Where do you get ideas for new projects?

[Ira Matheny]

Wife!
When I am done with a project, she always has another!

[Mike Allen1010]

I find most of my inspiration here. When I first stumbled upon the creek, I was in the midst of building my shop. For 20 years I had averaged maybe one project every year or so working with a table saw, a router table and a hand drill. Then I found this “Neanderthal Haven” and was intrigued by this idea of using hand tools. Tool storage threads, workbench builds, discussions by Dave Weaver on setting up hand planes, project builds by Brian Holcomb, Prashawn Patel, Sean Hughto, and others, technique tips by Derek all combine to provide inspiration. I am inspired by the sharing of knowledge, mistakes, tools, insights and information. The people here and their contributions are often a source of inspiration.

+1 Joe. I couldn't agree more - very well said! I'm incredibly grateful for the wonderful community here in "the Cave by the Creek" that so generously shares ideas, experiences, suggestions, skills and projects. Thanks to everyone who makes the Creek a fun, inspirational and collegial experience!

Thanks to Prashaun, Oskar, David and others who suggested Pinterest and Instagram as good source for project ideas/inspirations. I've certainly heard of both of these, but I am embarrassed to admit have never seen them. Do I just Google and follow along the prompts for "furniture projects", or do I need to sign up etc.? Please add all jokes here about ignorant baby boomers completely disconnected from contemporary social media society.

Cheers, Mike

[Prashun Patel]

Mike, Instagram and Pinterest both require logins (free) to access content.

Pinterest is more like a curated version of Google Images. You enter search terms, get a bunch of links and images, and you can file them on different idea "boards" like "stools" or "tables". If others have created similar boards, it links you to them (and vise versa). Each time you log in, it tries to suggest other things that you might want to add to your board. I've found some really fantastic designers this way. Of course, most of it links to stores, but it's pretty accurate, IMHO, and has helped me find some really cool stuff from Italy and Brazil.

Instagram is a little more about following a particular USER. So, you may search for Philip Morley, Mike Pekovich or Peter Galbert, and follow them. It's picture and video-centric, with words serving more as captions than the primary point of the content. In this way, it's a very intimate video diary of your favorite 'makers'. Those makers tend to post far more liberally on Instagram than other outlets. And you can see who your favorite people follow as well. That's how I learned about Bern Chandley...

Then you can copy all of them and get depressed about how you'll never reach their level (present company excepted, of course, Mike)...

Both are obviously available as smart phone apps, and as such are way more seamless to access than SMC.

Pinterest: Look at what I found
Instagram: Look at what I'm doing
SMC: community, interpersonal connection, get and give help.

[Mike Allen1010]

Mike, Instagram and Pinterest both require logins (free) to access content.

Pinterest is more like a curated version of Google Images. You enter search terms, get a bunch of links and images, and you can file them on different idea "boards" like "stools" or "tables". If others have created similar boards, it links you to them (and vise versa). Each time you log in, it tries to suggest other things that you might want to add to your board. I've found some really fantastic designers this way. Of course, most of it links to stores, but it's pretty accurate, IMHO, and has helped me find some really cool stuff from Italy and Brazil.

Instagram is a little more about following a particular USER. So, you may search for Philip Morley, Mike Pekovich or Peter Galbert, and follow them. It's picture and video-centric, with words serving more as captions than the primary point of the content. In this way, it's a very intimate video diary of your favorite 'makers'. Those makers tend to post far more liberally on Instagram than other outlets. And you can see who your favorite people follow as well. That's how I learned about Bern Chandley...

Then you can copy all of them and get depressed about how you'll never reach their level (present company excepted, of course, Mike)...

Both are obviously available as smart phone apps, and as such are way more seamless to access than SMC.

Pinterest: Look at what I found
Instagram: Look at what I'm doing
SMC: community, interpersonal connection, get and give help.

Thanks Prashun- super helpful and articulate explanation! I admire and appreciate your communication skills.

Cheers, Mike