The Model Shop was a special department at the Stanley Rule & Level Company where all new products and custom and special rule prototypes were created and tested for evaluation by management and customers. The Stanley Company has produced hundreds of these out-of-the-mainstream products which have now become sought-after collectibles.

Authors Phil Stanley and Scott Lynk have collaborated to document in this new book the nonstandard rules made by Stanley as they explored market needs and responded to customers inquiries, orders, and modifications. Included are the rules made by Stanley in the 187686 movement to convert to the metric system and both the custom and special rules and the stock rules currently in the inventory of the Stanley Model Shop.