Amer. Scientific & Surplus - tools & hardware

[bridgman]

Tool section of www.sciplus.com
I'm addicted to American Scientific & Surplus. You never know what they'll have in stock, but it's a reliable source for great prices on oddball hand-tools, hardware, lab gear, no-name power tools, international military surplus, educational toys, "robot parts," stupid novelty items, and dozens of varieties of precision-ground lenses. In short, it's a virile geek's paradise.

Here's a lunchbox-sized table saw (note the relative size of its standard rocker power switch) that's going for $39.95

...or this set of special drivers for removing stripped or broken nuts and bolts for $10.95:

....but my current favorite item is this airbag (yes, like what deploys from your steering wheel in a collision) which looks tantalizingly like a super-expensive shop-tool accessory, given its tough material and the metal-bracketed opening similar in dimensions to a throat-plate ($9.75)

C'mon guys, what can I do with one of these?? I need the real McGyver, not the actor who played him, to weigh in. My wife shook her head and smiled when I described the bag, because she knew I had no idea what to do with it if I were to buy one.

I got an email from them today about their once-a-year sale. Not sure what that means, since they always have a lengthly catalog of "on sale" and "must go" items.... Oh, yeah, I work in an advertising agency and that's called "marketing."

I've bought a number of low-cost items from them and I've been really happy with the service and their honest, up-front way of describing the condition or quality of each surplus item.

Has anyone had different experiences with them?

[bigsteel15]

I love the descriptions they give.
Looks like the airbag would be a good tool tote. Put a plywood bottom in it and you have a indestructable carry-all.

[Ozzie]

Gary, I enjoy going to the store here to see if I can find any thing I could use. If I see it and think I can come back later to buy it, it is always sold out and they will not get more in again! On the down side, some of their prices have gotten to be a little high and sometimes more than you pay at normal retail.

[bridgman]

I love the descriptions they give.
Looks like the airbag would be a good tool tote. Put a plywood bottom in it and you have a indestructable carry-all.

I like that...more secure than my neglected Bucket Boss.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

How many microns can it filter down to?

[jgscott987]

Thanks a lot

Thanks a lot, Bridgman

I just wasted an hour and $40 buying a bunch of crap I didn't know I needed.

[davidtu]

Right on, just spent $15 on some STUFF that I won't remember ordering by the time it gets here.

But a fun website, seems like good people. Thanks!!

[bridgman]

I hope you won't miss a mortgage payment over this, Mr. Scott.

[bridgman]

How many microns can it filter down to?

Dunno.
Let me get out the surplused micronometer I bought from Sciplus last year and measure one of the fiber cells....dang, I dropped it again....sigh

[leehljp]

I have one of those saws rebranded under the Harbor Freight name, purchased from the HF store on Summer in Memphis. It is in a crate on a ship coming across the Pacific as I write. Funny thing, it started out in Taiwan, went to Memphis and now coming back to Japan.

I enjoyed your website and picts. I grew up in the Memphis area, Tunica, specifically, before the casinos moved in. I used to hunt where the casinos are now.