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.

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….

This 50-page book has the materials and plans for making a total of (11) Harry Potter fliers, including the above-mentioned plus the Chinese Fireball, Harry and Draco Quidditch, the Golden Snitch, Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback, Hedwig the Snowy Owl, Fawkes the Phoenix and Gringotts Dragon. Includes lavish illustrations and a flight log.

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.

These fun little marble runs will keep you from doing actual work for hours, and they hardly take up any room at all. They’ve got silent modes so your boss won’t hear them, but they’ll also emit rickety-tickety carnival sounds when you’re alone. You add a pair of “AAA”s. They’re all just under 4” tall x approx 3” x 3”, and come with (5) little ball bearings. You pick: the run with the Archimedes screw and parabolic dish; the Archimedes screw, paddle wheel and spiral ramp; or the 5-step staircase and dumping cups. Originally for a kids camp, so not in a pretty-picture box, just FYI.

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.

These candelabra-base bulbs draw only 2W but put out the equivalent of a 25W incandescent. Will cast a 2700K, yellow-white color at 170 lumens. In a candle-flame shape, blunt top, 3-1/4” tall and not dimmable. Manufacturer says they’ll last 10 times longer than incandescents, which means nine fewer times you’ll stand on the dining room table to change them.

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. 

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.

Made of water-resistent kraft paper with natural rubber adhesive and good tensile strength. Easy to tear, too, being kraft paper. Post office loves it for mailing packages, and it’s dandy for labeling freezer-bound stuff. This version is 1” wide x just a tad under 180 feet, on a 3” core. Made in the USA.

Still good advice, no matter what you’ve heard. And much easier with this excellent 33-piece set of pointed brush-tip markers (black, brown, light and dark green, yellow, orange, light and deep purple and royal blue); 0.4mm fine-tip markers (light and dark green, yellow, orange, red, pink, sky blue, dark blue, brown and black); and (12) double-ended color pencils. The whole artistic shebang comes in a tray with a pencil sharpener.

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.

It makes laptops run. (Absolutely.) This inline universal laptop charger from Targus® is compatible with Lenovo, Acer, Compaq, Dell, Fujitsu, Gateway, HP and Toshiba. Puts out 19.5VDC at up to 4.62A via a 6-foot output cord with choke and (5) specialized polarized plugs for the listed brands. Caveat Laptopper: your laptop must require more than 16VDC. 90W max output. UL.

We know how many of you love little emojiful faces, and everyone loves marbles, so we’re offering sets of 1” dia glass marbles (that’s the traditional marble shooter size) with assorted emoji faces on them. Each set comes with (1) stand to hold the marble emoji that fits your mood. You pick the emotional spectrum that best matches you: the (6)-pack of assorted faces, or the (12)-pack of even more assorted faces.

On the heels of the Pineapple Watch, comes this H20 Clock Kit that features a digital clock powered by liquids. Includes a 3/4" LCD clock display, (2) 4" vials that hold 3 oz each, lids with prewired copper and zinc electrodes, and a base with spring terminals to wire and hold everything. And yes, it will work with soy sauce apple juice, diet cola, whatever, if water strikes you (clock joke there, no charge) as boring. Also includes a 10-page manual. Ages 8+.

Your favorite animated TV stars in a building-brick scenario, ready for you to assemble, complete with their spaceship and garage. Includes a whopping 293 pieces, detailed instructions and genuine decals. Licensed by the creators themselves. Did we mention that it's compatible with those other building-brick systems? You bet it is. Wubba lubba dub dub! For ages 14+.

From Robotikits™, this nifty kit is solar-powered (or halogen bulb-powered on cloudy days) but either way: no batteries required. This 7-in-1 modular kit lets you create (7) space-related contraptions, including an astronaut, space dog, explorer, rover, shuttle, space mechanic and space station. They’ll range from 2-1/2” cubes to 8-1/2” x 4-1/2” x 3” for the space station. Powered by the included micro-rechargeable battery, charged from the solar panel, or by (2) “AAA” batteries, but you don’t have use them if you don’t want to. You will need scissors and side cutters.

We feel your predicament. We’ve all suffered the heartbreak of an oversized yo-yo, too big to fit into your pocket, and bound to be confiscated by a fun-hating fifth-grade teacher, or the TSA. Best get our wooden mini yo-yo, a mere 1-7/8” dia x 1-1/8” wide with a full (3) feet of string for your yo-yo’ing pleasure.

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.

From the French military, this is one of the more sophistiqué military mosquito head-nets we’ve seen since we last attended Paris Fashion Week (OK, so we’ve never attended Paris Fashion Week). Made to wear over a helmet, this net is 12” dia with dual hoops to keep it off your nez, and measures approx 18” long with an elastic cinch at the bottom. In olive drab nylon (most likely) mesh.

