Same. I remember reading one copy of the Edmund Scientific catalog from cover to cover over and over again. Solar cells! Magnets! Fibre optics! Kites! Jumping discs disguised as quarters!
As far as I know, yes. The catalog is excellent as an optics ready-reference for useful formulae, optical and mechanical properties of materials, much more. They have their classic tutorial on old-school manual raytracing at
I grew up 10 minutes from Edmund Scientific. They had a retail store that was… amazing. The entrance had a real WW2 submarine periscope that kids played with. I’ll try to explain the Magic of this store, but really can’t do it justice.
The back room sold surplus scientific gadgets and parts, as well as military surplus (some WW2)… none of the back room stuff was in the catalog, so it was extra special to visit their store. You never knew what you’d find, like a WW2-era military oscilloscope for sale. Or surplus giant glass lenses to try to make your own telescope. Or black lights. Or gas masks, giant capacitors, random IC chips or transistors, unknown electronic devices in random boxes or wooden shelves that looked like your dad built them for the garage.
The front room was enormous and displayed everything in the catalog and possibly more. Everything could be touched and manipulated. Expensive items were in glass cases but clerks were happy to let you check them out.
The retail store is gone even though the successor company occupies the same building last I checked.
Any science-minded kid who grew up in South Jersey in the 60s, 70s, or 80s laments their closure, I guarantee that.
I appreciate your reminiscence. It is sad that places like this don't exist or are much fewer in number. They're like used bookstores where browsing to be surprised is part of the fun.
I would occasionally schlepp to an electronics surplus store in the San Fernando Valley to look around. Even when I didn't have a project in mind I would usually come up with something based on what I saw that day and would leave with the needed stuff. I checked their website just now and saw that they had closed permanently a few weeks ago after 50+ years.
