Only three days to go before Father’s Day in the US. Surprise your dear old dad with a 3D printed gift you can buy or make at home.

This weekend marks the advent of Father’s Day in the good ol’ US of A. Huh? Whaddaya mean you forgot to check the calendar? Unbelievable. He’s only the man who helped to bring you into this misbegotten world; raised you up to be a fine upstanding citizen; put food on the table; the clothes on your back; and a roof over your head.

(Your mother helped too, of course.)

But you know what, we kinda anticipated this might happen. You’re busy people, after all, and your dad’s probably a tough customer to be shopping around for. Here’s a Father’s Day gift guide celebrating the magic and mystery of 3D printing; you could do a lot worse than surprise the old geezer with one of these items.

3D Print a Ford Motor Car

Let’s start with the obvious. Cars, cars, cars.

Just in time for Father’s Day, Ford Motors have launched an online store where fans can download 3D printable files for a library of Ford vehicles. This is something of a landmark event in 3D printing, where a major auto manufacturer has released authorised, legitimate 3D models for sale to the consumer marketplace.

You have two choices. Select a car you like and buy the STL file to 3D print at home, or pick a model with your favorite material and colors, then have it manufactured and shipped to your door.

Plus, the library of cars is growing all the time. Conceivably you could gift your dad with a different 3D printed Ford motor car for every subsequent Father’s Day between now and the end of time.

Magical Multitool

If your dad is one of those chaps who likes to do and fix things himself, we have just the thing. A 3D printed star driver multi-tool.

This isn’t a Leatherman or a Swiss Army Knife by any means. But just look at that design! It offers 6 different tools on a very compact frame. There’s also another version available, with an alternative set of drivers. Both are extremely practical and small enough to carry around on a daily basis.

But hey, if these aren’t the tools you’re looking for, then check out the Shape Tool, the Fish tool, or the 3D printed pen that’s also is a smartphone stand, hex tool, and much, much more.

Father’s Day Branding Iron?

This is the kind of gift that only a responsible adult could appreciate. And who’s more responsible than your dad? Nobody, that’s who.

This is a unique 3D printed steel branding iron thats snaps onto any standard Bic lighter, and features a large Superman insignia. Your dad will no doubt be chuffed by the opportunity to put this super stamp on his property. No more cries of “who moved my cheese?” at 3am on a Sunday morning.

To operate, it couldn’t be simpler. Click the light and hold the flame on the metal end for about 60-90 seconds, and then the brand is ready to use. Maker NiqueGeek recommends a few practice runs on a scrap piece of wood first, to ensure that the brand comes out as desired.

And if the Superman insignia is not to your Dad’s taste, there are several other designs to choose from, including the Batman symbol and the Transformers Autobot insignia.

Relax, Have a Beer

To some folks, Father’s Day is just an excuse to drink beer. Sitting on the porch on a sunny afternoon and guzzling a brewski or three. Accessorise this relaxing pastime with a 3D printed bottle opener.

The gift that keeps on giving, you can customise this 3D printed bottle opener with your dad’s initials. Or you can take things up a notch with a 3D printed Klein Bottle Opener. What’s that? The Klein Bottle is a mathematical joke: a surface with only one side. This one opens bottles with ease and style, and is built to last in steel.

Finally, you can impress your pops by opening a beer using the power of your brain. Quite literally. A brain bottle opener.

High-End Executive Toy

This one is a piece of art. Gyro the Cube is a kinetic sculpture inspired by the unlimited freedom of 3d printing.

Spheres are created within other spheres and together, they form a cube. But at the slightest movement, it turns from a static cube to a moving object that looks unreal at first. With the tiniest variation of its position, the spheres interwave in a mesmerising fashion. Something like a card trick mixed up with an executive toy.

This cube is Dad 101. Imagine him standing in the living room, elbow propped up on the mantelpiece, trying to mansplain the science and then getting hopelessly lost. Another Father’s Day tradition that never gets old.

Image credits: Shapeways, Etsy, Ford, Thingiverse