I bought a pig - you should too!

[Wiregeek]

http://www.sciplus.com/index.cfm
I recently had a couple bucks and needed some retail therapy, so I ordered a Flying Pig from these guys, as well as one each of their Mystery Boxes.
This ended up being 4 hours of good, clean, cheap fun. I am now the proud owner of my very own flying pig, and I was able to gift a friend a set of Mood Penguin necklaces.
Other items include
Consumer
-Weird photo frame with flexible 'nerf gooseneck' mount (think gorillapod)
-UK and NZ mini flags
-Z-Card punch-out 3d Harrier models (2)
-Two Right Feet (Nylon, sizes 6m (mens) and 9w (mens), articulated)
-9 hardwood rings with a high-gloss white finish
-over-the-rail washcloth hook for the shower
-Smallish plastic bags (~4"x8") with 'Seriously, Happy Birthday' (+picture of serious dogs in party hats and sunglasses)
-Martha Stewart 'grocery list' envelopes.
Electromechanical
-14 foot phone cord (2)
-3pdt momentary switches (2)
-Wall Warts, Various (3)
-1090 watt cup heater (!)
-curious bell/relay
-wall panel with 2x bulkhead RCA and 1x bulkhead CATV
-Toilet Seat Hinges
-4-20 bolts, 2", with nuts and lockwasher (12)
-suction cup hooks
HIGHLY recommended. I felt like a giddy schoolchild. I also got the pig, of course.
The grab bags were great fun, but check out the website, they have TONS of neat stuff you didn't know you needed.

And when you're done there, head on over to http://www.goldmine-elec.com/ and get your electrical tinker on.
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies

[Ebony]

Looks kind of like Think Geek, only for tinkerers.
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."

[Wiregeek]

more like schoolteachers, but yes.

Sooooooo many items they have that I want.
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies

[zojojojo]

sciplus is a great place to get oddball stuff.... just don't expect much in the way of quality
-Z, Post-reader at Medium
----
If architects built buildings the way programmers write programs, the first woodpecker to come along would destroy civilization.

[Black Aeronaut]

.... MUST... RESIST... URGE TO TINKER!!!

...

Really, my wallet can't take it, and I'm pretty sure that people would be less than pleased to see me building a steam shovel in the berthing.

[Wiregeek]

whyever for? you can make a fully functional steam shovel small enough to fit in your footlocker...
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies

[Rod.H]

.... MUST... RESIST... URGE TO TINKER!!!

...

Really, my wallet can't take it, and I'm pretty sure that people would be less than pleased to see me building a steam shovel in the berthing.

Well considering that I do believe and understand that the typical berth on a Navy vessel can and does put a Japanese Capsule hotel to shame, then yes there will be some displeased people if you chose to do such. A number of them would possess differing shades of metallic bricks and leaves on their collar.

whyever for? you can make a fully functional steam shovel small enough to fit in your footlocker...

Uh huh. Well I've got a fully functioning IR/C Lego Bulldozer that says differently, for its proudly displayed atop a 68cm CRT TV and takes up most of that flat surface area. 'Sides he's serving out of Japan so why not a USN themed Gundam or similar mecha. Just steer clear of any under 1/72 scale or Valkyries, the carrier guy's have probably built wings of 'em.

--Rod.H

[Wiregeek]

USN themed Gundam

...I like the cut of your jib, sir.
"No can brain today. Want cheezeburger."
From NGE: Nobody Dies, by Gregg Landsman
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/5579457/1/NGE_Nobody_Dies

[Black Aeronaut]

'Sides he's serving out of Japan so why not a USN themed Gundam or similar mecha. Just steer clear of any under 1/72 scale or Valkyries, the carrier guy's have probably built wings of 'em.

You'd be surprised.  There is one guy on my ship, though, who is an absolute otaku with all things mecha.  How bad?  He recently just blew $600 on Gundam display cases.
Yes.  Display Cases.
But anyhow, he's pretty well skilled at the painting, and I'm pretty skilled at the building.  Challenge us and we shall produce Gundams and Veritechs appropriately themed to branches of the US Armed Forces.

[Rod.H]

Yowza, no way is that collection going to fit in his berth. I do believe the challenge coin might've clanked. Then again I'm still contemplating doing a VF-1S up as a RAAF Roulettes, I've got one to do it with but I think using a VT-1 would be better with it being a two-seat trainer.

[Star Ranger4]

Ahm a squid. Dont care about the other services but now you've got me thinking about a gundam or VT in Blue Angels livery
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

[Black Aeronaut]

Actually, he's got a place out in town, the bastard.

I'll run the idea by him and see what he thinks. Maybe we can actually make a bit of a business out of this.