FAQ

Scattered paper cards with question words - Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How

5 W's: The Obtainium Science and Surplus FAQ

Who is Obtainium?

A lean crew that finds real scientific and industrial gear, selling online since 1999. Parts with history. Tools that still work, and as-is pieces for people who know what to do with them. Our customers are engineers, makers, labs, and shops that build for a living.

What do we sell?

Surplus test and measurement equipment, lab equipment, pneumatics and hydraulics, industrial controls, electronics, optics and more. In stock. Limited quantities. Browse every section on the Shop all categories page.

When do we ship?

Most orders placed by 1:00 PM Mountain Time ship the same business day. You get tracking fast. Ready to ship means ready to work.

Where are we?

Garden City, Idaho. We pack tight and ship throughout the lower 48. Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories and APO/FPO addresses ship by quote, and international orders are reviewed case by case. If you run into any trouble at checkout or have questions before you order, just give us a shout.

Why choose Obtainium?

Stock you can count on - "Add to Cart" means it's on the shelf. We call our inventory system HI/HO: Human In, Human Out. A person put it there. A person will pull it for your order.
Fast shipping - Same or next business day on most orders. Email confirmation, tracking, and secure packaging.
Rare finds - One-of-a-kind parts and short runs you won't see twice. When it's gone, it's gone.
Straight talk - Prices are marked. What you see is what you pay. We try hard to keep shipping reasonable, including freight or destinations outside the lower 48.

Browse it all. We appreciate you stopping in.

FAQ