Got thread? You pick black or white, from American & Efird in North Carolina. The white polyester #46 thread (.0025” thick) comes on a 10,000-yard, 6” spool; the black polyester thread, .0025” thick, 16-oz NWP/453GM, has 12,000 yards on a 7” spool, marked #33 or AA. Now that’s a lot of thread.

Made for use in aquaria everywhere, these dozen polyresin reproductions of coral and sea anemone are nifty in their own right, and a stylish person might put them on a desk, dresser or mantel. They measure between 2-1/4" and 3-1/2", and include cat’s paw, velvet stone, cauliflower, branch and brain coral, and Atlantic anemones. In an ivory color for the most part, but paintable if you like authenticity, although we’d skip the aquarium use unless you use aquarium approved paints. We’ll pick (2) different, or you can get the whole undersea 12 pack assortment. A steal at twice the price!

Call it the Heart of a Doll, because that’s what it was, once upon a toy store. Today it’s a red, heart-shaped plastic thingy, 2-1/2" wide x 7/8" thick, with a smaller heart-shaped button on top. And yeah, it’s a little creepy. Hold the button and it emits a soothing electronic heartbeat at a tad under 60bpm. Runs on (2) button cell batteries, included.

It’s safer than running with scissors, but if you hate running altogether, the next best thing is to sit back and watch the marbles run.The Marbles Fun Run is a 58-piece tube-and-ramp modular marble run with (15) assorted colorful marbles. Includes connectors, ramps and cups. For ages 4+.

These amber glass bottles hold 2 oz and measure 1-1/2” dia x 3-7/8” tall counting the yellow plastic safety screw cap with helpful opening instructions on it. Bottle has a 5/8” ID mouth. Great for aromatherapy concoctions, and don’t forget that amber provides excellent UV protection for your precious oils.

The box says it’s a Kray-zee Bell, but to us it just has a nice tinkling sound, the sort of thing you’d use to call the garden fairies to lunch with. In green enameled steel, it has “Ring for Luck” printed on it, although we don’t know why, and what do you care? Bell is 3" dia x 1-7/8" on a 3-1/4" plastic handle with a clapper on a spring, ting-a-ling.

Our each is a pack of (5) small white LED flashlights for keychains, (1) each in black, red, green, blue and orange all with a silver edge, which will make it easy to tell whose keys belong to whom on the kitchen table. Measure 2-3/8" x 5-1/4” x about an inch, with momentary switches and 1” slip rings.

How about 68.5 watts worth of money every time you turn on these bulbs? Our 120V medium-base floodlights draw just 16.5W but light up with the equivalent of an 85W incandescent. Measure 4-5/8” across the lens, and rated for 1300 lumens with instant-on. They’re also dimmable and suitable for damp locations. You pick the 2700K soft white or the 5000K daylight color

For gardeners with extremely small apartments. This 1-1/2" dia glass terrarium (that’s a nose-hair smaller than a ping-pong ball) comes with soil and some spider cactus seeds, which ought to germinate in a week or two if you add a drop of water, click your heels together three times and think about Kansas. Surplus factor…the seeds expired in 12/17 but should be fine, or your money back!

Save a hip with this roll of gritty black tape that’s ready to put on steps and ramps to stop slips and falls. You’ll get (15) feet of 1” wide tape. Could also give you some serious extra gripping power on bats or hammers during rainy day baseball or construction projects.

And run hot or cold: heat improves circulation, cold reduces inflamation and swelling. This Dual-Speed Therapeutic Massager from Wahl® has a 2-1/4" x 1-3/8" hot and cold plate switchable from 48 to 130 degrees, and (4) 4” x 3” heads that fit around it, including: smooth, ripple and raised bumps. Measures 15" long with a 9-foot power cord. UL/CSA. Full disclosure. These are brand new shelf pulls from a big box retailer but we couldn't tell the difference. Brand New Surplus! That's the ticket. 

You’ll need a little trouble light, and this is the littlest one we’ve ever offered. From iZoom®, it’s a compact 8-1/4” long with a 15-element, intense COB LED in a 3-3/4” x 2” reflector with cage, and a 4” long folding hanger. Has a disc magnet with a 5-lb pull on the bottom. Comes with a trio of “AA” batteries and is available in red, black, yellow and orange to complement its classic design. We’ll pick the color because you have enough to worry about.

She’s a 6” x 6” purple ladybug bot kit that accepts her instructions from any infrared TV remote controller you have around the house. She has a geared, robotic arm that you design, and don’t worry, there’s an instruction manual. You add a pair of “AA” batteries and a screwdriver. No soldering required. Ages 8+.

Like a switchblade, but optical. Push the button on this 2” x 1” x 1/14” black plastic case and watch a 3/4” dia approx 10X acrylic loupe pop out, ready to rumble. If the Sharks or Jets squared off against the West Side Antique Dealers or Stamp Collectors….

