What's the best "Giveaway Gizmo" you've seen? IMTS,WESTEC, Salesmen, Etc

[CarbideBob]

This year will be my 18th IMTS - where has the time gone.
Tom

IMTS is every 2 years so 18 of them is a bit way back in the time machine.
Bob

 

[Bobw]

I work in an off-road shop and I proposed we give away 10mm sockets with our logo engraved on them. I got a room full of blank stares.

Cool.. But too small and buried in the back of the tool box..

I'd engrave 7/8" wrenches if that was the route you wanted to go.

 

[Strostkovy]

Cool.. But too small and buried in the back of the tool box..

I'd engrave 7/8" wrenches if that was the route you wanted to go.

a 10mm socket will always get used a few times before it gets lost with the others.

7/8" is not a common wrench size for us, but 3/4" is.

 

[CarbideBob]

I work in an off-road shop and I proposed we give away 10mm sockets with our logo engraved on them. I got a room full of blank stares.

Not a bad idea.
What are the most commonly lost/missing sockets or wrenches in your collections?
Would a freebie be nice?

 

[Kalispel]

Not a bad idea.
What are the most commonly lost/missing sockets or wrenches in your collections?
Would a freebie be nice?

I’m always hunting 1/2” & 3/4” wrenches or sockets and 3/8 hex keys.

 

[Jashley73]

Really NICE ink pens. Best if they use a common replaceable ink cartridge like a Parker or Cross cartridge.

Good safety glasses.

Coffee mugs are great. I use them on the desk as ink-pen holders, larger one for sticky-note pads, calculator, etc. And, I actually use them to drink out of.

Meaningful reference books, pocket drill-tap charts, etc. Need to be quality printing, and meaningful to the user though. I've made these before, and they always go over well. Things like an easy-selectors for endmills, bandsaw-blade pocket-calculator, pocket speed-feed calculator, etc... I have the Greenfield thread book, and it's usefull.

Graph paper legal pads.

 

[50BMG DUDE]

So far my favorites from the thread were the corkscrew collet, the idea for the 7/8 wrench (Fits mill tooling - we have one at every machine) and the flat model kits.

I'm thinking of having my son draw up a flat model kit for a Bridgeport mill we can cut on the jet.

Other one I remember was waterjet cut tweezers from Omax, Still have one in my toolbox



Keep it going, this is turning out to be a cool thread.

Chris

 

[Mud]

I got this at a local trade school. A bit complex for a giveaway, they were displaying their skills to employers. If I was making vise handles I'd make the little speed handle SPI sells, that's about all I use on Bridgeport size work.

 

[Mud]

the idea for the 7/8 wrench (Fits mill tooling - we have one at every machine)

+1. I bought a 7/8 combo and a 7/8 semi-deep socket to make a custom wrench for setup, was going to replace the open end with the socket welded on at a 20° angle.

 

[Nagol]

I think I have a good one. I've been wanting to make an overly fancy billet aluminum toilet paper holder for our couple of shop bathrooms because the ones that are in there suck. You could take it as far as you like with complexity and engrave your name on it. You may not think it the best time to remind customers of you but it has one thing every other suggestion doesn't, everyone needs one. I plan to on mine to make the arms with some nice arcs and corner radius on all the edges. Thought I might make the tube holder by drilling through some round stock or pipe and cutting a bunch of windows to heavily skeletonise it. I hadn't thought until reading this post to make it an advertising piece but you would surly have a permanent reminder of your brand if the customer installs it.

 

[Chip Chester]

(snip)
Graph paper legal pads.

Packs of graph-paper printed napkins with your company info on them, for all those napkin-sketch jobs...

 

[Homeshopblob]

I work in an off-road shop and I proposed we give away 10mm sockets with our logo engraved on them. I got a room full of blank stares.

Somewhere Snap-on was giving away gold plated 5/8 3/8 drive 6 point sockets. I have one, never used it because it was gold plated. Still have it somewhere. I guess that makes it a bad giveaway if I don't know where it is.

 

[Bobw]

I think I have a good one. I've been wanting to make an overly fancy billet aluminum toilet paper holder

One of my million dollar ideas. Toilet paper holders that can only work roll over, or roll under..
Because some people are fanatic about that.. 2 totally different names, 2 totally different websites.
Same toilet paper holder.

Put the paper in the wrong way, and it won't roll out. Just need to engrave "Up" on different sides.

 

[DDoug]

I think I have a good one. I've been wanting to make an overly fancy billet aluminum toilet paper holder for our couple of shop bathrooms because the ones that are in there suck. You could take it as far as you like with complexity and engrave your name on it. You may not think it the best time to remind customers of you but it has one thing every other suggestion doesn't, everyone needs one. I plan to on mine to make the arms with some nice arcs and corner radius on all the edges. Thought I might make the tube holder by drilling through some round stock or pipe and cutting a bunch of windows to heavily skeletonise it. I hadn't thought until reading this post to make it an advertising piece but you would surly have a permanent reminder of your brand if the customer installs it.

Engraved with the words "Get Back To WORK ! "......

 

[CarbideBob]

Put the paper in the wrong way, and it won't roll out. Just need to engrave "Up" on different sides.

Which way is the right way?
There may be a difference of opinion here.....
Wife and you agree on direction? The current wife yes, the past wife no.
Bob

 

[Screwmachine]

Which way is the right way?
There may be a difference of opinion here.....
Wife and you agree on direction? The current wife yes, the past wife no.
Bob

This is always a heartstopping moment-
Wife 1 had it right (married too young)
Wife 2 didn't care (turns out I do)
Wife finale got it right. Alright!

 

[Bobw]

Which way is the right way?
There may be a difference of opinion here.....
Wife and you agree on direction? The current wife yes, the past wife no.
Bob

I have no preference. I don't even care if the roll of toilet paper is just sitting on top of the
toilet tank. Just one of those "Ideas" to make a million dollars. Because some people care,
they care a lot, and it seems like a stupid/good thing to exploit for profit.

As for at home, I just leave it on top of the tank.. I used to replace the roll, but I
always did it wrong. Over.. WRONG.. Under WRONG.. F' It..

I also can't load a dishwasher properly. And I've even been given lessons.

 

[Bill D]

Which way is the right way?
There may be a difference of opinion here.....
Wife and you agree on direction? The current wife yes, the past wife no.
Bob

Some one posted the original patent drawing it is supposed to be up over the top according to Seth Wheeler. Well known toilet paper expert.
Bill D

 

[Tony Quiring]

Over the top unless you have a cat...

Sent from my SM-G781V using Tapatalk

 

[HS70A Brother]

At year end we send out a little holiday cheer for the tree.
Yes, for 2020 we gave you Covid.



Regards,
John