LAB & SCHOOL

Even before masks became a common sight, we sold a bunch of N95 particulate respirators because Surpies have a long history of woodworking, model building and DIY renovating. Contractors love these! These masks are from 3M, (we don't get 3M masks often) model #8511 with a cool-flow valve, and are for filtration of particulates. Cool-flow valve keeps your face cool and, perhaps more importantly, dry. You’ll get (10) per box, and yeah, they’re made in the USA. Date Code is 2025

Now for the 3M Specs

• NIOSH approved for at least 95 percent filtration efficiency against certain non-oil based particles 
• Features the 3M™ Cool Flow™ Valve 
• M-Noseclip adjusts easily for fewer pressure points and greater comfort 
• Braided headbands two-strap design with dual point attachment helps provide a secure seal 
• Spacious and durable Designed to increase comfort and wearability 
• Advanced Electret Media is designed for ease of breathing

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.

Inside the lab, it's a standard translucent-white, LDPE-plastic wash bottle, 500ml/16oz, measuring 2-3/4" dia x 6-3/4 tall with a screwcap and a right-angle, 5/16" dia nozzle. Outside the lab, it's so pleasing to squeeze and squirt with that some of us keep them in the kitchen.

Eye dropper, tongue dropper, test tube dropper, petri dish dropper, anywhere dropper. Use this 3" glass dropper, with a rubber squeeze bulb to drop small amounts of liquid wherever you think they should go. You will have to measure by counting drops, though, because there are no markings on it. Also, it is called "3" because that is about how long the glass tube is. Overall, it is 4" long.

Stethos is Greek for chest. Indeed you can scope your stethos with this stethoscope, or your friend's or your dog's. But it works equally well for picking up any sound being transmitted through a solid medium. Listen to the air flowing through the heating ducts, the water in the pipes, the sounds of machinery, the termites munching on the floor joists!! The color does vary so we will select from what's currently available. We've had blue, teal, red, black, burgundy, green and purple, but there may be other colors yet to be seen! Not professional quality, but also not just a toy.

Porcelain mortars and pestles. Great heavy duty mortars, with sides that are easily 5/16" thick on the smaller ones, and up to 1/2" on the larger. The mortars are glazed outside, but rough inside, the better to grind, and have a pouring lip. The business ends of the pestles are unglazed, while the shafts are glazed. Very functional, very good looking!! So grind your own spices, fresh herbs or lab concoctions as you prefer. You get a mortar and pestle as a single order.

These Periodic Table magnets stick all the time—not just periodically. They’re part of a (128)-piece modern Periodic Table of the Elements set in a 4” x 6” x 1" tin. You know, like “K” for potassium and “N” for nitrogen? Cooking is science, so why not have these magnets in your kitchen? You could also use them to learn about the elements, since they’re based on Dmitri Mendeleev’s 1869 study aid. Completed chart measures 9-3/4" square-ish when arranged, with each element magnet measuring about 3/4” x 1/2”. Feel free to spell out funny words, too—this isn’t your final exam.

A honey of a little digital scale, the techies in the back room say. This improved Triton T2® scale is pocket-sized (5-7/8" x 3-1/8" x 3/4" thick), and measures up to 300g x 0.1g, 10.5 oz x .005 oz, 190 pennyweight x 0.1 dwt, and 9.6 Troy ounces x .001 ozt. Has a zero/tare button and a cover that can be removed for use as a larger tray. Comes with (3) "AAA" batteries.

You know those times when you don’t have a stove and you wonder how you’re going to heat up your soup or mac and cheese? Like at college, or when you’re on the road and living in hotel rooms? Times like those are when this 110VAC, 1000-watt (9A) hot plate shines. Has an easy-to-use dial with (5) temperature settings, from 140F to 716F, a neon power indicator, metal body, non-slip feet and a 3-foot cord. Measures approx 8” x 8” x 2-3/4”. This is a serious cooking tool, not a toy, and shouldn’t be used by anyone under age 12. Anyone over 12 should operate the plate under the supervision of an adult. Just one, though. Too many cooks spoil the broth. CE listed.

Almost big enough to pick up mortals: 9-7/8" long, 1/2" at its widest, with a mouth that rests open at 1-3/16". Stainless steel and non-magnetic, with a rounded serrated tip that's 5/32" wide. Good for giant splinters, crafts, jewelry, electronics, or sushi.

It looks as though it should be used for administering laudanum! A 30mL, 1-1/4" sq x 3" tall clear glass bottle, it has thick molded sides and a heavy lip: very antique in appearance. It is stoppered with a red(!) rubber stopper which is the squeeze bulb for the glass dropper tube inside. A real eye catcher, but give it a good wash please. It clearly is not sterile.

We’ll say. Herr Erlenmeyer of flask fame was handled Richard August Carl Emil Erlenmeyer, but you can call him Emil. Our Borosilicate glass version of his flask holds 500ml, and is graduated from 200ml to 400ml in 50ml increments. Stands 3-3/4” tall with a 4-1/4” dia bottom narrowing to 2-1/2” at the top, which also makes it a hard-to-spill coffee cup.

When you peer through your magnifying glass at this specimen, or focus your microscope on it, even at the lower magnifications which work best, you're looking at one big bug. Make that (4) big bugs. The insects are real, encased in clear acrylic blocks 1-3/4" x 1-1/4" x up to 11/16" thick, and ready for inspection. Set 1 includes a scorpion, giant ant, wasp and a flower bug. Set 2 is a cricket, locust, yellow leaf beetle, and crab. No, not a crab louse or a crab spider, but definitely a crab ugly.

Fearful of language barriers, some folks get anxious when they travel internationally. Not this fine red-alcohol glass thermometer. Whether its travels take it to Britannia or Madagascar, Appalachia or Moscow, it's always ready to tell the temperature in the local tongue. Working stateside? No problem: it reads 0° to 230° F, in 2° increments. On a junket across the pond? Again, the Passport Therm shines, reading -20° to 110° C in 1° increments. It's 11-3/4" long, 3/16" dia, and travels in a nothing-special-but-still-handy plastic case.

This (10) piece set of weights are brass cylinders topped with knobs. The weights are stamped on the top. There are (2) each of 1, 2, 5 and 10 grams, plus (1) 20 and (1) 50 gram weight. Our each is the full set of 106g. 

This blue plastic test-tube rack measures approx 8" long x 2-1/2" wide x 3-1/4" tall with (6) holes for full tubes, the end ones at 1-1/16" / 27mm dia and the others at 3/4" / 19mm. In front of these are (6) pegs for clean inverted tubes.

A great find: sterile plastic petri dishes, 90mm dia x 15mm deep, with a loose fitting lid. Great for growing cultures for your science fair experiments, as individual pancake storage cases or for mixing paint. Our each is (25) dishes and lids in a sealed, sterile package.

This small chrome constricting clamp is designed for controlling IV drips, but no doubt will inspire other uses for crafters, jewelry makers and those who want to control the flow from small pumps both air and fluids. Measure 2" x 1-1/4" OA when fully open. Flat clamp screws open to approx 5/8". The clamping surface is approx 3/4" x 1/4". Uber handy to have around.