This freebie is so good, you might lose your head.

This description of a bunch of leftover special effects supplies doesn’t mean much to those of us not in the movie/heavy makeup engineering biz, but an industry insider informs us the stuff is handy “if somebody out there was making a zombie movie, or needed to make an exploding head, a la Scanners, they could use this.” The ad says it comes with everything you need for casting and making molds and latex pieces, including  2 pounds of Algiform brand alginate slow compound, 7-10 pounds casting plaster and 1 gallon of Alcone brand liquid latex, flesh color. So there you go! Explode heads, for free!

Relics from Conan the Librarian.

File this one under the Crap That Costs A Lot At the Artisanal Flea Market That You Can Get for Free drawer: A Park Sloper is giving away “a few bags full” of 3×5 cards from an old library card catalog. There’s lots of these, so you can feel free to take as many or as few as you need for your crafty art project or whatnot. BONUS: they’re from a Jewish library, so some of the cards have Hebrew on them too. Odds are these would be at least a buck a pop from that guy with the table full of antique crap at the flea.

Free course means you won't sink your budget.

If you’re thinking of taking a photo class but unsure if you’re really up for the whole shebang, take the chance to test drive one this weekend. Brooklyn Creative is offering a free sample of its 8-week digital photography class on Saturday. From 11-1pm, you can get a taste of the basic level digital photography course, which BK Creative says is “great for anyone who wants to discover the foundations and potential of digital photography.” The Dumbo center is also extending its Groupon deal through a special code that can save you more than 50 percent off a course, and will soon be offering wo-hour, $5 skill classes on Fridays, so stay tuned for moe about that.

Um, where's the search button?

Why would you need a complete set of 50-year-old encyclopedias? Because where else are you going to turn when the sum of all human knowledge GOES DARK AGAIN?! Someone in Park Slope is giving away this 24-volume, excellent condition set of Encyclopedia Britannica’s 1957 edition, with many color plates of maps and illustrations. “A fascinating time capsule, but still has considerable information that remains valid and relevant today,” the owner says. Hey, they make nice apartment decor too, or at least something to prop up your new Amy Grant framed poster.

What WOULDN'T you do with these?

This ad from Bushwick has everything you need to know: six “awesome” papier-mâché animal masks: hand-crafted, life-like masks, safe for kids and fun for adults, all of which can be comfortably worn over your head. From that pic, it looks like they are a giraffe, a monkey, a horse, something else gray, and something TERRIFYING AND STRANGE with red eyes in the back. Our suggestion: save these for your next Zoobilee Zoo theme party, or put them on and wake your roommate up with a bunch of animal sounds.

The author in high school.

Possibly the only disadvantage to growing up in New York City’s suburbs is that people here just aren’t that in to guns, no matter how many times I show them Death Wish 3 and tell them “It could happen here.” Finally though, the minority of us that want to feel secure from muggers, bears or kings of England that could just be walking down the street, our time is here. Valastro International Academy, a gun range in Glendale, Queens has jumped on the Groupon train and is offering 60 minutes on their target range with a rifle or shotgun for only $39 (normally $140). You even get a safety course at no extra charge, so don’t worry about pulling a Plaxico. You don’t have much time to wonder if shooting paper targets goes against your finely honed pacifism, the offer expires in two days.

Coworking, live and direct.

We’re told that you folks with day jobs often work at things called “desks” that have ample power supplies and aren’t covered with this morning’s breakfast dishes. For those of us who want just a taste of of not working 10 feet from where we sleep, you’ll be happy to know that 3rd Ward’s new coworking space is offering you one free day through Jan. 31. The space includes fully loaded iMac workstations, free Intelligentsia coffee, free wifi, printing, scanning and the chance to mingle with other co-coworkers, as in, real people who are not your cat. UPDATE: Bitmap is also hosting free days today and tomorrow. RSVP to reserve a spot. The offers are part of JELLYWEEK 2012, an event that highlights coworkers around the world to promote collaboration. Just check in with the desk manager or RSVP to claim your free day.

 3rd Ward, 195 Morgan Ave., Williamsburg.
Bitmap, 300 Graham Ave., Williamsburg. 

Loft sale? Bang your head!

You could troll Craigslist all day trying to find some cheap goods to put together your Quiet Riot video recreation project, or you could check out this giant-sounding loft sale at a yoga studio in Bushwick. From 12-4 today, Boutique Yoga Studios is selling guitars, drums, camera equipment, art supplies, an airbrush makeup, designer clothes, DVDs and more.

Boutique Yoga Studios, 1089 Broadway #3, Bushwick.