No, really. Stop scraping your fingernails along the tape trying to find the end. That’s not sanitary anyway. Try this handy medical-tape dispenser with a cover. Includes the white/clear plastic dispenser plus (2) 30-foot rolls of 1” wide white latex-free cloth medical tape.

We like our pouches festooned here at the home office. These are heavy-duty 100% cotton, 9” x 5” x 2” and zippered with a little 3” x 2-1/4” pocket inside and a 1-1/2” hang tab on one side. You pick the construction-yellow one festooned with dozens of illustrations of hand tools; or the off-white one, equally festooned with dozens of mystical alchemical symbols, perfect for those trying to change lead into gold or Bitcoins.

For students or professionals, this Celestron® Deluxe Handheld Digital Microscope that captures still images and videos is a terrific computer accessory. Plug the USB 2.0 cable into your computer's port and take advantage of the built-in, upgraded 2MP CMOS sensor, 10X to 200X magnification, and 8-LED illumination. It features a 1 sec. to 1/1000 sec shutter speed, 1920x1080, 1280x720 and 640x480 resolutions, max 30fps videos, 10mm to 150mm manual focus and a 2 element glass lens with IR Cut and EFL 158mm. The 4-oz, 4-1/4" x 1-1/4" dia scope may be handheld, or slipped into its metal stand for steadier viewing. Includes CD-ROM software with measurement function and note-taking and a calibration tool. Works with Windows 7/8/10 and MAC OSX 10.12 and up. Very cool.

From science fairs to your better street demonstrations, if you’re making a poster, you should make it bright enough to shine. We recommend these washable water-color neon tempera poster paints in 2-fluid-ounce squeeze bottles. We’ll pick (3) different colors from the assortment of electric red, fuchsia pink, green apple, orange blast, cerulean blue and bright yellow.

It’s summer and there’s gonna be some grillin’. This year, you don't have to man the grate with the usual, flimsy, short-handled tiny bladed flipper. Give them this extra-wide, extra-sturdy stainless steel spatula that can flip entire chickens without even breaking a sweat. It's giant 9-1/2" x 12” blade is perfect for pizzas! (4) burgers at a time, no problem! Rack of ribs? Easy, peasy! Has a rubberized handle and folds for easy storage. This indispensable tool might make you want to grill out every night. Grill, apron and cold beverage not included.

Another first. This 2” dia plastic mushroom is the red and white polka-dot cartoony version, like in Snow White and the Seven Diminutive Miners, or the Mario Bros. Pull off its shroom cap, and you’ve got a stubby little ballpoint pen. Not available in your office supply cabinet.

Trouble keeping your geologic eras straight? We feel your Paleozoic pain. This colorful 12-oz ceramic mug has a graphic timeline wrapped around it illustrating the Pre-Cambrian era up through Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic periods. And if you’re a good geology student, and finish all your coffee, you’ll see an impression of a trilobite fossil in the bottom of the cup. Microwave and dishwasher safe.

Our favorite oxymoronic item. It’s a series of flat political maps of the world mounted on a 3” cube instead of a globe. The spindle goes into Antarctica and the whole thing stands just under 6” tall, spinning on an approx 4” dia base. Could be the perfect birthday present for your flat-earther uncle Morty.

Fish got to swim, birds got to fly, and pigs got to snort. These are our finest snorters, measuring 7-1/2" long x 3-1/4" tall in squeezable rubber, emitting a lovely snort when squozen. As a bonus, they have porcine quips on their backs: “May the pork be with you,” “I (heart) you more than bacon,” etc. Your pig could be red, black, purple, green, turquoise, blue or one of two traditional piggish pinks, and you should be happy with whatever you get because there are people who have no rubber pigs at all.

Well, at least in Belgium somewhere. These used Belgian military gas masks are in a unusual brown rubber, and give you a particularly insectoid appearance even without attaching the included used filter, which won’t work so don’t use it. Just work it into a costume sometime, or proudly display it your Den of Military Stuff. Measures 8" x 5-3/4" and comes in a 13-1/2" x 10" x 2" dark olive drab pouch with myriad belt clips and buckles.

This nifty botanic lab kit from Engino® will appeal to budding (pardon our punning) botanists and youngsters with a mechanical bent. Has (4) projects, including a 14-1/2” x 9-1/2” x 13-1/2” clear plastic greenhouse with a gear-driven window, a pseudo-ox-driven plow, and a cube. Comes with (2) germination trays, a dozen small pots, and a 42-page manual. Mates with other Engino® parts. Made in Cypress, which makes for a nice change, we think. Ages 8-16.

