Xmas present suggestions for retired engineer father

[chappj]

A colleague at work asked me this evening for Xmas recommendations for his father who is a retired engineer. A real enthusiast for bikes, cars , planes. Budget is £300.

He is apparently more interested in the machinery rather than driving / riding / piloting.

I suggested a factory tour of the Classic Lotus teams facility.

I thought this would make a good thread for getting other ideas...

[David87]

Factory tours are a good idea and you’d be able to do a few for £300. I’ve been on a handful and each one has been excellent!

[foggy]

A nice stirling engine? Could be a bit of a dust catcher but quite therapeutic hearing it potter away to itself.

[Sixpackpert]

Triumph have started factory tours now I believe.

[James TiT]

Imperial War Museum site at Duxford visit.

[BrettMRC]

Find some rare engineering books - Powells in Portland USA is good and I think they ship.

Got my dad one on early submarnine engines last year - they have some amazing stuff available.

[haddock82]

James TiT said:

Imperial War Museum site at Duxford visit.

This!

It's fairly expensive day out (i think entrance is about £20 now) but you've got plenty of budget!

Look out for days when the workshops are open to look around too

It really is a cracking place to go for the day, last time i went we got there at 9am and were kicked out at 5ish and still not seen everything

Also if you really want to splash out as them about the spitfire experiences...! (Spoiler.. its about £3k!)

[anonymous-user]

Submarine Museum at Gosport?

[parabolica]

A few years ago there was an outfit that specialised in engineering-focused gifts that you bought disassembled, but they had no instructions (plain cardboard packaging) and no hint at what the actual end product was supposed to be (for the gift receiver; obviously whoever bought it knew what it was they were ordering).; it was up to the receiver to figure out what it was and build it. Sizes varied from like a dozen pieces up to something like 200; it would have been perfect for my dad but I forgot about it and now I can't find the outfit. If anyone has heard of this before please share the love!

ETA yes you could just buy something and knock it down, put it in a box and be done with it. But this outfit designed and manufactured the gifts and were designed in such a way that the individual parts (save for one or two of them) would not have given away what the end-product is so easily.

[lufbramatt]

haddock82 said:

James TiT said:

Imperial War Museum site at Duxford visit.

This!

It's fairly expensive day out (i think entrance is about £20 now) but you've got plenty of budget!

Look out for days when the workshops are open to look around too

It really is a cracking place to go for the day, last time i went we got there at 9am and were kicked out at 5ish and still not seen everything

Also if you really want to splash out as them about the spitfire experiences...! (Spoiler.. its about £3k!)

You can get flights in a dragon Rapide or tiger moth from duxford which are much cheaper and still a really nice experience.

[Henners]

foggy said:

A nice stirling engine? Could be a bit of a dust catcher but quite therapeutic hearing it potter away to itself.

I came here to suggest this.

[Phil.]

Yuneec Breeze on offer at £249

https://www.jessops.com/p/yuneec/breeze-drone-1062...

[chappj]

Thanks for the suggestions. I’ll pass these on tomorrow.

I think they have already done Duxford and the drone in prior years.

The Stirling engine is a great idea (I’d quite like one myself).

[magooagain]

The Jcb factory tour maybe.