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Galileo wasn’t just a character in a Queen song. He invented stuff, like this early thermometer, uncreatively named Galileo’s Thermometer. Looks sort of like a clear glass turkey baster, minus the bulb you squeeze, or a giant regular thermometer. But don’t stick this under your tongue or anywhere else. Stands 11” tall and it’s filled with water. Inside, (6) balls filled with colored liquid (and have temperature values hanging from them) float in the water, letting you know, using the principles of density and buoyancy, what the temperature is—from 64F to 84F. It’ll make you seem smart when you translate the balls’ positions for your guests. Even if you never use it to tell the temp, it’s a beauty for your shelf.

More fun than a canned ham, this flip-top storage tin has a train set inside, with a plastic steam engine, tender, boxcar and caboose, as well as a 12-piece track that forms a 10" x 22" oval. Tin and train car colors may vary. You add a "AA" battery and you're the engineer. 

Zivko the Robot is back in stock! Our best selling STEM kit ever! Just call her (or him--it’s unclear and we don’t like to ask) “Zivko” because “the Robot” is her last name. Using just a screwdriver and side cutters, you build Zivko from this 107-piece S.T.E.M. kit. Set the mode for “Follow Me” or “Explore,” and Zivko will, yes, track you, or evade obstacles, respectively, via an infrared sensor and micro-controller programming. Interactive LEDs and sounds abound. Measures approx 5" x 5-1/2" x 6-1/2" when assembled with all (6) legs. You add (4) “AAA”s for power, which is the least you can do for someone this cute. Ages 10+.

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.

In 1958, Buddy Holly came out of radios like these. This retro version of the first transistor radios measures 4-1/4" x 2-1/2" x 1" in dark blue with a wire handle that doubles as an antenna. AM works better than the FM, but who listened to FM in 1958? Plenty loud (guaranteed to not fade away) with classic thumb-wheel tuning and volume. You add a pair of “AAA” batteries. To make things even more like 1958, carry the radio in your shirt pocket.

And we say that with a history of silly that’s virtually unmatched. You slip on this pair of lens-less glasses with the tiny bucket and ball on a string attached, and try, while looking like a demented chipmunk, to swing the little ball on its cord and drop it into the cup. With the classic styled black glasses, blue basket and orange ball, you will be filmed on a smart phone, it will be put on social media, and you will be famous for it for the rest of your life. Best to order a couple so you’re not alone.

..my sweet engravable you. Safeguard your stuff with this little battery-powered engraving pen. The 1/16” dia head vibrates to let you inscribe your ID on stuff  that might otherwise wander off. Surprisingly effective for a lightweight tool. Measures approx 6” long x 1” dia and works on metal, wood, glass, plastic, leather and more. Runs on (2) included “AA” batteries.

Impressive, this 3-foot Lizard King. The 1:14 scale plastic model of a Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton has 51 bones that snap together, then snap apart easily for later use, which is more than you can say about the original. Measures 36" long, and comes with a display stand. Bones are nicely aged for paleontological verisimilitude. Very nice kit, with legs, as they say! For ages 8 and up.

Please Note: Your entire order will ship standard ground when purchasing this item. Contact us for expedited shipping information. Thanks!

Yes, we have The Amazing Live Sea Monkey® aquarium kit, just like the ones from the comic books. The (9) piece ocean zoo includes brine shrimp eggs, growth food, water purifier, plus an official plastic feeding spoon, 32-page handbook, life insurance policy, growth guarantee, and the plastic aquarium with built-in magnifiers for viewing your little friends, and a vented cover. We'll pick the aquarium color that best matches your decor. Great gift for those budding young marine biologists. Ages 6+.

Let's cut to the chase here -- buy these the first time you read this, or they're going to be gone! There aren't that many of these flexible chopping mats, and the versatile 15" x 12" x 0.024" thick mats are not only ideal for small kitchens where every inch counts, they're great for any kitchen, and for cookouts, camping and picnics. Our each is a set of (2) of the translucent Euro-look mats that protect countertops from sharp knives and fresh-from-the-oven cookies, and protect food from outdoor surfaces. They can be lifted and slightly folded to funnel chopped food neatly into a pot. They're dishwasher safe, and roll up for portage or storage.

