The ultimate creative gift? A 3D printer for Christmas

Do you have someone on your holiday gift list who is both wildly creative and a tech whiz? And are you looking to wow them with a fantastic present? I have the perfect suggestion. Combine their two passions into one project. You want the ultimate creative gift? A 3D printer for Christmas is just such a thing. Here’s a quick look at why this is the perfect gift for them.

Pure creativity

Is there a more creative activity than making something out of nothing? Well, to be accurate, you’re making something out of raw materials not thin air. But the point stands! A 3D printer allows you to dream up an idea for a real world item, and have it printed out before your very eyes.

Sneak in some learning

If you’re thinking of a 3D printer for your kids, I bet you’re wondering if there’s an educational benefit too. And I’m happy to say that there is! On the way to printing out a particular item, there’s the process of finding the right schematic or creating it yourself. Your gift recipient will need to plan how the item will look, measure the dimensions, and generally work on their engineering and technology skills.

Improve their instant home repair skills

I love practical creativity, and a 3D printer is a great tool for making useful things too. As an example, the dial on my dining room dimmer switch has broken. The dial can spin freely and wildly without changing the light level at all, and the broken bit that does control the light level is jagged and sharp. If I had a 3D printer sitting beside me, I could make a suitable replacement.

The right 3D printer

There are a few different variations of 3D printer that are available, so it’s helpful to think about who will be using it and what they’ll want to do with it. A simple 3D printer has a single extruder, which is the mechanism that actually does the printer. A single extruder will produce one colour items at a steady, slow pace. On the other hand, a multi-extruder 3D printer will be able to combine several colours, and will print at a faster pace.

Buy enough supplies

Even the most exciting and powerful tech gift will disappoint if you don’t have the supplies to actually use it. A 3D printer is still a printer and it needs its version of ink, plastic filament. Make sure you include a spool or two of plastic filament with the 3D printer, or it will be a sad Christmas morning of staring at a gift they can’t use yet.

The ultimate creative gift? A 3D printer for Christmas

You are going to astound and amaze your lucky creative techie when they unwrap their brand new 3D printer on Christmas morning. It opens up an endless bounty of new projects and fun new designs that they can bring to life. If your techie is on the younger side of life, then go for a simpler model so they can learn the fabrication process at a comfortable pace. And do not forget to include the supplies!