bucks or so.

I heard they are way cheaper than that now due to lack of demand.

One of my exciting moments at the EMO 1989 show in Germany was obtaining a whole 1990 set of the German equivalent to Thomas. They even came with a folding handtruck to wheel them thru the airport. Even back in 1989 they had the whole thing on CD but I had to have that paper ! The Italians had an equivalent too, but it's just one large book.

D. Thomas · Mar 12, 2004

Forgot to mention, one of the funniest bits of "paper" I ever bought was an entire set of The Patent Office Gazette from 1920 thru 1992. These are 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick books that come out *every week* with the short summaries of latest patents, so think about this...nearly 4,000 books !!!

Got them for free but the freight cost over $1,000...pallets and pallets of these things. Plus I spent hundreds more for bookcases just to house some of them (never got around to unboxing most of them)

Now, if anyone is curious *why* I wanted them I'll be glad to elaborate

Lambert · Mar 12, 2004

Tell us more , inquiring minds want to know !

Peter S · Mar 12, 2004

Don,
I thought my small scale book buying and reading was fairly harmless (except to the wallet), I have noted the strange desire towards 'completeism' - "just got to have that other book as well" (usually on the same subject) but now I will think of you as an warning "That nice Mr Thomas started out with just a few machine tool catalogues, now he has had to extend his house to fit them all! Watch out or you'll end up like him!"

Actually, I'm impressed with the folding hand truck, having stretched my arms with overseas book buys, buying extra bags to carry them etc, come to think of it, whats wrong with extending the house to make room for books?

D. Thomas · Mar 12, 2004

The theory behind the Patent Gazettes was that I would browse thru them at my leisure, sitting in my favorite easy chair, and get ideas for new products, or find patents on ideas that were never marketed, but good ideas nontheless.

So, at the end of long day, instead of pulling out that month's copy of The New Yorker (JimK) or Soldier of Fortune (Ray), I be plopped under the reading lamp fixated upon archane patent drawings and descriptions.

Remember this was pre internet and, besides going to a university library, or the patent office itself, this was the only way.

The reality was I did browse quite a few, but to my surprise never ran across much that struck my fancy.

It was instructive if anything in what *not* to bother with. For instance, I noticed many, many patents on various types of anti tire slip devices (i.e. tire chains, studs, etc) so I know that's pretty much hopeless market. And many adjustable wrench designs that have never borne fruit.

At my last shop/house move, about 4 years ago, I couldn't bear the thought of moving the whole shebang again (already moved them once before), so sold the whole set on eBay. Wish I hadn't though....kinda miss em...maybe the product idea of my dreams was in an issue I never pulled out of the bookcase....

[This message has been edited by D. Thomas (edited 03-12-2004).]

kenh · Mar 12, 2004

Why, the very next volume would have had the shortcut to fame & fortune you were seeking!

D. Thomas · Mar 13, 2004

Yep, but at least now one can easily search patents on the internet and do a much more targeted search. The Gazettes were 3/4 full of patents that had no interest to me whatsoever, like chemical and semiconductor patents, so browsing wasn't a piece of cake really.

Still, there's just something about being in that easy chair flippin real paper that is more appealing...

rjibosh · Mar 13, 2004

Last year I got a solicitation to receive the 2004 Thomas Register for only the cost of shipping. I think it was about 28 or 29 dollars. I quess the demand is so far down now, they give them away.
Sent them the 29 bucks and about a month ago three large cases of books arrived at my office. So now sometimes I sit in the easy chair going thru them.

It's funny, we hear about the rest of the world eating our lunch in manufacturing and then you look thru these volumes and volumes of American Businesses. There are so many nitche businesses out there it boggles the mind.

Makes you think we still have an enormous manufacturing base.

Rick

DDS · Mar 13, 2004

Ask anyone that regularly uses the type of info that in the Thomas Register - Like those in a purchasing departments or Design or R&D departments and they might tell you they still prefer the book to the on line version. Unfortunately you'll need to get an entire new set each year to keep up with the rapid changes (the number of business that close or eliminate or change product lines). The books can't compete and are doomed to extinction, but the product is/was great in it's time and still better than the online competition.

surplusjohn · Mar 13, 2004

just a reminder, the TR online is a great resource because it finds every mfg no matter if they have a web site or not. far better than Google for finding sources. also has an automatic email function where you can send an inquirey to 5 companies at a time.

Brian@VersaMil · Mar 13, 2004

There's no quicker way to find a manufacturer of any item, or a distributor, than the hardbound Thomas Registers. NEED felt for ways of machines? Get out the F book and there's pages of felt. BRONZE for making leadscrew nuts? PAGES of Bronze dealers. Want to find out who makes oil cans? It's all there, and way quicker than the net. Twenty seconds after a product pops to mind, I've found it. So although they are huge, they're a real time saver.

Thomas Register is going through changes right now. As much as I love the books, of course they are going to discontinue them. Think of the expense of printing all that material. And then shipping boxes of books. For the last two years- Thomas Register was the only advertising I used. Not much of an ad, but it did pay for itself every year. Unlike monthly magazines, the register is kept and referred to. I know I've used it as my primary buying guide for over twenty years. As much as I like the register, I didn't advertise this year. Fact is, although I receive the set every year, I never got rid of my 2002 edition. My 2003's are still in boxes. TOO many books to get rid of. The books are pretty current for at least three or four years.

Ox · Mar 16, 2004

Online is much more helpfull. Haven't used the big green books in yrs. Just haven't thrown them out yet is all.

Think Snow Eh!
Ox

canonicalman · Mar 16, 2004

Take the books to the recycling center and use the online system.

Spin Doctor · Mar 16, 2004

Gee, I wonder how many BTUs are in each volume

D. Thomas · Mar 16, 2004

As I mentioned earlier, even back in 1989 many multiple volume sourcebooks, like the German set, Sweets (huge architecture sourcebook sets) and Thomas were available on CD's. But I still wanted the paper versions because only with the paper could you easily 'browse' and most importantly, see all of the actual display ads with photos, drawings, etc.

But of course now, with nearly every company having a website that's infinitely better than a small display ad, the paper has become nearly moot indeed.

mlyork · Nov 2, 2013

Hello Mr. Elliott, I'm not sure if you still have the set of Thomas Registers if so I would love to have them...I'll cover the cost to ship them.

Thks....Michael

J. Elliott said:
Hmmm, on my way back from lunch I realized I wasn't going to make a 3PM eBay auction. Stopped by the public library, dropped my bid, and on the way out saw the discard table piled high with crisp green hardbound copies of the Thomas Register. Nary a greasy fingerprint in sight. (That's pronounced gree-zee over 5 sylables fer you foreigners.)

34 books altogether, and with a sweet Carolinas Edition for local folk. Only 50 cents per, thank you, with the librarian telling me how pleased they were to get rid of 'em as she fetched me the hand cart....

Well, I've never seen these things before, but have heard of them. They seem useful, but did I do myself a favor or waste $17?

2000 Edition of the Thomas Register in hardback - worth 50 cents per book?

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