Gift ideas for my dad.

November 21, 2018 4:48 PM

I drew my dad for our Christmas gift exchange. Help???

My dad is super hard to buy presents for. He's recently retired, loves making stuff (woodworking, metalworking), green energy, electric cars and booze.

I found these knife blank kits where you make a handle for a fancy knife. I love this gift idea because it involves him making something cool that they would actually use.

The only problem is that my parents already have so many fancy Japanese knives, thanks to Christmas gift exchanges past. Can you think of any other gifts that involve making something and/or any of the above interest? Thanks!

posted by beepbeepboopboop to Sports, Hobbies, & Recreation (21 answers total)

Booze-making kit?
posted by aniola at 5:15 PM on November 21, 2018

Any particular price range? Also, is he urban or does he have access to / interest in the outdoors?
posted by true at 5:17 PM on November 21, 2018

Tonic or bitters kits or ingredients.

Garrett Wade has great stuff for woodworking. I got these for my sweetie as a stocking stuffer.
posted by jenquat at 5:32 PM on November 21, 2018 [2 favorites]

Can you buy him a membership or a class? In general I would say experiences over things for people who already have lots of things. Or time..take a class with him, do a project with him. Go to a concert together or travel somewhere together.
posted by emjaybee at 5:34 PM on November 21, 2018 [8 favorites]

Similar to the knife kits, there are kits/blanks for making cool fountain pens.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 5:36 PM on November 21, 2018

Leatherman sells versions of some of their multi tools for which the customer chooses the blades they want in the tool, and Leatherman then assembles and ships it to them.
posted by jamjam at 6:05 PM on November 21, 2018

My FIL is similar. He does a lot of woodworking.

How about scroll saw magazines? Or an intarsia kit.

My FIL really loved a music box we got for him from here. We got him a Christmas one so it just comes out then.

And finally, a personalized stamp for marking his projects.
posted by Ftsqg at 6:08 PM on November 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

Look into Stirling Engine kits.
posted by rhizome at 6:18 PM on November 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

For a woodworker, I guarantee you that you can find something at Lee Valley Tools that he'll really like. They make lovely tools, but pricier than what most people are willing to buy for themselves. Seriously nice stuff there, the kind of things that inspire severe tool-lust in anybody who works with wood.
posted by Anticipation Of A New Lover's Arrival, The at 7:00 PM on November 21, 2018 [6 favorites]

Seconding Lee Valley Tools - they are excellent and also have an extensive holiday gift guide, and if you want to stick to things that aren't tools I suggest looking at their online holiday catalogue, which is mostly toys and kits and things for various interests. But their tools are great and especially their measuring tools are super precise and lovingly made to be useful.
posted by Mizu at 7:29 PM on November 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

Your dad sounds a lot like me, although I'm probably a bit younger.

I don't really like receiving gifts in my hobby areas, which are very similar to your dad's, as my knowledge of the particular area and thinking about any given project is so nuanced and idiosyncratic that gifts often seem only partially useful and I get a bit uncomfortable that someone has spent good money on something I'm maybe not going to use that much.

The couple of exceptions to this are things I've specifically asked for, money to throw towards a specific project and perhaps gift vouchers - though make sure he would actually use the shop the voucher is for.
posted by deadwax at 7:56 PM on November 21, 2018 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Price limit is $100, though I'd be willing to go a bit over for the right gift.
posted by beepbeepboopboop at 9:11 PM on November 21, 2018

What about a weather station that reports to Weather Underground?
posted by Altomentis at 9:23 PM on November 21, 2018 [4 favorites]

Mushroom growing kits are always a favorite of the men in my life. It’s somethinf weird and different that most people wouldn’t buy for themselves. I try not to but things in someone’s field of interest unless it’s something they have told me they wanted. Generally they know more than I do about what’s good or well made and what’s crap. Weird and quirky or downright practical are my go-tos. Mushroom kits, indulgent socks, nice scotch.
posted by shesaysgo at 10:47 PM on November 21, 2018 [2 favorites]

An energy monitor, so he can see live data on his house's energy usage (disclaimer, this is a UK site but I assume there are US equivalents). If he's into green energy and EVs he may be the kind of person (like me) who likes to see data like this.
posted by EndsOfInvention at 1:58 AM on November 22, 2018 [2 favorites]

Hire a photographer to take pictures for an hour and give you the originals. Get some of you, him, both of you at a favorite place. Frame one of both of you for the gift.

Maybe bring Mom along, too, because a great picture of the 3 of you would be great, and he might like a picture of the 2 of them.
posted by theora55 at 5:34 AM on November 22, 2018

I share a lot of interests with your dad. Like deadwax says above, it's tough to give gifts directly in the hobby area since I'm picky about quality and ideas.

One thing that worked for me (in a bit of an adjacent area) is a copy of this book and a Fiskars splitting axe (link is the axe and hatchet combo, you want to make sure you get the right size axe for his size. I'm 5'9" and prefer the X27 36"). Wood heat and preparing wood touches a lot of the same buttons for me as green energy / woodwork / metal work. The book itself is great to read in front of the fireplace over the holidays, especially if you used the tools to prepare the wood in the fireplace. Even if he isn't going to split wood himself, if you have a fireplace having a hatchet for kindling is great.
posted by true at 5:36 AM on November 22, 2018

Here's a hard cider making kit. It's fiddly but it sounds like he might go for that? In addition to what comes with the kit, he would need a funnel, and 10 empty Non-Twistoff Bottles (Swingtops work great if you do not have a Bottle Capper & Caps).

When he would be ready to brew he would need 1 gallon apple cider and 3 tablespoons honey for bottling. Re the cider they say: Find any cider that is pasteurized (UV pasteurized is great) and preservative free (you don’t want to use any cider that has potassium sorbate or sodium benzoate in it). Your local farmer’s market or natural grocer are great sources. Remove cider from your refrigerator and let warm to room temperature before you start making your hard cider. (If you are juicing your own apples, or using a cider that is entirely unpasturized, bring your cider to a boil and then let cool to room temperature before the next step.)

The same company has other "make your own" kits, for ginger beer, mustard, etc., etc..
posted by gudrun at 8:15 AM on November 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

...and booze.

Depending on what his taste in booze is, you can definitely get a very good bottle of single-malt scotch for under $100.
posted by Thorzdad at 9:32 AM on November 22, 2018 [1 favorite]

I've found several interesting things on the Buzzfeed gift guide lists. The "guys" list in particular has some booze-related items.
posted by sageleaf at 10:53 AM on November 22, 2018

Here is a book about making walking sticks that I found quite interesting. I think books might be an exception to the "nothing for the hobby" rule folks have mentioned.

Good luck.
posted by Gilgamesh's Chauffeur at 6:38 PM on November 22, 2018