OUR SURPIE POLICE SAY: Due to our sale pricing MAX ORDER QUANTITY IS (5) Per Order. Any more and your order will fail in the shopping cart.

BACK BY POPULAR DEMAND!!! Mystery boxes of stuff like what you see in the catalog. Maybe we had a little left but not enough to continue the listing. Maybe we only got a few as part of an odd lot. Maybe we lost some, and just found them in the warehouse. You will get items which originally listed for at least $25.00 total in our catalog (or would have, if we had enough). You pick. The “electro-mechanical” box has things like motors, switches, hardware and components that are useful parts but want to be worked into something bigger. The “consumer” box has more ready-to-go type items, and things that don’t have as technical a flavor, like bottles, toys, books, and giant rubber bands. The fun is in the mystery and surprise. Perfect if you don’t know what to give Aunt Maude and Uncle Ned, or if you can’t decide how to bring your order up to the minimum. Every couple of months the contents will keep changing, so even if you have gotten a box before, feel free to order again! (Please note: Ordering multiple boxes at the same time will result in duplicate items.)

A lovely mini-funnel, made for pouring Dad's special medicine into a hip flask, but just dandy for filling salt and pepper shakers or anything else with a little yap. Stainless steel with a 1-3/8" ID intake mouth and a 5/16" ID outlet. 1-7/8" tall OA.

Pop one of these roughly 1-1/4" dia stones into the toe of a sock, smash it with a hammer, and be the first person ever to see your real-as-Nature-makes-it geode!! Ninety percent of them have the familiar beautiful white crystals inside. Formed by volcanic action, they are found all over the world, but ours are from Mexico. There is no way to tell from the outside if they have crystal centers, but we will send you two just to raise your odds, and we haven't had a dud yet in our stores!! Much much more fun and satisfaction than buying one already cracked.

You'll need a set of tiny strainers. This (3)-piece, all-metal set includes (1) strainer each at 3-1/2” dia, 3” dia, and 2-1/2” dia. Cute as a bunch of baby buttons, and the current favorite of the artisanal cocktail crowd for keeping coffee crumbs out of the espresso martinis.

Think scarecat, like scarecrow. This black cat is an outline cut from sheet metal with green cats’-eye marbles for eyes. Cat’s-eye marbles for eyes! Measures 14” long with the tail x 6-3/4” tall. Has a small hole in the upper back, and (2) in the middle feet for mounting, but could also be stuck into the ground. Made to frighten varmints, and while we didn't have any critters to test it on, it did make our copywriter noticeably uncomfortable.

Works on all of them except the ones stuck to your eyeballs. Corrosion-Be-Gone is a gel made to remove the schmutz from all types of battery terminals, circuit boards and contacts, on everything from cars to computer boards. Our each is a 0.3 oz jar.

Forget watchmaking, you could write "A Tale of Two Cities" on a piece of tortellini with this triple magnifier visor. Magnifies from 1.8X to 4.8X. Has a flip-down 1.9X lens and a flip-down 4.5X loupe, plus dual white LEDs in a pivoting mount, powered by (2) "AAA" batteries each, not included. The whole thing is in a black plastic visor, 7-3/4" wide x 5-1/4" deep with a flexible plastic strap and adjustable dial control. Opens to 9" max dia, and has coated acrylic lenses. Now then: It was the best of times, it was the worst of times....

Take these (250) little translucent beads into the sunlight and they burst into assorted colors faster than you can say "assorted colors." How do they do it? Well, they're UV-reactive, that's how. Mostly pink, purple, rose, yellow and cream and they fade to a nice pearly color inside. Amaze your friends at picnics. Beads measure 5/16" dia x 1/4" with a 5/32" bore. Come with classroom application notes.