Make handmade ice cream with your feet, and burn calories while you enjoy delicious desserts. The Bigfoot Ice Cream Machine has ironically small, 5-3/4” long, Yeti-ish feet that you (or your kids) pump to spin the dual-chamber (ingredients/rock salt and ice) 7-1/4" x 6-1/4" dia tumbler. The manufacturer says it will make 1-1/2 pints in twenty minutes, and that has to be true or they’d get in trouble.

Orienteerer alert. This compass has (3) scales and a 4X magnifier. Can be used to read topographical and tourist maps, and to determine azimuthal locations. Perfect for use with overhead projectors. The 2” dia compass is graduated from 0-360 degrees in 2-degree increments, has a liquid-filled capsule, declination correction scale and luminous points, and hangs on a yellow lanyard. Meridian lines help with accurate plotting of angles. Scales are in mm 1:25K, 1:50K. Measures 2.5" (60mm) x 5.5" (140mm).

Chocolate fountains are so over. Give best friends a nice gravy fountain for their wedding reception. Or just buy this 11-1/2” x 9-3/4” x 3” bogus box with “The Amazing Gravy Fountain” photos and text extolling its virtues, discussing the included ladle and recipe book and featuring a cute, gravy-spitting frog on the front. Feel free to put something equally stupid from our catalog inside, or give something they’ll really appreciate, like a chocolate fountain (they’re not over).

Or baton jaune. This telescoping combo worklight/traffic baton looks like a red or yellow baton, but pull the ends and it opens to reveal a 9-3/8” long, 1200-lumen COB light in the middle. Measures 2-5/16" hexagon and extends from 13" to 23" with swivel hooks recessed on both ends, and pair of magnets on the handle. Housing is translucent so when closed it will work like a traffic baton. Runs for (4) hours on the (8) included “AA” batteries, and can be seen for up 246 ft/75m.

Mental notes aren’t worth the synapses they’re stored in. Best get this set of (3) little, 3” x 4” hardbound notebooks with (100) blank pages in each. They’re cute, with covers that are genuine Monopoly® cards: Boardwalk, marked “shopping list”; Electric Company, marked “Bright Ideas”; and Reading Railroad, marked “Travel Journal.” Just ignore those, and write down whatever you want, because who are the Parker brothers to tell you what to do? 

Not tattoos of toilets (that would be gross), but cling decals to decorate your toilet. Our each is a set of (6) different decals that add a snake, octopus tentacles, lobster parts, zombie hands, werewolf paws and creepy insects to the porcelain centerpiece of your smallest room. Gift-giver alert: moms love these!

Moderately modest molded mermaid, 4-3/4" long, finely detailed with sparkly locks and fishtail, wearing discreetly placed shells on the maiden half. She’s also cradling a colorful fish, and clearly longing for a home either in your aquarium or a more-land based location, such as a shelf.

It’s like Poirot on account of it’s also from Belgium, but Hercule doesn’t light up and flash in red, blue and green. This easy-to-solder kit has a 2” dia clear plastic ball with a red/green/blue LED and phototransistor inside. Has flash and fade modes, a little hanging tab for a hook on top, and runs on a CR2032 button-cell battery, which, conveniently, we carry (item # 93242). Add some small items or decorations inside the ball to create personalized ornaments for any holiday or occasion.

Goofy glasses to help you get a seat on the subway or stand out at parties. Remember those ads in the backs of old comic books? These are those glasses! All with black plastic frames, we’ve got round frames with spiral lenticular hypno lenses, square frames with lenticular blinking eyes, and square-frame with lenses marked X-Ray Vision. We’ll pick a pair of different ones for you because we know what would look best with a face the shape of yours.

Looks like an antacid tablet, a white disc 13/16" dia x 3/8" thick, but drop it in water and the rayon instantly expands into a 9" x 13" reusable wipe. Can you say handy? No mother should ever leave the house without a few in her purse and no glove compartment is complete without a handful. Click here and watch the magic! 

One promotion above 1st Lieutenant Polyimide? Nope-- tape material that makes duct tape hang its head in shame. Kapton polyimide is used in everything from flexible printed circuits, to the Apollo moon missions, to cryogenics. In this case, it’s a transparent golden-yellow 1/2” wide x .0025” thick adhesive tape on a 36-yard roll. Has a normal tensile strength of 30 lbs, insulates up to 7500V, and has a working temperature from -100F to 500F. High temp tolerance makes it perfect for masking during powder coating. Made in the USA.

