The “Tools of the Trade” photonics catalog, volume 17, from Thorlabs Inc. is available in print, on CD and as a download from the company Web site. The initial pages of the 909-page publication summarize the engineering and manufacturing expertise of the company’s five manufacturing centers. Among the products detailed are tables and breadboards, polarization tools, laser diode technologies, motion control equipment, including rotation and translation stages, and optomechanical hardware, including optical rails and mirror, lens and filter mounts. Optics, fiber optics, laboratory supplies, laser laboratory instruments and lasers, amplifiers and ASE sources also are itemized. Numerous charts and diagrams are provided.