# Ever been to American Science & Surplus? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 4, 2004, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463 "2004-07-04T05:33:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/1 "2004-07-04T05:33:10Z")
It’s not just science stuff. They have a little of everything. Some of the descriptions are funny. [http://www.sciplus.com/index.cfm](http://www.sciplus.com/index.cfm) ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/2 "2004-07-04T05:43:22Z")
Yep. I get their catalog, and I’ve bought stuff from them. I think the last thing I bought were a couple high-voltage DC power supply modules for some nefarious purpose or other. I heard about them through my Ham Radio contacts, before I ever had internet access. They’re good people. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/3 "2004-07-04T05:56:25Z")
I love that place. I used to get their hardcopy catalogs. Bought some prisms once. And just looking over it now I saw some mesh bags that may come in handy when I’m squeezing the apple pulp during winemaking later this year. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/4 "2004-07-04T06:18:55Z")
I’ve ordered quite a bit of amazing and odd stuff from them over the years. They can take the most ordinary items and write the funniest ad copy for them. ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/5 "2004-07-04T07:44:21Z")
Hell yeah. I’ve been getting their catalog for the better part of a decade. I just ordered some sculpey from 'em this evening. ---
**Author:** ![peri](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/67e7ee/32.png) [@peri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peri)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/6 "2004-07-04T15:17:45Z")
I loved their store on Northwest Highway, some old factory building where everything was gray and dingy and an occasional bird flew overhead. I could spend hours in there strolling through the aisles, gazing at labware and squicky things. Then, a few years ago, they moved into a new strip mall. Everything was so bright and shiny and clean, I just couldn’t stand it. Last year I went back for their sidewalk sale. Heh! The gray miasma has once again settled over the place. Yeah! (I do miss the sheer variety of goods found at the old, BIG store. The new one seems to be less than 1/6 the size so shelf space is at a premium.) ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/7 "2004-07-04T16:02:29Z")
What a sham! They don´t sell 1920s style death rays! _I swear is my first 1920s style death ray joke_ ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/8 "2004-07-04T16:02:38Z")
I’ve never been to the store, but I’ve ordered stuff online from them a few times. I keep requesting a print catalog, but they never send me one! :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Antigen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/848f3c/32.png) [@Antigen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antigen)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/9 "2004-07-04T16:25:39Z")
Oh, this stuff is awesome! I want a microscope. And some test tubes and beakers for my kitchen. And the pen that looks like finger bones. Where’s my credit card? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/10 "2004-07-04T18:42:13Z")
They have a lot of WWII military parts. I bet you could built a 1940s style death ray. I just bought: a set of funnels a thing that turns a plastic soda bottle into a bird feeder an origami book w/ origami paper a triangular bottle that turns into a prism when you fill it with liquid ---
**Author:** ![OtakuLoki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ac8455/32.png) [@OtakuLoki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OtakuLoki)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/11 "2004-07-04T19:26:35Z")
I have been looking for years for a surplus issue PRN-5 radiac with SPA-3 detector. I can’t find it anywhere. 8-( I was hoping they’d have one, but the only radiacs they have are so high band that I don’t want to be anywhere I can get a visible needle deflection. (Okay, I don’t want to ever again be anywhere I can get a visible needle deflection.) The PRN-5 w/SPA-3 is fun… You can point the probe at porcelain, or bananas and listen to it SCREAM. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Chairman\_Pow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/838e76/32.png) [@Chairman\_Pow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chairman_Pow)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/12 "2004-07-04T21:41:12Z")
> [@Ale](#): > > What a sham! > > They don´t sell 1920s style death rays! While Chicago/Suburbs may be a bit far for you to go, I assure you they have everything you’d need for your 1920s style death ray in the store. I feel gypped because I bought a couple of their alcohol lamps last time I was there and the wicks are too short. I went back and the crew couldn’t help me figure out how to make them long enough for my…purposes. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/13 "2004-07-04T22:17:22Z")
For those who have done business with them, can they be trusted not to share my e-mail address or contact information? I have many science needs. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/14 "2004-07-04T22:20:17Z")
On the order page they have the boxes you check saying you don’t want them to share your info. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/15 "2004-07-04T22:29:09Z")
I saw the form and the boxes, I was wondering whether they actually comply with the requests not to spam or share information. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/16 "2004-07-04T23:16:09Z")
OOOOHH! Magnet, magnets magnets! ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2004, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-to-american-science-surplus/253463/17 "2004-07-04T23:38:11Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > OOOOHH! > > Magnet, magnets magnets! Seems that **Bosda** has an attraction for magnets _Drum roll_ You see, attraction, magnets, get it? No? _dodges rotten tomato_ OK, OK, I´m leaving