Billy says that there’s nothing worse than a hot pillow, and nothing better than a soothing fan to lull you to sleep. So of course you will want our Breezy Buddy pillow, which stays cool because it has a built-in fan! Approx 15” x 5” x 5”, roughly log-shaped and canvas-wrapped with a mesh-covered foam cushion in the middle, the pillow has a fan on each end, gently blowing soothing air across your neck. Use the pillow in a chair, on the beach, in a tent, at the pool or in your own cozy bed at home. Has an adjustable handle for carrying, and the canvas cover is removable and washable. You add (4) “C” batteries. In Red, Blue or Tan. Our choice but if you email us we won't object to picking you out a special color. 

Could very well be for a gas mask, but that's just a guess, and we know not from whose military. Interesting, though, and rubberized for your protection. It's olive drab, 9-1/2" x 11" x 4", with hook-and-loop belt fasteners. The belt fasteners are oriented so that there's an 8" x 10" snap-flap pocket on the front, a fold-over closure for the bag itself on one short side with a hook-and-loop catch against the body, and a 4" x 6" pocket with hook-and-loop closure on the opposite short side. Good deal if you need to keep stuff dry. Even better after a few hours in the sun and a good spray with a fabric freshener.

These watertight aluminum screw-top canisters are gasketed, lined in nylon and come with a 1" slip ring to attach to whatever. Measure just over 2-1/2" tall x 1-1/8" dia, so they're suitable for a lot of pills or any number other things you need to keep dry or safe. We'll pick one in black, red, gold, blue or green.

The Shape of Cool™ is trademarked. Really. And its owner is Lava® brand lamps. Accept no substitutes, we always say. Usually. Sometimes. Certainly in this case. This Lava® Lamp is 14-1/2" tall with a silvery aluminum stand and tip. It may have clear liquid with red lava; purple liquid with pink lava; or blue liquid with either yellow or purple lava. All classic Lava® colors, so we know you’ll like the one we pick out for you! All include a 25W bulb in the base. UL.

Is mighty bright, actually, and warm white. Our COB LEDs are 5/8" dia, mounted on PC boards that measure approx 1-1/8" x 3/4". Nominally rated at 32VDC up to 1A, with heat-sink backings. Best with a constant current supply, which will draw 170mA or use a current limiting resistor and a heat sink.

No, no, wait--this is good, but it’s literally not so hot. It’s a battery-operated low-temp glue gun, like Martha would use for crafting on airplanes. No, wait, that’s probably not a good idea, either. Look, it’s a really good quality glue gun, takes (4) “AA” batteries, uses 1/4” x 4” glue sticks and measures a portable 5-3/8" long with a 4" handle. Runs approx 170F, perfect for Coffee Shop Crafters (which should be an HGTV series if it’s not already). No plugs! No cords! Great for hobbyists, tinkers, DIYers, teachers, model-makers, crafters and a bunch of other folks. Sticks are not included but try our 4" long low temp sticks. Works on wood, metal, glass, cardboard, paper, card stock, synthetic materials and more. Non toxic, clear drying and non yellowing. Bonds in less than 30 seconds...just ask Billy.

What we have here is the inside of a walking toy that’s lost its outside. What’s left is a white plastic potato-ish fellow with a stumpy head. Like a naked robot. Has the usual set of eye-holes and earlobes, a speaker mouth (but nothing to say) and a belly button that doesn’t do anything, just like yours. Toddles on big black clown feet and has (2) power switches, one on its back, one at the end of 9” leads. We like it just the way it is, but crafty folk might want to make him or her a body. Either way, you add (3) AA batteries.

We won't say magic, what with Science being our middle name, but these cut-resistant, composite-yarn technology gloves are pretty mystifying. In cobalt blue or bright white, our each is either a pair or single glove (see description above), and since you only wear one on your non-slicing hand it's a great deal.  Lengths are from wrist to middle fingertip. They're not puncture-proof, of course, so no stabbing please, but Barb, our Director of Accounting & High-Speed Fish Gutting, was unable to slice into them. Made in the USA by Best®.

