Do It Yourself _ Is Not _ All By Yourself

DIY is the common acronym for Do It Yourself, but there’s a misnomer in the expression. In some things doing it by yourself is awesome, for sure, yet DIY does not mean doing it all, all by yourself. The truth is, it’s great to have help, and we all learn from others. What better was that to learn, then apply the knowledge in great ways on future projects. Hopefully, we also share the knowledge.

The Best DIY Projects

The best Do It Yourself projects are the ones that stretch us just a little. You know the ones that make you really think about portions of it. The ones where you learn something new in order to complete the job. Projects where a new trick makes us smile as we do something better. Stretching our brains and learning gives personal satisfaction that bring us back again and again for more.

Think about it. I’ll bet when you look back at all the fun projects you’ve done, the ones that stick out in your mind as the BEST projects are the ones that required some stretch — even if only in a few little ways. They might also include memories of others helping. Or, of you helping a friend on a project.

Do It Yourself — With A Friend

We seem to live in an age where it’s an imposition to ask friends for help. It’s the old excuse of “Oh, I don’t want to bother anyone . . .”. But that idea keeps us from some really great expansions. I, for one, find it a compliment when someone asks.

Before going further, I have to admit I’ve been in that boat. It’s hard to justify calling a friend just to help with a few minutes of moving the big things around, or to hold something for just a few minutes while I weld it together. We worry that friends are busy and we’d be an interruption. The flip side of that is some of my best DIY memories are working with a friend.

I also completely understand (and enjoy) time alone with a project. It’s great to get lost in creating and building — all by yourself! So, I’m not suggesting the absence of that, not at all.

I’ve helped friends remodeling their basement, and I’ve had help from others building trailers or cranes or other crazy things. See the image above — it’s a contest winning catapult contraption I was able to help with. So much fun! We did it together including the initial thinking, and it ended up winning by tossing the object the furthest.

How many deck building parties have I enjoyed? Several! Two at my house, and many helping friends with theirs. It’s cool to build friendships, and it’s extra cool to learn new tricks. As we learn from each other, it becomes a DIY legacy, for everyone. Make sharing a part of your projects too.

Your Next Do It Yourself Project

What is your next big project? Or little project? How might you involve someone else?

Maybe more important, where might you need some help with a project? Prime the pump with your friends so that when you need their help, they have already volunteered. I’m not talking about manipulation — quite the opposite. We talk about our current or next projects, and friends are interested. Very often, when I talk about the fun things I’m creating, friends ask if they can see it — or better yet, help on it. The friends that are interested in that project are the perfect ones to call when I need a hand.

It’s not an imposition. It’s not for me when they call. I actually like having an excuse to jump in temporarily on someone else’s project and see what they’re up to.

We’re Here For You

Mechanical Elements claims to be the DIY Portal — the place for great Do It Yourself information and plans. Yes, we have some great Do It Yourself plans. Yet more important, we have a growing library of articles about building, thinking, choosing and learning. And, some are your contributions . . . in Customer Stories you share as well as the Solutions! submissions you give. Sharing is awesome, so please, keep them coming.

While we probably can’t come over and assist you in person, we can provide some knowledge — free. It’s all here to absorb and enjoy. Of course, it’s partly because we sell Do it Yourself plans, but it’s much more than that. Do It Together is rewarding, and providing knowledge is like giving power. For instance, it takes time to put these articles together and publish them, yet we think it’s worth it — because we have not found another complete DIY web resource. This site is not complete yet either, but it’s growing, and with your help, we’ll grow better.

Please help us serve you, and the Do It Yourself community. It’s easy to contribute by submitting your ideas, or by adding comments. They will certainly help others. You can also spread the DIY knowledge by sharing pages on this website that you find useful.

Thank you for visiting. Let’s build our Do It Yourself community — Together.