If you’re looking for a last-minute gift for someone special in your life, or an idea to treat yourself this holiday season, you’ve come to the right place. We love tools and toys and the ambiguous crossovers between them.
So here are our favorite gifts and gadgets for 2024 and before, in no particular order. Of course, you can use any manufacturer subscription to make: magazinebut if you already have one, here are some more ideas.
Keychron Q1 HE
Keychron Q1 HE – $219
The Keychron Q1 HE is a unique 75% (82 keys) premium mechanical keyboard with hot-swappable Hall-effect Gateron Nebula double-rail magnetic switches. Unlike traditional mechanical switches with a single fixed actuation point, these magnetic switches offer 0.1 mm sensitivity over a 4.0 mm actuation range. This means that you can customize the actuation points (per key) to suit your needs.
And here’s where it gets really weird. You can define up to 4 actuation points per key. This allows, for example, a light press to bind to an in-game walking action, and then transition to running at the next threshold. HE also features new 2.4GHz connectivity with 1000Hz polling, along with three Bluetooth 5.1 slots and USB-C wired.
6063 aluminum chassis and double gasket construction provide premium feel and sound, and 4000mAh battery provides hundreds of hours of wireless operation between charges, depending on usage with south-facing RGB LED and its 22 effects We provide. The Q1 HE is available from Keychron’s site for $199 barebones without keycaps and switches, or $219 fully assembled. —David J. Groom
Created by: Skill Seeker Maker Workbook – Print
Created by: Skill Seeker Maker Workbook – Print – $17
Have you ever wanted to learn a new skill, but aren’t satisfied with earning points or seeing your progress on a video game dashboard? skill seeker Written by Steph Piper is a new and powerful tool to help you level up your skills, identify skill gaps, and reflect on your goals.
Color each tile as you progress and visualize your growth with a rich and colorful skill tree. skill seeker You can break down your area of interest into small achievable goals and milestones and color in as you go. Collect points, calculate your Maker XP (Experience) score, and set personal goals.
use skill seeker Track your growth over the years across 15 Maker skill areas as you evolve into the person you are becoming. Discover a huge treasure trove of over 50 other skills online based on the popular open access skill tree project. Level up with your friends and family, trade scores and goals and be on the same page.
There’s no better book to guide you on your journey to becoming an all-around blacksmith, jack-of-all-trades, modern-day MacGyver, and someone willing to try anything in the world of manufacturing.
James “The Hacksmith” Hobson, Hacksmith Industries
The first few lucky people to order a copy will also receive a free Skill Seeker poster.
I interviewed Steph Piper on Make:cast
Carvera Air Desktop CNC Mill
Calvera Air – Advance sale $2,099
Carvera Air may not be the biggest or most powerful CNC, but it might become one of your go-to tools on your desktop. This small, fully enclosed CNC is only slightly larger than a desktop 3D printer, but it can mill wood, plastic, and even metal. An optional laser module expands the possibilities even further.
Desktop CNCs often feel underpowered and not rigid enough for serious work. The Carvera Air’s die-cast metal frame and 20mm linear rods create a strong and rigid machine. 200 watt spindle cuts aluminum with ease. The front lid is a little thin, so it may interfere with the dust seal.
To control Carvera Air, there is software for Windows, Mac, and Android. Could be more user friendly. Some operations are not completely clear at first, but you will quickly understand them once you run the sample project.
The Air also has a probe for measuring materials, a red dot laser for previewing job coverage, a fourth axis for near-3D rotational jobs, and an optional 5W laser module for engraving. If you’re looking for a desktop CNC, I can without hesitation recommend Carvera Air. —Matthew Stults
WeCreat Vision
WeCreat Vision – $1,150
Recently, the BluRay market has seen an explosion of affordable open gantry diode laser cutters based on solid-state UV lasers. However, these come at a high price in terms of safety. Reflections from open gantry UV lasers can blind you before you can blink, even from hundreds of feet away.
WeCreat Vision rose to this challenge and found the perfect balance of convenience, safety, and functionality with one simple trick. It is a fully enclosed laser that automatically adjusts its height. The UV-blocking polycarbonate lid is 140mm tall and has a built-in autofocus HD camera for easy cutting and material alignment. To engrave larger sheet products, an optional (untested) extension allows you to automatically feed 145 inches of material.
Another problem with affordable lasers is the software. Usually terrible, almost unusable, or overly complex. WeCreat has also fixed this problem using a great software called WeCreat MakeIt. (Yes, there’s a ! in the name.) It has great features and ease of use, and can connect to Vision via USB or Wi-Fi.
If you’re in the market for a diode laser, especially one with a rotary for engraving things like mugs, the WeCreat Vision is a great option and is my top choice on the market at the moment. —Matt Stults
Maker’s Notebook – Hardcover 3rd Edition
Maker’s Note – Hardcover – $25
These notebooks are the perfect place to write your own ideas, diagrams, sketches, calculations and notes, great for all makers, crafters, teachers, students, engineers, inventors, scientists and dreamers It will be a gift…it’s just like you!
A page of helpful reference materials, including electronic equipment symbols, resistor codes, weights, dimensions, and basic conversions to the amount of caffeine in various beverages.
Maker’s Notebook (10″ x 7″) includes 150 pages of engineering graph paper and 20 pages of excellent Maker reference material.
Jimu FireBot Robot Kit
Jimu FireBot – $70
Jimu is a series of robot kits from UBTech. Their FireBot successfully combines entertainment and low cost. Comprised of 606 pieces, including three servo motors, these parts look and feel a lot like Lego, but their slightly odd size means they can’t be interchanged one-for-one. . This kit requires an app, and the animated instructions are helpful and easy to follow, except for one of the servo connectors being reversed (which is fine if you’re a careful assembler).
I put the FireBot on the floor, paired it with Bluetooth, and scared the dog. It’s surprisingly nimble, and the built-in action is appealing. Creating your own actions from scratch was even more difficult. On my first attempt, I pushed the servo too far and it caused some horrible chatter.
Overall, the Jimu FireBot is a great piece of kit that is well worth the cost. It suffers from a strange UI and fragile servo cables, and only one touch sensor is included (other sensors are available if you combine the kits). But it’s a good build with room to grow, the presets are fun, and the programming mode has room to explore. —Sam Freeman
These reviews are Makeup: Volumes 88 to 91
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