This publication is the result of years of sketching in my little black book. The only way that I could remember a detail was to draw it. I always had my little black book in my pocket and it became a practical tool in the field when I wanted to explain a detail to the crew. My craftsmen were constantly borrowing my book and asking me to make copies of it. Finally, after my retirement, I went through a hip replacement surgery that kept me idle for two months. I was bored and decided to publish my little black book. The first edition came out in 2004 and was full of typos but disappeared immediately. Students, craftsmen, contractors, architects and engineers flooded my email with requests for additional books. The fact that they were free may have had something to do with it.

In 2005, Chris Brown, President of the Conproco Corporation, made me an offer that I could not refuse. He told me that Conproco would publish my dictionary, and provide me with a number of copies in exchange for my agreement to put their logo on the back page. As I did not want this book to be sold, but used for educational purposes, I did not refuse the deal. I immediately contacted Taryn Stubblefield P.E. who agreed to edit this new edition and she performed a great job. She eliminated the typos, re-formatted the book and we added numerous new details.

This book can be obtained by contacting Conproco in Dover, New Hampshire or myself at john@jfmaillard.com.