As technology rapidly advances, computers and consumer electronics become obsolete. The parts are sometimes reclaimed and recycled into new devices and raw materials for newer creations. Creative artists and craft people use old circuit boards to create a vast array of trinkets, art pieces and usable items perfect for giving as gifts to the computer geeks and technology-admiring people among your friends, family and associates. Choose from hundreds of different circuit board gift ideas or find some old circuit boards and create your own. Jewelry Circuit Board Clock Coasters Circuit Board Art Pieces
The Daily Green, a popular website that reports on all things green including recycled arts and crafts, published an in December 2010 on the popularity of recycled jewelry as gifts. The article highlights a picture of a large necklace made out of yellow and brown recycled circuit boards. The one-of-a-kind piece appears on sale through an Etsy shop for $150 as of December 2010. The Violet's New Vintage online shop of recycled gifts showcases over 40 different recycled circuit board jewelry pieces for purchase or inspiration for making your own gifts. The page includes circuit board tie pins, earrings, key rings, necklaces, pin brooches and cuff links.
Geekware, a website that documents various productions and creative projects to recycle electronic waste, has pictures of two different wall clocks made out of vintage Apple Computer circuit boards from 1983 and 1978. The circuit boards are the backdrop of the clocks. The 1983 board has sleek, gold-colored hour and minute hands and a bright red second hand shaped like a lightning bolt. The 1973 board has the same second hand with stylized gold hour and minute hands carved into artistic designs.
The Envirogadget website, which highlights and reviews recycled products, arts, and crafts, has pictures of square-shaped recycled circuit board coasters with rounded edges. The circuit boards used for the set of four coasters have never been used in electronic equipment so they have no solder or components attached to them, the article reports. The coasters have no sharp edges and they are waterproof, making them perfect for resting your drinks on and protecting tables and countertops from water damage. Give these coasters as gifts to your environmentally-minded friends and family members.
Green Living Ideas, a website dedicated to giving publicity to innovative ideas that respect the environment, reports on the circuit board sculptures of fine artist Steven Rodrig, who creates widely acclaimed art pieces out of recycled circuit boards. The pieces showcased in the article include circuit board ladies shoes, a detailed dragonfly, a hummingbird drawing nectar from circuit board flowers, a series of books with circuit board covers, a cactus, a beetle and a handful of different circuit board insects.