Sorry, no giskets. This is surplus, after all. But gaskets? We’ve got glue to stick it to them. From the company formerly known as Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing (now known as 3M) comes this 2-oz tube of fast-drying yellow automotive weatherstrip and gasket adhesive. You go glue now.

What mom wouldn’t appreciate walking into the kitchen and seeing these 1-3/4" authentic-looking brown-banded cockroaches scurrying across the linoleum. They move via an internal vibrating motor powered by an included AG-13 battery. While good scurriers, they’re a tad easier to catch than the real thing.

This thin glass N/O reed switch measures 3/4" long x 3/32" with bent axial leads. We don’t know the amp rating, but it needed a magnet right close to trigger it, so were guesstimating it on the high end. Should be good for light-duty DC applications.

Get over it and face the fact that even U.S. car-makers are using metric, so you can stop thinking in 11/16ths and 27/32nds. Start with this 8-piece set of drop-forged metric combination wrenches (one open end, one box end) at 6mm, 7mm, 8mm, 9mm, 10mm, 12mm, 14mm, and 17mm.

Before there were stations to play at, when gameboys were just boys who played games, when fun was spelled “wheeee,” there was the Etch A Sketch®, the original small-motor-skills trainer. This classic, legendary design device allowed kids to create perfect right-angles in their pursuit of anything from simple boxes to full Frank Lloyd Wright house designs. Advanced sketchers with mad knob skills could even bend those lines. Return with us now to the thrilling days of yesteryear and try it for yourself, or give it to a kid. Measures approx 9" x 7" x 1", and you still just shake it to erase.

Take the (32) pieces in this motorized robot kit and you can make a 6-legged cricket, a gear-driven trailer, a two-legged rolling beastie or a grandfather. And all of them are as cute as robot buttons, especially the bobble-headed grampa. From OWI, the robot people. Sizes vary, but he’ll stand 10-1/2” tall. You add (1) “AA” battery for power. Solderless, but bring a screwdriver and side cutters.

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.

Home robotics, bubeleh. Build a working hydraulic arm with this excellent 66-piece kit from Pathfinders' Simple Machine series. Structure is die-cut plywood and the kit includes tubing, (3) syringes and glue. You'll need a ruler and scissors. The finished arm will be approx 13-1/2" tall and will reach out over 16" and rotate 90° on an 8-5/8' x 6-7/8" base. Comes with a 12-page manual and uses water. Beautiful, too. For ages 8+.

They don’t give them away in bars anymore, so you’d better buy this Matchstick Fire Starter. Has a 1-1/2" x 1-1/8" x 3/8" flint housing and a 1” striker with a small cotton wick around the end. Fill it with a little lighter fluid and you’re ready to start something. Includes a 1/2” clip to hang it on something. A must for camping.

A semi-classic toy soldier, Christopher (his name’s on the box) dresses like a cross between a drum major and the student prince, but a tad smaller at 9-3/4" tall. Wind him up and he does the electric slide and jazz hands. Certain to bring a little whimsy (and who doesn’t like a little whimsy) to otherwise boring meetings.

Made for a cable TV box, this floor-mount switching power supply is rated at 12VDC and a whopping 3 Amps, and has a 6-foot+ cord with a polarized plug and a 6-foot output cord terminating in a 5.5mm (2.1mm) center-positive female plug. Housing measures 4-1/2" x 2" x 1-1/4". UL.

We named it for Billy, our very own social media maven, but the manufacturer, iZoom®, calls it a Security Flashlight. The solid heft and sturdiness of this this particular item cannot be understimated. Weighs a formidable 3/4-lb, and measures 14" long in black  aluminum alloy with high/low/strobe modes and a max 200-lumen rating for the single SMD (surface mount device) LED. On a 6" wrist strap, it comes with (3) “AA” batteries.

This Olive Drab painted on the outside and shiny, reflective silver on the inside aluminum lampshade from Uncle is 7” dia at the bottom x 4-1/8” tall with a 1-5/16” hole non-threaded, in the top for the bulb. Plug the hole and it’s a bowl!

We love this swan-neck light from iZoom, and it’s rated for a max 200 lumens. Has high/med/low modes on a flexible 8-1/4” neck with a very War of the Worlds-ish head. The 4-1/2" x 2-1/8" x 2" base can stand alone of be clipped on anything up to 1-1/2” thick. Internal rechargeable Li-Ion battery has 3-hour use and 4-hour recharge. Includes a 3-ft USB to 3.5mm female plug for charging.

Snap Circuits™ has added Brics, their name for little plastic building blocks that are, luckily, compatible with those other little, inerlocking plastic building blocks you have. This award-winning 200-piece Bric Structures set has sheets and blocks plus Snap Circuits connectors, blinking and steady LEDs, a slide switch, a fiber-optic bundle, an incandescent bulb and a melody integrated circuit, along with adapter blocks to mate the Snap Circuits components with the brics. Has instructions to make (26) electrified models, including a house and a tower, on the 10” x 5” base. You add a trio of “AA” batteries. For ages 8+. Winner of Six Toy of the Year Awards!

