Stainless steel, because it’s pretty clear that it’s not plastic. These 18/8 stainless steel water bottles measure 10-3/4” tall, counting the screw cap, x 2-3/4” dia. Yours will have a tasteful registered college or university logo on it, which we’ll pick. (Get together with our other customers and trade for your alma mater, or customize your bottles with your own stickers!) Bottles hold 26 ounces, and the cap has a 5/8” bore to hang it from something. Cheap, too.

Our each is a dozen nickel-plated 2” long steel alligator clips with PVC sleeves but no boots because they’re made for electrical testing or soldering. You’ll get (6) each with red and black sleeves.

Nothing says fun science like stuff blowing up or falling down. Ask any middle-schooler. Get them started with one of these excellent books: Massively Epic Engineering Disasters, a 241-page hard-cover book devoted to (20) mishaps through the ages, plus (33) experiments based on the principles that caused them; or Potentially Catastrophic Science, 306 pages with (50) experiments ranging from pre-history to the present. Taken together, they cover everything from collapsing cathedrals and sunken boats to sonic booms and batteries.

These military surplus pop chutes are made to help open really big parachutes, but please don’t use yours to jump out of airplanes with. (That prohibition applies to all AS&S items, by the way.) This chute measures 26” dia x 21” long or tall, depending on how you look at it. It’s in off-white nylon and mesh with a big compression spring inside and a pair of grommet holes on the bottom. We think it would make a nifty post-modern holiday tree, or a spectacular hat with a tie through those grommets.

These high-end valve assemblies are medical take-outs from Lee Industries, but that’s all we know except that they look really expensive and fancy and high-quality, and are probably worth much more than we’re selling them for. Each has a 3VDC 275mA 2-phase stepper motor into a 5-250uL valve housing with a 5-pin connector that hooks up to (3) Omron infrared-based photomicro sensors. There’s what looks like a 4-pin encoder on top, as well as a 1/16” barb. Lee part # LPVX0520750CA.

Where else can you find (lightly) scented erasers shaped like giant rings with 1” square jewels? And packed inside clear plastic spheres? We’ll pick (1) in white, yellow, blue, green or another lovely color, but if you simply must have pink we’ve got that, too, and we’ll send it to you.

Drag chains are made to protect cables near moving parts. (Think: large robotic assembly machines.) This black plastic version has inside dimensions of 15mm (.59”) high x 20mm (.79”) wide, with a bend radius of 38mm (1-1/2”), and it flexes in one direction only. You pick the 27-link, 21-1/2” long section or the 54-link, 43” long piece.

These really nice, clear plastic jars are 8-sided, with 3-1/2” sides interrupted by 1” wide corners x approx 4-1/4” tall. Great for paper clips, thumbtacks, rubber bands, decorative marbles or sand, glitter, little stickers, loose change, nails, screws and lots of other things you’ll think of. You pick: the 20-oz jars with gasketed black screw tops, or the 18-oz jars with non-gasketed white screw tops.

Got Gaffing? We want to make sure your gaffing is good--great even. Here’s (60) yards of 2" wide brown gaffer’s tape on a 3” core. Made in the USA, and ready for any gaffer at any time.

Just string this 65” long set of (10) battery-powered LED light bulbs along the railing and it’ll be like you’re dining in Italy. Bulbs are clear, 2-1/4” dia with a soft 3-lumen warm-white LED inside. Will run 8-12 hours on the (2) included “AA” batteries. Truly romantic folks will get several sets to ring the deck or patio because those little lights make the tagliatelle alla Romana taste so much better.

Our each is (1) snap-lid clear plastic storage box with (6) compartments holding (28) 1-1/4” threaded stacking canisters to keep those hard-to-manage beads in. You’ll get (26) containers at 11/16” deep; and (2) containers at 1-3/4” deep. Not a beader? Use them for insects, glitter, colored sand, tacks, fishing flies, diamonds or your collection of homemade flavored lip glosses. Storage box measures 10-3/4” x 5-1/4” x 1-3/4, and the compartment dividers are removable.

Paul the Purchasing Agent says this is Cymbal Clanging Monkey: the Next Generation. This reincarnation of the percussive primate is all in plastic and he walks (or staggers, really) forward while he bangs those cymbals. Stands 8-1/4" tall in all his wind-up magnificence. And don’t go hitting him on the head; this guy won’t stop until he’s all wound down.

Or for gamers who like to draw. This spiral-bound sketchbook has (45) sheets at 7" x 6-3/8", and has a matte-black, extruded plastic cover that’s a mock-up of remote control, complete with a chrome, 4-draw antenna. Silly or perfect? You decide.

Or giraffe, zebra, tiger or leopard. We’ll send you (3) of our animal-skin print aluminum carabiners, 3-1/8” long x 1-3/4” with a 5/8” mouth, in whatever critter-prints run to the door when we open the cage. Not for climbing. (Think: keys.)

