9 Valentine’s Day gift ideas for engineering enthusiasts

2023-02-16 16:22:56 By : Ms. Fize weng

With Valentine's Day getting closer, it’s time to think about a great gift for your loved one. And if your loved one is an engineer or just gets excited by all things mechanical, then wooden mechanical 3D puzzles by Ugears are the gift you need. Ugears is a proudly Ukrainian company known for the outstanding design and engineering of its 3D puzzles and DIY models.

A sci-fi walking hexapod, a working clock, or a wooden car that peels out and drifts—these DIY kits from Ukraine will bring hours of fun assembly and play for any engineering enthusiast. Ugears models are built from laser pre-cut parts without the need for glue or special tools. Each model has interesting mechanical action powered by rubber bands, metal springs, or gravity, so there are no batteries or electric cords to worry about, just the enjoyment of pure mechanics! 

Choose among over one hundred different models, including functioning clocks, musical instruments, automatons, model cars, trains, and marble runs. The kits come with everything needed for assembly and have varying levels of complexity, from simple puzzles a child can build to more challenging models that take 6, 10, or even 15 hours to construct.

These mechanical marvels are a fun family project or rainy day activity with a significant other, and when you're done building, you've got a fun toy, a great piece of home decor, and a surefire conversation starter with a guest or coworker.

Here are nine popular Ugears models that we think will be a welcome Valentine’s Day gift for the mechanically inclined or those up for a moderate modeling challenge.

Inspired by 18th-century designs, the Sky Watcher by Ugears is a fully-functional spring-powered table clock you can build with your own hands! What makes this model truly exceptional is the spinning tourbillon on top, with three axes of rotation and a design that calls to mind a celestial observatory. Rather than a conventional clockface, the time is displayed on rotating drums.

A functional steampunk wall clock designed to represent an airbase in the clouds, the Ugears Aero Clock has weights and a pendulum and keeps accurate time for up to 24 hours on a single winding. Take pride in having a functional, gorgeous timepiece you built yourself hanging in your den or living room.

Take a trip back in time to the dawn of the automobile age with the Ugears Retro Car. Inspired by the elegance of the first production cars from the 1920s and 30s, this model features a foldable roof with a fabric overlay, a 4-cylinder engine with firing pistons and spinning crankshaft, and front wheels that turn. This handsome spring-driven car promises 7+ hours of enjoyable build time.

This Valentine's Day, sing a duet with your loved one on an instrument you assembled together! The Ugears Celesta is a medium-difficulty model with two ways to play music: press the keys on the keyboard or pre-program the player piano drum to play melodies when you turn the handle. Check out the Ugears' YouTube channel or fan page on Facebook to find musical notations for lots of popular tunes you can program into your Celesta.

Watching marble runs can be a form of meditation or an exciting contest to see which marble makes it to the bottom first! Ugears' four modular Marble Runs are great as standalone, but they can also be connected in pairs or a group of four to form a single, integrated marble amusement park. Be mesmerized as you follow different colored marbles through tracks and obstacles as they complete the circuit and are lifted to the top for their next adventure!

Inspired by the 1959 Chevrolet 3100A, this spring-driven model of an old-timey truck has three driving modes: Forward, Reverse, and Neutral. With any Ugears model, you know attention has been paid to the details. On this model, the opening doors, folding tailgate, and spring suspension will leave your beloved impressed.

This powerful muscle car packs a punch! The Ugears Drift Cobra embodies the spirit of the legendary Shelby Cobra 427, one of the most iconic cars of all time. Enjoy 9 hours or more of exciting assembly time, then wind up the spring, place it on a smooth surface, and vroom – your car is ready to peel out, cover surprising distances or drift when you turn the wheels.

The Hexapod Explorer by Ugears is a charming or terrifying robo-bug, depending on your perspective. Able to step over obstacles of 1-2 cm on its six legs, this sci-fi model can handle rough terrain and has variable speeds. Enjoy 8 hours of build time, then set your robotic explorer free to explore other worlds, or try introducing your new pet to your pet cat or dog.

For fans of Harry Potter and of cool engineering, Ugears presents the Knight Bus™, a magical mechanical puzzle. Just like in the movies and books, this wooden bus can narrow and expand itself to fit through traffic with a twist of the magical manipulator button on top, changing speed when it does! 

Explore more models at ugearsmodels.com to choose just the right model for your loved one. Build it yourself and present your valentine a completed model in which you've invested your time and mechanical aptitude, or give them a boxed kit that matches their interests and skill level. Either way, score points this Valentine's Day with a thoughtful, original gift!

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