The FolkArt® company calls these Dye Brushes for, yes, applying dye or creating blended or ombre effects (think shading). Feel free to use them for whatever, because it’s a free country. One is 8” long with 7/8” wide bristles and the other is 7-1/2” long with approx 1-1/4” wide bristles--both nylon. Includes a pair a thin plastic gloves, so you don’t dye your fingers.

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.

In case you get thirsty while you’re cutting things up, these Titanium coated Westcott workbench scissors have a bottle-opener on the bottom of one blade. They also have a retractable ceramic cutter on one handle. With a safety lock. Plus, the serrated blades are detachable which makes them a great utility knife. Makes other scissors feel bad just looking at them. But wait there's more...

Now kids can have a belt-mounted coin changer like the ones bus conductors wore when there were bus conductors. And when you didn't need exact change. And when people still used money. Never mind, just tell them it's like the ones ball-park vendors and ice-cream truck drivers use. In red and blue plastic with spring-loaded steel dispensers for pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters.

You supply the pot, we'll supply a dozen Venus Fly Trap seeds and a little sack of soil in a 4-3/8" x 2" dia plastic growing tube, plus an instruction sheet on the care and feeding of everyone's favorite meat-eating foliage. Gestation is about (14) weeks, so order early if you're planning a birthday surprise for someone.

These non-fog not-really-welding goggles are just what you need to cap off your costume. Sure, the flip-up dark lenses are too dark to see through easily (that's why they have conventional clear plastic lenses underneath them), but leaving them flipped up just adds to your zany, adventurous, steampunk persona. Aesthetics include side vents and an adjustable elastic head strap. And the goggles accept standard 50mm replacement lenses, but if you think the party is going to be that rough, we suggest that it would be cheaper and easier to just buy a couple of pairs at this price-from-the-past.

Just ax yourself if you really need a big hatchet when this excellent, and extremely cute, stainless steel mini hand ax is available. Blade is 4-1/2” wide on a 5” molded handle, so the whole shebang is just 9” long. Comes with a canvas sheath with a belt loop for easy carrying.

Nice little chunky 12VDC 1.5A wall adapter. Has a 6-foot cord, and a right-angle 5.5mm (2.5mm) center-positive female plug. UL.

Just ask him where he got his bag. Probably here. This sturdy messenger bag in olive drab nylon measures 13” x 10” x approx 5” with a deep pocket, little pocket, long pocket, snapped pocket, clips for keys, straps for an umbrella, and a padded strap. On the smaller side for messengers, it’s perfect for students, commuters, travelers and anyone who carries a bunch of stuff. (Mr. Mom alert: nothing looks less like a diaper bag.) Manufacturer suggests a price of $44.95, but phooey on them, we say.

These digital camo-frame goggles from Voodoo Tactical® measure just over 6” across with 3/8” thick foam to protect your face and keep the sand and dirt out. The shatter-proof and scratch-resistant UV400 polycarbonate lenses are held on your noggin with an adjustable 1-1/2” wide OD elastic strap. We’re pretty sure Rommel would have ordered these if we’d shipped to North Africa.

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.

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.

If you're devoted to explosions, and who isn't, you'll love the new expanded 2nd edition of William Gurstelle's Backyard Ballistics, now 25% longer, with 25% more ka-boomery. Still the go-to reference work for building rockets, cannons (carbide and potato), flingers, fire kites, electromagnetic pipe guns, tennis ball mortars, cleaner-bag balloons, ballistic pendula and petards. You simply can't have more fun with common household materials. The soft-cover, 210pp compendium includes detailed and illustrated instructions, parts lists and sensible ways not to be hoist on your own petard. Be careful out there.

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+.

We're liking this little plated N45 neodymium magnet because it will stand on end and stick out very prettily on the ice box. Measures 1" tall x 1/4" square with a hefty, for its size, 3-1/2 lb pull, 13,800 gauss. (Will also lie down on its side, of course, because everybody does.)

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.

Emergency underpants in a can. Says it all, doesn't it? Quite stretchable in a Tyvekish white fabric, "one pair fits most adults." They're hip-hugger, semi-bikini, translucent type drawers, so despite the smiling man wearing them and a red bow-tie on the can, some (insecure) guys might find these just a touch jeune fille-ish. "Safe, Sanitary, Secure." Says so right on the 3" x 1-1/2" x 2/3" flip-top metal can. Better buy (3) in case of a long weekend.

It will be if you buy this bright-as-a-Phi-Beta-Kappa COB LED 3W flashlight, with a bonus red laser. Measures a mere 4-3/4" x 1-1/8" dia and comes with (3) “AAA” batteries inside, where they belong. In a knurled aluminum body of a color that we’ll pick for you (gray, black, red or blue) because who cares what color a flashlight is. (Note: flashlight and pointer can't be on at the same time.)

A really cool mini drill set for your mini projects! The 7-1/4" long aluminum push drill for delicate work comes with (1) 1/16" and (1) 1/32" collet, and (20) bits that fit them. The bits are #61 through #80, some so needle-thin they could add tear ducts to a fashion doll. They come in a mini case marked with the number and size of each bit in mils.

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.