More artistic than using a router, and much, much less work than carving with chisels: wood-burning is back. Practice your skills with our 20W wood-burning pen set. Easily details and decorates wood, leather and cork. (Also butter if you're very, very quick.) Includes a safety stand, (2) pointed tips, and (2) wedge-shaped tips. For the extra-creative, our set of nibs for the pen adds another (28) points, including a hot plastic and foam cutter, (10) soldering tips, (15) varied wood-burning nibs in assorted shapes and points, and both number and alphabet stencils.

Yes, now you can truthfully tell people this. Just get this combo 10" long 1931 Rolls-Royce Phantom slash AM radio and you’re in business. The power knob/volume control in the right-side spare tire is frozen, but if you’re handy you can fix it and then truthfully say “I just fixed the radio in my ’31 Rolls Phantom.” These radio-models are from the mid ’70s, so they might be a tad tarnished, bumperwise, but they’re still your chance to work on, and own, a Rolls.

Dandy set of (36) artists’ pencils, all 7” long. You’ll get (24) colored pencils across the spectrum, (12) regular and (12) water soluble, plus (8) graphite pencils between 2H and 6B, and (4) woodless graphite at 2B, 4B, 6B and 8B. From Thornton Art Supply.

Remember dictionaries? Never mind--they’re all inside your phone now, but in an homage to the dictionary stands of the past, we present this little black aluminum stand for your phone or tablet to sit on while you look stuff up, or do anything else. Measures 4" tall x 4-1/2" x 3" with a ledge with silicone pads and keyed holes to organize the cords through when the battery runs low. Bottom also has pads to keep it from sliding around. Will work with most phones and tablets up to a 9” screen.

This power supply is made for COB LED boards, and provides constant current up to 1750mA from 10-28VDC. Features 0-10V voltage control dimming, thermistor feedback, and a separate 5-12V 2W output for a cooling fan. Has full pinout on the case. Works perfectly as a driver for COB LED lighting boards. Like these. Click! Measures 5-5/8" x 3" x 1-3/8". RoHS compliant. UL.

Big glass lens, measures 109mm (4.29”) dia, with a 255mm (approx 10”) focal length. No use for a lens? It makes a lovely desktop magnifier, plus it’s convex on both sides which makes it very satisfying to spin during introspective moments.

Special for bottlesquashers. This collapsible, non-toxic silicone water bottle (In assorted colors) is easily the cutest thing that ever held H2O. Starts out like a little squat barrel approx 5-1/2” x 2-3/4” dia, but pull up on the top and it rises to a full 9” tall. Flip cap has a screw-down lock, and there’s a carabiner near the neck to hang it from. Holds approx 17 oz, comes in four assorted water friendly colors and is rated for -40 to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Great for camping, hiking, mom-ing and kid-ing. 

They're back! Those of a certain age will remember being taught to crouch under their school desks in case of nuclear attack. Shortly thereafter, the United States gov't, in its infinite wisdom zoomed about the cityscape plastering yellow and black signs on buildings with basements to designate them as fallout shelters wherein it stored cans of water and radiation meters which were so insensitive that any reading could only mean the past tense of crispiness. We have a quantity of these signs, brand new in the sense that they have never been plastered, but antique in the sense that they are Cold War U.S. Civil Defense originals and may show slight wear from being stored. 10" x 14" , 25 ga. galvanized steel. They have a black base coat on the front over sprayed with orange/yellow reflective paint in the familiar design rendered nearby by our faithful artist. This is a true collector's item fetching $50 and up in antique stores! A tasteful addition to even the dullest basement hangout.

It’s a classy chassis, but it’s not from Tallahassee. Made to start your own mini sumo robot, and includes a 2-1/2” x 3” x 3/4” DIY battery compartment for “AA”s, a piece of perf board the same size, a pair of rubber treads 3-3/4” x 1/2” with striations on one side and treads on the other, (4) spoked wheels 1-3/8" dia x 1/8" ID with flattened bores, mounting hardware and battery springs. You add a pair of motors and batteries.

OK, they’re not from outer space--they’re from Mattel/DASH Robotics--but they are snap-together scorpion Kamigami™ (robot) kits. For added coolness, you program and control them via your iPhone, Android or Amazon Fire with a download-able app. They feature 3-axis accelerometer and gyroscope, an IR XMTR and dual IR sensors in a pre-wired drive-train housing with LiPo battery pack. Bots are made of sheet plastic and rivets, and will run, race, dance or battle lightning-fast, for a half-hour on a 45-minute charge. You pick the more realistic Scarrax™ model at 7” x 3-1/2” x 3” or the more futuristic Musubi™ at 12” x 8” x 2-1/2”.