Top 10 Gifts for the Machinist in Your Life

Sometimes it can be a struggle to come up with gift ideas for the machinist in your life. We know, they can be a bit...eh, hard to impress, shall we say. Fret no more, because we've assembled a list of imaginative choices for you to consider. Check out these gift ideas, and feel free to add your own and share.

Okuma’s Annual Gift Guide for Machinists

1. Does your favorite machinist have a passion for precision? Feed their need for exactitude with some inspirational reading. The Perfectionists: How Precision Engineers Created the Modern World shows how the rise of manufacturing could not have happened without attention to precision.
2. The word "scudo" is Italian for "shield," and you'll get protection and more from the Scudo Wallet. With a solid aluminum body cut with state-of-the-art CNC machine work (yep, they use an Okuma), these wallets are sturdy and built to last. Perfect for the rugged individualist.
3. Speaking of rugged, check out the mega-macho offerings from The Manly Man Company, such as their Beef Jerky Flower Bouquet. "Fresh cut" jerky stems arranged in a beer glass - with a tantalizing aroma all their own. You can also buy Man Cards, in case you know someone who's misplaced theirs. They double as wallet-sized beer bottle openers, and come with a 5-pack discount in case you want to spread the good cheer.
4. How about something for the lady machinist? We guarantee she'll love the Kinekt Gear Necklace. It features a ball chain threaded through three moveable gears set within a heart-shaped pendant. Put these gears in motion and win her heart!
5. Talk about a candy store. Practical Machinist put together a list of the Top 10 Tools Every Machinist Should Have and you might find some good gift choices here, especially for the newbies. Specific brands have been researched and recommended, so all you need to do is pick and click.
6. Every machinist is an artist; some more than others. Taking it to the stratosphere of craftsmanship is Chris Bathgate, famed machinist sculptor. While there are certainly no last-minute gift ideas here, just viewing his collection is an amazing experience. (BTW, Chris will be attending our Winter Showcase event, so be sure to stop by and say hello.)
7. Grease and grime from the shop digs in on hands and nails and can be challenging to remove. This leads to the use of harsh soaps and abrasives that damage your hands, leaving them dry, cracked, and more susceptible to infection (ughhh!). Wash your hands back to health with Uncle Earl's Hand Healing Soap. It was developed for machinists and mechanics, so it removes even the toughest dirt while softening skin.
8. These commemorative Okuma t-shirts were a smash hit at IMTS...so much so, we had to make more. Showcasing the slogan "Legendary Reliability, Since 1898" the design is based on serial number plates used on older machines. Worn by our set up and tear down crews at the show, the serial numbers are not real - they actually reference this year's IMTS dates: 2018091015 (2018/09/10-15). Only those in the know will know how cool these really are.
9. Big Ass Fans. That's just fun to say, isn't it? It's the name of a legit company with a very memorable name that makes extremely powerful industrial strength fans. The Yellow Jacket^® fan is one of their models and is "Smashingly Durable", portable and mountable. This fan can take some abuse and stay in use. Who doesn't need a Big Ass Fan?
10. If you know someone who's interested in a career in manufacturing, Machining for Dummies (by Kip Hanson, a well-known expert in our industry) will get them off to a great start. Covering everything from lathe operation to actual CNC programming, Machining for Dummies will put them on a path toward becoming a skilled machinist.

BONUS!

11. The GENOS M460V-5AX is the machine many folks are dreaming of these days. Put one under your tree and make someone's dreams come true!