This 79-piece Roller Coaster construction kit features (40) challenges with (4) degrees of difficulty, and has, the manufacturer says, “more than 100,000 unique building possibilities,” which ought to tie up the little buggers for a while. Includes track and post pieces, and challenge cards. For ages 6+.

Double your chemical protection with these natural rubber gloves dipped in neoprene up to the wrists. In size small, although they could probably stretch to a smallish medium. Karen our Canine Cleanliness expert claims her hands are happier since wearing these to wash her Weimaraners. Made in the USA by Best® Glove.

That’s what they call the hooch just out of the still in Kentucky, but this version is a white dog on a stick. Dog head, anyway. Looks like a plain white polyresin Labrador retriever, and as such, it’s ready to paint. (Tan dog? Green dog?) Measures approx 7” x 6-1/2”, and sits right up on a 3” long, 1/4” rod on a square, black painted wooden base.

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.

Because we’ve got both, and in enormous versions from Lindberg Science Kits™, on stands. You pick the cyclopean 4” dia human eyeball model with the (26) parts listed on the stand, and detailed multilingual instructions; or the 4-1/2” human ear (even bigger than Lyndon Johnson’s or Alfred E. Neuman’s ears) with a (23) components, including the famous hammers, anvils and stirrups, listed on the stand, plus detailed instructions. You provide glue and paint. For ages 10+. Made in the USA.

This submersible 12VDC water pump is rated for 360gph flow, and up to a 6-foot lift. Draws approx 1A at full power. Input is 13mm ID/17mm OD with a slight lip. Housing measures 1-11/16” square x 2-1/2” on a 3” x 1-5/8” plate with a pair of 5/16” mounting holes and 7-1/2” leads. Also available is the compatible 12VDC 1.5A power supply with a 12+ foot cord with an inline toggle switch approx two feet off the 5.5mm (2.3mm) center-positive female plug. UL.

Our each is approx 1-1/3 oz (40ml) of The Original Slime (“Feels Wet and Cold!”) and it must be scientific because it comes in a cool little Erlenmeyer flask, although with a very un-Erlenmeyerish but important screw cap. We’ll pick a nauseating color. Non-toxic, for ages 5 and up, because you’re never too old for slime.

Yes, this grade C8 ceramic magnet is beastly--a monster, measuring 6" X 4" X 1" thick with a conservatively rated pull of 35 lbs, 3850 gauss. Powerful and, like all ceramic magnets, brittle, so keep it away from your laptop and don’t drop it or you may have several little beastly magnets. Use it to hold tools in the shop, or knives in the kitchen--or paint a bull’s eye on it and toss paper clips at it.

Like baseball cards, except with dinosaurs. And no gum. (You wouldn’t want surplus gum anyway.) Measure 3-1/2” x 2-1/2”, assorted and laminated, so they’ll last longer between bicycle spokes. You’ll get (4) packs, (8) cards to a pack. You can try to collect them all but we have no idea how many there are. We’re going to say lots, just like the dinosaurs themselves.

Hey, steampunk! We got your bag-o-gears right here, mostly the sort of thing that went into clocks and watches before quartz crystals and cell phones, when stuff was much cooler. But wait. Don't plan on building an actual machine with these gears--they're strictly decorative. No one will know that, though, when these industrial beauties are hanging from a chain around your neck. You get about (20) gears and flywheels in sizes ranging from 1/4" to maybe 1-1/4" in brass, bronze and gold tones.

This 3-6VDC motor operates optimally at 6VDC, draws 450mA no load, stalls at approx 2.4A and spins at about 13K rpm. Measures 2" long x 1-1/16" dia with a little 3/8" dia x 5/16" 12-tooth gear. Simple +/- leads are wired to a double jack that can easily be cut off or jumped. Leads are 14” long.

Here's a set of (5) tiny embedded-diamond files, just in case you have some tiny embedded diamonds that need filing. They are 3-1/8" long OA, with rubber handles. The file portions are 1 mm to 2 mm wide, with assorted pointed-round, pointed-flat, and blunt-flat tips at 150 grit.

Stainless steel mortar and pestle set. Mortar measures 5-1/4” dia x 3” on a 4” dia attached saucer-like base. Holds approx 250ml. Pestle is 6-3/4” long with 1-1/4” and 2” dia heads. Nice for the lab, or for folks who want everything in their stainless steel kitchen to be stainless steel. You know who you are. And we salute you.

