Gift Ideas for Scientists and Engineers

[Ivan Seeking]

If you are like me, you often struggle for a good gift idea for someone. My boss's boss has given me a nice Christmas gift the last couple of year so I wanted to find something nice for him. He is really into antique science and testing equipment and has a nice collection. I decided to search around for something cool when I found this. He loved it! In fact, he looked at it a few minutes and exclaimed "This is a badass gift!"

It seems like a nice gift idea generally for nerds. There are many similar items as well.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WWZ5LRV/?tag=pfamazon01-20

It is beautifully crafted with rosewood, brass, and copper, and very decorative. Very nice and not horribly expensive considering the craftsmanship.

 

[jedishrfu]

Here’s another gift idea a mechanical marble run made of laser cut plywood that you assemble. This is just one example of many models Rowood makes.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094CQR5SL/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[BillTre]

Here’s another gift idea a mechanical marble run made of laser cut plywood that you assemble. This is just one example of many models Rowood makes.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094CQR5SL/?tag=pfamazon01-20

View attachment 321972

My daughter got me one of these. They were surprisingly good. The pieces mostly didn't break and superglue worked on the wood if they did. It was very complex, but worked fine after a bit of initial tweaking.
I was impressed with the designing of it.
Took about a day to assemble.

 

[fresh_42]

https://www.ugears.de/en/collections/ugears-bestseller

 

[jedishrfu]

Heres another idea, a kit to build the vintage DigiComp 1 computer toy:

https://mindsontoys.com/kits.htm

costs about $80

 

[Frabjous]

I am a fan of the Acme Klein Bottle
https://www.kleinbottle.com/

 

[DennisN]

It seems like a nice gift idea generally for nerds. There are many similar items as well.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07WWZ5LRV/?tag=pfamazon01-20

It is beautifully crafted with rosewood, brass, and copper, and very decorative. Very nice and not horribly expensive considering the craftsmanship.

Here’s another gift idea a mechanical marble run made of laser cut plywood that you assemble. This is just one example of many models Rowood makes.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B094CQR5SL/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Aaargh, why did you two post about so cool items?
I need to stay away from Amazon, I've already reached my budget limit for this month (and I only bought boring but needed things, e.g. 2 hard drives, a desktop fan and winter gloves. No toys this time ).

 

[jedishrfu]

Sorry I promise not to post any more Amazon stuff...

How about this vintage circular slide:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002L1MOFA/?tag=pfamazon01-20

They're a little harder to use than a more traditional slip stick but do have comparable 4 digit accuracy.

And then there's the Thames and Kosmos building toys like this Robotics kit:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CNSPGU0/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[DennisN]

Sorry I promise not to post any more Amazon stuff...

It's ok. I can put them on my wish list on Amazon instead ("Save for later")...

The Robotics Kit looks very cool too (I loved Lego Technics when I was young).

 

[fresh_42]

The Robotics Kit looks very cool too (I loved Lego Technics when I was young).

The stuff from my link comes as a wooden puzzle! They also have vehicles of all kinds, an astrolabe, etc.

 

[DennisN]

I just saw two items on Amazon I just had to share here...

They are so cool that I feel a strong itch in my finger, an itch that only pressing the "Buy now" button on Amazon can fix...

How cool is this lamp? (really expensive, though)

It's a lamp. A UFO lamp. A levitating UFO lamp.

And how cool is this gadget? (link, I don't know the price)

It's a Death Star. And a bluetooth speaker. And it levitates.

 

[BillTre]

I just saw two items on Amazon I just had to share here...

They are so cool that I feel a strong itch in my finger, an itch that only pressing the "Buy now" button on Amazon can fix...

How cool is this lamp? (really expensive, though)

It's a lamp. A UFO lamp. A levitating UFO lamp.

View attachment 322912

And how cool is this gadget? (link, I don't know the price)

It's a Death Star. And a bluetooth speaker. And it levitates.

View attachment 322913

There are levitating globes too:

 

[dlgoff]

How about this vintage circular slide:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B002L1MOFA/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Nice. I have one of those.

 

[DennisN]

There are levitating globes too:

I've got one already . Like this one, but the one you posted looks cooler, I think.
And maybe it can spin by itself, like this one (mine can't).