Gift Ideas for Industrial Tech Students to Craft

During my years as a middle school Industrial Tech student, I felt empowered by the ability to use high-powered machines to transform wood and glass into practical products. Many years later, I realize how my creativity was developed as I was in training to craft handmade items that I could give as brilliant gifts. Reviewed below are some awesome gift ideas for Industrial Tech students to craft.

Glass Keychain

A keychain is a great glass gift to craft since it involves very little investment in cost and time. As an Industrial Tech student, I enjoyed making a heart-shaped glass keychain that I engraved. The process involved drawing my heart design on the paper tape attached to a small square of Plexiglas; using a saw to cut out the glass heart; drilling a hole at the top of the glass heart to insert the key ring; smoothing the edges of the Plexiglas with sandpaper and steel wool; and machine engraving the Plexiglas heart. To create a glass monogram keychain, industrial tech students may also draw and saw out the initials or first three letters of their gift recipients name using Plexiglas.

Glass Clipboard

A clipboard is another great gender-neutral glass gift that is practical for any age. I crafted my Plexiglas clipboard by sawing the four corners and rounding/smoothing with sandpaper and steel wool. Then I drilled two holes at the top of the clipboard where I attached a metal clip with nails and screws. I then machine engraved the clipboard.

Wooden or Glass Picture Frame

One can never have too many picture frames, which Industrial Tech students can craft with either wood or glass. In my Industrial Tech class, I crafted a 4x6 Plexiglas picture frame using heat to bend one end of the rectangular Plexiglas at 90 degrees and another end at about 180 degrees. I smoothed the sides using sandpaper and steel wool. Wooden picture frames may also be crafted using four strips of wood of the same length on parallel sides, a saw to angle each end of the wooden strips, glue, paint, paint brush, and cardboard to use as the backdrop.

Glass Window Scraper

Another Plexiglas item that I made in my Industrial Tech class was a window scraper that I value very much now and recommend as a great gift to craft. After drawing the spatula-shaped image on the paper tape attached to the Plexiglas, I sawed out the image, angled the tip, smoothed the edges, and engraved it.

Wooden Puzzle

An original wooden gift idea that Industrial Tech students have the ability to create is a wooden puzzle. The steps involve outlining any image onto the paper tape attached to the wood and drawing cracked images within the outlined image. A saw can be used to cut out the shapes. This handcrafted puzzle makes an excellent kid's gift.

With these gift ideas in mind, Industrial Tech students of all ages have the advantage of creating professional handcrafted gifts for family and friends during the holidays. Not everyone has the skills or access to high-tech machinery used to create glass and wood gifts, so an Industrial Tech student is in a great position!