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KNIFE UTILITY FOLDING
Klein Tools, Inc.
My Favorite Things Maker Gift Ideas
2023-12-13 | By bekathwia
Today, we’re taking a look at my favorite things to use at my workbench this year. I’ll take you through the boards and tools that I’ve been using the most lately, and which I think would make excellent gifts.
Klein Realtree Camo Folding Utility Knife
First up, it’s a quirky little folding knife that takes standard utility knife blades.
I like everything Klein Tools makes, but this folding utility knife has a special place in my toolkit. It’s large and rugged when unfolded, but surprisingly light and portable when it’s closed up.
Circuit Boards & Accessories
Next, it’s the most fun new Arduino board this year, in my opinion, the Uno R4 wifi.
It has this cute little red LED matrix and bigtime functionality in the classic Uno board format.
I’m also loving these vision boards from Seeed and DFRobot. They make it super easy to add facial and object recognition to your Arduino projects.
I’m using facial recognition in my Secret Santa project this year, and the video will be out soon. You’ll also find the full tutorial on Maker.io.
For most projects, I’m finding the solderful breadbox kit to be just the right size. The perfboard inside is made to fit perfectly inside the easily drillable ABS project enclosure.
Here’s one I used to make a film prop, it’s a controller for animating a single LED.
And to drill the holes, I used a step drill. This is the type of thing you can’t really have too many of, and they’re a revelation to folks who’ve never used them before. Plus, they’re small but made of metal so they make for heavy packages that are hard to predict by your giftees.
Pump-Top Acetone & Isopropyl Alcohol Bottles
You might think these are super-specialized tools, but I’m a superfan of these pump-top dispenser bottles for acetone and isopropyl alcohol.
The small investment really delivers a level of convenience that you deserve to experience at your workbench.
I use alcohol to release hot glue’s bond and to clean up the glue stick residue from my 3D prints. I use acetone to dissolve certain inks and glues, and I use both alcohol and acetone for my gel manicure, which is basically just UV resin.
Multi Screwdriver
Here’s my favorite multi screwdriver, and the second Klein Tools product to make my list.
See, it has four different bits, and the holder can spin around and become much shorter for tight spaces and portability. It’s got the spinny bit at the top that makes it easy to keep the screwdriver steady. Overall, it’s a pleasant tool to use, and it bridges the gap between a full-size screwdriver and tiny precision sets.
3D Printing
Whether you’re gifting to a 3D printing enthusiast or you’re looking to 3D print some gifts this season, I want to shout out my favorite special-looking filament: the MatterHackers Quantum Dual-Color PLA.
The two-tone effect is super festive and classy.
As for what to print, there’s never been a better time for 3D file sharing online. I’ve been in this community for a while, and I’m blown away by the variety and quality of free 3D printable files you can get on sites like Printables.com these days. And it’s easy to customize prints you find online with free 3D software like Tinkercad. From practical prints to whimsical decor, if you’re not 3D printing this season, you’re missing out.
Pimoroni USB Tester
My next favorite is this humble USB tester/meter from Pimoroni.
It quietly lets you know the voltage and current draw of your USB devices, which comes in handy whether you’re trying to figure out the best battery to use with your project, or you’re reclaiming rechargeable batteries from disposable devices.
Sparkfun & DigiKey XRP Robotics Kit
The newest robot kit from Sparkfun and DigiKey is the XRP Robotics Kit.
I got ahold of one of these kits at Open Sauce this summer and have since 3D printed some of my own parts. It’s based on the RP2040 and easy to get up and running, which makes it a great gift. Check it out if you want a platform to bring your next robot idea to life.
I hope you found some inspiration for everybody on your list this holiday season, including yourself. From DigiKey and my team, we’re all wishing you a safe and healthy holiday season and new year.
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