And it’s cute. Just 4-3/8" long with a pocket clip, it looks like a pen but it has (8) driver bits stored in the barrel. The 5/32” hex bits include slotted 2mm, 3mm, Phillips #1 and #2, and T5, T6, T7 and T8. We’ll pick one in red, black or blue, because who cares?

Great balls of air! The mighty AIRZOOKA is back--and as cool as ever! Looking like a plastic bucket with a handle and a flip-up gun sight, it blasts a puff of air up to 50 feet. Blow out candles from across the room (and avoid spitting on birthday cakes), spook the cat, disperse bugs, take target practice at styrofoam cups or buy a pair and play air-tag. Measures roughly 11” tall x 11” dia in bright blue plastic and is, frankly, much more fun than you would imagine.

Just the headgear you need if you happen to pilot a Mikoyan-Gurevich fighter jet to work, but plenty snazzy even if you’re not a Soviet communist flyperson. It’s a brand-spanking new genuine reproduction of a standard white MiG pilot’s helmet with the red star on the front. Includes adjustable neck and chin straps, flip-down clear and smoked eye shields, and a padded interior with very soft and cushy ear muffs. Fits approximately 22" to 23" diameter craniums, or hat sizes 7-1/8 to 7-3/8. Super snug on larger heads. Think Top Gun; all you add is Kelly McGillis.

Please note this is a collector's item and should not be used as a safety device. 

Nobody would dare vote you off the island if you have this stainless steel survival tool. Smaller than a credit card at 2-3/4" x 1-3/4", it has (11) functions: can opener, knife edge, flathead screwdriver, small ruler, bottle opener, 4-position wrench, saw blade, 2-position wrench and a couple more. Slip it into your wallet or hang it on your keychain, then go get lost.

who's got the button? You do, which means you don't have to go the drugstore when your watch, calculator, camera, radio or nearly anything else stops. Be prepared for electronic quitters with this 30-pack of button cell batteries in the most popular sizes. Our each is (6) AG1, (6) AG3, (6) AG4, (3) AG5, (3) AG12, and (6) AG13 batteries. (Some devices may call these G1, G2, etc., or have other arcane codes for these same sizes.) Brand new!

No autoclave machine? Worry not. Like syringes and half of the medical equipment in the world, scalpels are now disposable. This one is 5-3/4" long and has a green plastic handle with a textured grip (with a 60mm rule on it) and a #11 (that’s pointy, for you non-surgeons) stainless steel blade. Perfect for all your hobbyist needs. Please replace the blade guard before disposal.

You don’t have to be a medic to appreciate this rubberized medic’s bag from, we suspect but aren’t posilutely sure, Uncle Sam. In deep olive drab, 8" x 5" x 4-3/4", with a hook-and-loop closure on top, an adjustable 64” shoulder strap and 1-3/8” belt loops on two sides. We like it for toting lunch or anything else you need to keep dry (your powder?) in the woods.

Then better check your bore. This tiny bore light, made for looking into barrels or other tight spots, measures 3-1/4" long x approx 5/8” dia with a single white LED. Includes a slide on right-angle fiber-optic head and a pocket clip. Take off the head and it’s a nice mini flashlight. You add (1) “AAA” battery.

Turn the knob on this battery-powered lantern and watch the trio of 12-element COB LEDs go from nothing to 600 lumens. Measures 8-7/8" tall x 4-1/2" dia with a clear 4-1/8” tall window around the light, which has a folding handle and a bonus compass on top. You add (3) “D” cell batteries and you’re good for approx (6) hours, or more if you dim the light. We’ll pick one in red, blue or green because it doesn’t matter.

Good things come in (2) different small packages. Our pocket microscopes are compact and perfect for a clear, close look at stamps, coins, flora, insects or assorted minutiae. The 30X version measures 5-3/4" x 1-5/8" x 3/4" in black plastic with a focus knob, on/off switch, small LED for illumination, and a vinyl carrying case. Requires (2) "AA"s. The 60X version is a microscopic 3-1/4" x 1-3/16" x 3/4" and has a built-in white LED illuminator powered by (3) coin-cell batteries that are included. Magnifies from 60-100X, with coarse- and fine-focus knobs, and has a vinyl carrying case.

Able to stand up to the infamous Helsinki Miasma, this brand new gas mask hails from the Finnish military (it's the standard NATO M61 model, although Finland isn’t in NATO) but we sell them for decorations. Don't depend on it for self-preservation. In gray rubber with the filter on the side and adjustable straps, it measures approx 8" tall x 5-1/2" wide and is very similar to the U.S M-9A1.