These are the split rings with the beveled profile, the good ones. The bevel and the largeness of these rings translate to fewer chipped fingernails and blurted-out obscenities. Measure 1-1/2" dia x 1/8" thick, in steel, and hold a bunch of keys.

This fitted, hinged plastic box from American Tool Group would be worth buying even if it didnt come with hundreds of O-rings. And it does. Black nitrile O-rings sorted by size. O-rings that will stay in their places until you need them. The 407-piece set includes 32 sizes from 1/4" OD x 1/8" ID x 1/16" to 2-1/4" OD x 2" ID x 1/8". It includes the size you're going to need. At your fingertips. Instead of in aisle 12 at the home center.

Wallace’s pooches before Gromit came along? Nope, just a handy 2-3/8" long x 3/8” ID steel snap hook attached to a 13/16” ID ring that swivels 360 degrees. In some fashion circles, hanging your keys from a belt loop of your jeans with one of these is considered mandatory.

No, O-rings. Get ’em here, because we got ’em. These black rubber (neoprene, we believe) O-rings are nominally 1-1/2” ID and 1/8” thick, and made in the USA. Use them for crafts, tiny ring toss games, in dioramas or dollhouses, as vibration pads, or in actual O-ring applications. Because, after all, they’re O-rings.

Hardware from Monkey Grip, Inc.? Those would be professional–quality tire repair products –– in this case, air–line couplers with a 1/4 NPT thread on one end and a fitting for a T–type connector on the other. The 1–1/2” long interchangeable steel nipples have T–connectors that are threaded. Excellent quality, whatever your application.

Black plastic vented grilles with (19) round holes measure 2-1/8" OD x 3/8" thick with (4) snap clips to hold them in place. Originally for stereo speakers, they were designed to fit into a 2" dia port.

What do you give a plumber for his birthday? We recommend some longer T-shirts and maybe some of these 3/8” white PVC 90-degree elbow fittings. Fittings are 3/8” ID and a tad over 1” long on both legs; they come with mating nuts and gaskets.

Get your keys organized before everything uses iris recognition. Choose between a set of nickel-plated steel split rings at 3/4", 1", 1-1/4" and 1-1/2" dia, or a set of (4) rubber key caps/covers in red, yellow, green and blue. Karen, our Boreal Studies Professor, says they look like tiny little stocking caps on her keys, and she should know. (Our pkg 2 gets you 8 covers)

The world of surplus works in mysterious ways. Here we have assorted V-shaped aluminum channels 5-3/4" long x 5/8" wide across the 120° Vs. Picture these nestled behind glass thermometer tubes, imprinted with assorted scales, each with a small mounting hole at the top, maybe tiny crimp-clips to mount the thermometer that isn't there, and a diamond-shaped opening at the bottom for the glass bulb that also isn't there. Then add your own thermometers, use them as teaching aids, string 'em together for tracks or marble runs, or get really creative.

Actually, we like hooks and eyes, especially when they have screws on the other end and they're great for hanging stuff from. You choose. Our 1-3/8" long steel screw eyes have 3/8" IDs. You'll get (2) packs with (10) screw eyes in each, which will hang up to (20) things--and we did that math all in our head. Our 4" long screw hooks have a 1" ID and we've got them because the package says they're 4-1/8" long. Ain't surplus wonderful? You'll get (2) packs, or (4) hooks altogether. Let the hanging begin.