Pocket Ref [Paperback]

Thomas J. Glover (Author, Compiler)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1995

All the reference information anyone needs on virtually any subject is right at the fingertips in this handy pocket-sized guide. Its tables, charts, drawings, lists, and formulas will be especially useful for contractors, students, travelers, electronics hobbyists, craftspeople, and engineers and technicians in virtually every field.

Product Details

• Paperback: 542 pages
• Publisher: Sequoia Pub; 2nd edition (April 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1885071000
• ISBN-13: 978-1885071002
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 3.2 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (179 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #165,052 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #95 in Books > Science & Math > Reference

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

141 of 148 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Glover has piled tons of information into one excellent book, October 18, 2002

By 

Big Daniel McFoot (NEW JERSEY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pocket Ref (Paperback)

Pocket Ref is one sweet book. It is part encyclopedia, part trivia tome, part entertainment and part dispute-solver. Buried in the various tables and charts are tons of data and facts to aid the rider, roadside mechanic or budding MacGyver.

Let's say you are riding in Colorado, and want to know how much to re-jet. You simply go to the chapter on air & gases (p. 13) and learn that air pressure @ 10,000 ft is approx. 70% of mean standard air pressure.

Lose your owner's manual? In Chapter 2 (p. 25) you can find a torque level to safely reinstall 12mm spark plugs in an aluminum head (18-22 ft-lbs.) Settle that tavern bet over the codes on your tire sidewalls (p. 31)

Wondering how thick the wire should be to run your new electric vest? Look in Chapter 6.

What do you suppose the weather is like in Maine in September? Will you need warm weather gear? (p. 162)

This book has everything. Wind Chill tables, Heat Index data, an entire chapter that cross-references SAE, Metric and even Whitworth hardware. Listings of those formulas you've forgotten from High School.

Several Chapters apply to the off-season mechanic or machinist. Drill sizing; counter-sinking; metal properties & hardness; welding data and taps and dies. Granted there are more complete machining books, but if you are at the store and are blanking on a spec, the Pocket Ref may save you a return trip.

Oh sure, you can get most of this information off of the internet. But out in Hooterville at O-dark-thirty, you may be able to find your answer before your alpha-geek friend has even accessed the 'net.

Author Thomas Glover has compiled tons of data onto 544 pages into this little, 5 1/4" X 3 1/4" book. Tankbag?!? Hell - this thing fits into your jacket! Available from better hardware stores, booksellers or the publisher.

Verdict:
Casual Reader--You could live without this, but why would you want to?

Gear Head--Serious "geek-credit" earned when you deploy this little gem.

Serious Ride--Has scores of uses directly applicable to motorcycling. A no-brainer.

BIG DAN's OVERALL RATING: 9.2/10

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Oh, wow...I forgot THAT was referenced in this book!, March 9, 2001

By 

"ileandra" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pocket Ref (Paperback)

The biggest problem I've had with this book is getting people to return it to my office after they've borrowed it. It has so much useful information including every unit conversion imaginable; bolt, screw, nail, pipe, wire, etc... specifications; mathematical constants; chemical element properties......and that's just scratching the surface of what this book contains. But even with over 500 pages of reference info, it's still small and portable. It measures 3-3/4" x 5-1/2" x 3/4", so it'll fit in a pocket, briefcase, or drawer. If you're looking for a good all-around reference, this is definately a good buy.

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Pocket Ref is THE pocket reference!, June 22, 2006

By 

Darwin "Computer consultant" (Redmond, WA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pocket Ref (Paperback)

I bought one copy for myself, then liked it so much I went and got another one for the office, along with Auto Ref for the car! This book has everything--insulation values, lumber and wood characteristics, hand signals, military ranks, area codes, time zones, geometry and trig functions, plumbing and metal-working specs, "perpetual" calendar, first aid, and more!

The best fun I had was buying one for some friends' Christmas party last year, which involved one of those "white elephant" gift exchanges (the type where people can grab an unopened present or steal one of the opened presents). Finally the men had something worthwhile to fight over instead of the scented candles, potpourri, and other decidedly feminine knick knacks! The guide got "stolen" at least five times before the last gift finally got opened.

You may not need 80% of the stuff in here, but the low cost and small space this guide takes up means there's no reason not to have a copy handy. Then if someone asks you "What's a cirrus cloud?", "How big is a bushel?", "What day of the week is July 4th, 2010?", "How do you tie a butterfly knot?", "How far is the earth from the sun?", "What's a European 43 shoe size in the American scale?" or "Can PVC pipe be used for hot water?", you'll have the answer!