Illustrated Sourcebook of Mechanical Components

I have this book open on my desk at work. I skim through it when I have a free second and it gives me great ideas for my mechanical design projects. Every page has something interesting, and the author does a great job at pointing out not only how a device works, but in what type of application it is useful. It's not a tell all book on mechanisms and machines, but it does have a wide variety of subjects, everything from complex mechanisms, to clever ways of implementing common hardware. The author also includes some equations for complex machines, usually it how to calculate the velocity or acceleration of an important point on the mechanism. My favorite thing about the book is the way the author shows several solutions to common problems and compares them, like sections titled "Typical Methods of Coupling Rotating Shafts" or "Mechanisms for Adjusting Tension of Belf Drives". I do have one complaint...the spine on the book is cheap and I know it will be ruined sooner or later, I'm going to be careful with it but I know it's inevitable. In all honesty though, I would still recommend buying it.

I am a farmer who enjoys making machinery. I design my contraptions on paper, then using a CAD program to refine the designs. Having no training in engineering I am frequently using references such as "Machinery's Handbook" and "Moving The Earth" and "Mark's Standard handbook of Mechanical Engineering" and others.I have to say, that Parmley's book is a treasure trove of information, with heaps of unusual ideas for common compnents such as O-rings, rubber balls, pipe connections, washers and many others, plus hard information about more complex components such as gearboxes, cams, governors etc etc.This is a big book, with many pages (numbering within each section only), lovely clear diagrams, and enough but not too many tables, formulae and specifications. It can be browsed cover to cover, (as I am doing for the 2nd or 3rd time), open a page at random and be fascinated, or look up specific topics in the excellent index.I have read the other reviews on this book, and clearly it is a valuable rescource to professionals. I can tell you that it is also a fantastic mine of information to the interested amateur.

This book is fun to mindlessly peruse if you are a giant engineering nerd. Also, its sometimes helpful if you are trying to brainstorm some mechanical component / mechanism. Its definitely for a niche audience, but I've had it for 10 years, and it's made the cut each time I've moved, so I must love something about it.

It is mind boggling to think how much time it took the author to find, let along compile in a useful form, all the information in this book. Unfortunately, most engineers today bypass this kind of info altogether, in favor of electronic devices and their design in the never ending quest to become the next Bill Gates. In my mind it is a case of having thrown the baby out with the bath water, we have forgotten about the analog baby and went directly to far more complex, black box, technologies that may be a step backward in efficiency. Less and simpler might be better. My thanks to the author for providing a concise study of useful devices and methods.

I found this book to be one of the most useful books I have in my collection. It is everything I had hoped it to be and more.

This book has a lot of useful information. I am glad to have this in my design library. Nice reference

This is a great book to have around. I use it to help jumpstart new ideas, or just incorporate existing ideas into a project. I'm happy with the purchase...

I satisfied with the information and quality of the books , and this is what I am looking for....thank you.

Good condition and seems like a great book

This book is a must have for any mechanical engineer! Relatively cheap and contains lots of principles for mechanical components. I use this book to look up principles for mechanical components during design and concept phases and it has helped me on many occasions.

This is the best, Mechanical engineering design book(mechanisms & machine components), I have got (so far). This is NOT a textbook nor a general theory book(your caution is requested, of course a small amount of theory is included). It's a must have one for all practicing Mechanical Engineers. Almost all diagrams are explained reasonably & we should use some logic of our own at places. The imported book price is a bit high for us (ofcourse it's worth is big).

It were in good shape as described.

値は張りますが、それだけの価値はあります。メカニカルエンジニア等の専門家向けの専門書ですが、イラストも多く読みやすいです。機械系部品の殆どをカバーしていますし、強度計算やグラフまでついています。ネジ一つとってみても、ネジの英語名称・種類からシチュエーションによるネジの使用法、据付方、どんな時に効果的か等々、設計者には必携ではないでしょうか？