It’s a ninefer. This 6” long x 1/2” hex ball-point pen has a rubber stylus at the other end, which unscrews to reveal a tiny driver with both 2mm and #00 heads, while the shaft has a little bubble level and (4) rulers: 0-4” x 1/16”; 0-10cm x 1mm; and both 1/200mm and 1/300mm rulers. The ninth part is our name on the side, so you remember where the coolest stuff comes from. Plus it’s in the ruler shade of yellow, with a pocket clip.

This remote VGA receiver measures 3-1/4" x 3-1/2" x 1-3/16" and is made to use with the NTI CAT5 VGA remote system which allows VGA and sound info to be transferred up to 600 feet on a CAT5 cable. Don't have the system? Pop the rivets on the bottom and you've got a dandy project case, a PCB-mount 5.5mm barrel plug and 1/8" audio jack plus whatever you can strip from the PCB board.

Crafts and repairs are made much easier with these applicator bottles. You pick: the translucent white plastic bottle, 4" x approx 2" dia, with a 100ml/3.5-oz capacity and a cap with a 3/8" x 1/4" x 2-1/2" long applicator brush; or the translucent 20ml/.68-oz plastic bottle with a screw-cap that has a 1-1/2" long x 1/32" dia dispenser needle with a protective cap.

No gas or electricity needed for this pocket-sized manual chain saw, the camper's pal. It's 30" long overall, with (82) spring-steel teeth on the 18-1/2" middle section, and canvas loop handles on each end. Imagine a cross between a sharpened bike chain and a garotte. It's easy to use (we tested it), works a whole lot faster than a hatchet, rolls up into no space at all, and stores in the heavy-duty canvas belt pouch that comes with it.

There are some things you just shouldn’t look at directly, like the mind of our copywriter, and this iZoom® flood light. The latter is a 10W, 700-lumen floodlight with a 3/4” dia COB LED behind an acrylic lens. The whole shebang is in a 7" x 4-1/2" x 1-3/8" weather-resistant housing with a 3-1/2” handle on top, and a pivoting kickstand. Color temp is 6000K (coolish) and it comes with (6) “AAA”s for power, which is about (3) hours’ worth.

Would be yellow, no? Yes, but you could put these nifty white plastic wheels on anything you like. You've seen lawnmower wheels? That's what these are like. Measure 6" dia x 1-7/16" thick with hard black rubber treads, a 1/2" axle bore and a 13/16" x 1/4" hub on the opposite side.

Steampunk alert! Also…model and jewelry maker alert! This pair of 10X acrylic doublet loupes is mounted on black eyeglass frames and flanked by LED lights powered by (2) included CR1620 button cell batteries. These are for close work only, from 1" to 1-1/2", and can focus only one lens at a time (not both on the same object) so if you’re a steampunker looking for a new accessory, plan on perching this rig on your pate or chapeau.

Super-long Q-type tips are for people who don't want to get too close to their ears. Actually, these are tech swabs with cotton tops and wooden sticks for lab work, so leave your ears out of it. Good for other body parts, though, and for too many craft applications to list. You get (3) packs, for a total of (300) 6-1/4" long fuzzy-topped sticks.

Or at least find out if it's in. Watersafe® Lead Test is a home drinking water test for lead that meets EPA standards. Works via a one-step procedure with a naked-eye positive/negative result in ten minutes. Includes a vial and pipette. Our each is a single-use kit with a two-year expiration date. Watersafe® is a screening test, please see product instructions for details regarding test results.

Once upon a time, a copywriter put this little magnet next to his computer monitor and got really pretty, wavy, aurora-like effects. And then got a new monitor! Don't try this at home. Our shiny, silver-colored 1" x 1" x 1/2" neodymium magnet looks innocent, but is industrial strength, pulling something like 25 lbs with enough strength left over to erase all your credit cards. And wreak havoc with your monitor.

A pair of shades in assorted colors with the outer portion of each lens half silvered on the eyeball side. Glance left or right and see behind you. Cool undercover item for the younger sleuth or the dirty old man on the beach who doesn't want to be discovered. Whatever your motive, you need a pair now.

An exhausted physicist. Also this 3-1/4" dia camping lantern. Stands 5” tall with fold-down handles, but pull up those handles and reveal the super-bright, a whopping 600 lumen COB LED light inside. Turns on when you open it, and has a small compass on top so you can see where you’re going. Measures approx 7” open and will shine for approx (6) hours with a trio of “AA” batteries, which are included. In utilitarian gray ABS plastic.

A smaller version of the monster flood lights most of us can’t afford, this one’s rechargeable from iZoom with a 600-lumen 10W COB white LED with a 2-3/4" x 1-3/4" reflector in a water- and dust-resistant 4-3/8" x 3-1/4" x 4-1/4" with a padded 3-5/8" handle and adjustable 6-1/2" x 5-1/4" H-shaped base plus an adjustable mounting bracket. Includes a cigarette-plug charger and wall plug. Runs a little under 2 hours on a full charge.