Top Ten DIY sites?

[Moab]

You used to be able to search Google and get thousands of results for diy projects. Blogs and users small websites detailing things they've done themselves.

Now 9/10s of the sites listed are either sponsored or business sites trying to sell you something.

And independant browsers/search engines like Brave are not much more helpful. I guess we were spoiled. Back when Googles motto was still "do no harm". And commerce had not taken over. 

I remember digging in 50 pages deep to find some odd translated page with pics from Taiwan. About a villager that built his own gps tracker for following hot air balloons he would launch into space. (I made most of that up. But you get my meaning.)

I just went to Instructables. Only to find it had an underwhelming new name. (Did someone buy it?) And an underwhelming search function to match.

So I'm wondering. 

What are your top ten sites (or ways to find sites) that include DIY? 

[EBuff75]

Because I'm usually searching for a specific fix / how-to, I generally just Google whatever I'm trying to do.  My default is usually YouTube.  The only specific site that I use is iFixit.com for anything appliance-related.

[Moab]

Because I'm usually searching for a specific fix / how-to, I generally just Google whatever I'm trying to do.  My default is usually YouTube.  The only specific site that I use is iFixit.com for anything appliance-related.

I don't mind watching a youtube video if its something I need a visual aid for. And I spend alot of time on yt. But more often than not I don't want to spend time watching a 19 minute video for something I might find out in one paragraph on a website. Meaning in a few seconds. But I'm just complaining here. Lol.

I guess my bigger issue is it used to be so much easier to find four guys that came up with a great way to fix X or make Y. But now everything has been so monetized its hard to find those guys offering help online.

I'll check out ifixit.com. I remember visiting it a long time ago. But have not lately. Thank you. 

[Anianna]

I think a lot of inventor types went YouTube and have their own channels now.  Maybe some are on Twitch and others will be on TikTok, so I miss out on a lot of those because I refuse to TikTok.  Some will post their TikTok videos to Instagram or YouTube, so you can still find them even if TikTok isn't your thing. 

For fixing things, I like DIYChatRoom which is a forum with a mix of DIYers and some tradesmen discussing how to fix or do things, but that's going to be more along the lines of home repairs than inventing ways to overcome unique challenges. https://www.diychatroom.com/forums/

Instructables was bought by Autodesk.  It still has the old content and user-developed content, but the site has been stagnating and it's been difficult to find specific things for a while, even before Autodesk took over.  I'm hoping they improve the search function and encourage more content.  There are still good gems in there.

There's a term for individuals doing sciency stuff, but I can't think of what it is atm (citizen science?  is that it maybe?).  You can find that sort of thing on various social media platforms, but it can be challenging to find and you'd have to weed through silly experiments and meaningful builds.

[Beowolf]

My current projects have brought me to https://plasticinehouse.com/ and https://www.thisoldhouse.com/.

Others have brought me to https://www.mobile-solarpower.com/ and https://diysolarforum.com/.

I also get annoyed at the videos as top results. I prefer written words and step by step, maybe with pictures, although some videos have been very helpful.

[flybynight]

Yea about tik tok


https://www.ksn.com/news/state-regional/kelly-bans-tiktok-on-state-owned-devices-prohibits-access-to-state-network/#:~:text=TOPEKA%2C%20Kan.%20%28KSNW%29%20%E2%80%94%20Governor%20Laura%20Kelly%20has,executive%20branch%20agencies%2C%20boards%2C%20commissions%2C%20and%20their%20employees.

[Moab]

Yea about tik tok


https://www.ksn.com/news/state-regional/kelly-bans-tiktok-on-state-owned-devices-prohibits-access-to-state-network/#:~:text=TOPEKA%2C%20Kan.%20%28KSNW%29%20%E2%80%94%20Governor%20Laura%20Kelly%20has,executive%20branch%20agencies%2C%20boards%2C%20commissions%2C%20and%20their%20employees.

Ya. I have kept it off my phone for awhile. For that very reason. They are talking about running in some new way that it does get used by China.

I wish I could do the same with Instagram i am off facebook for three years now. That made a real difference in my mental health. I've also stayed off youtube for about two weeks. I don't mind going there with a purpose. But it can be a real mind suck. 

I use twitter for news and for following people I respect. But I can get thru my feed fairly quickly and the hell off it.

Social media is programmed to keep you scrolling. Like the lights and colors on a slot machine. I feel like an idiot after I wake up from 30 minutes of mindless scrolling.

[Moab]

My current projects have brought me to https://plasticinehouse.com/ and https://www.thisoldhouse.com/.

Others have brought me to https://www.mobile-solarpower.com/ and https://diysolarforum.com/.

I also get annoyed at the videos as top results. I prefer written words and step by step, maybe with pictures, although some videos have been very helpful.

I agree. I hate watching a 15 minute video on something that could be communicated with a 5 item list. And who ever mentioned it. Yes. Alot of diyers have moved to youtube. I wish all creators would sum up their videos in the description. Some do.

I also never look at comments on social media or youtube. It's hilarious when you hear about famous people reacting to comments. You have no idea who they are! It could be (and probably is) a 12 year old boy in his moms basement huffing paint. Lmao!

Or the morons debating each other in the comments! If your debating a stranger in the comments? You've got a screw loose. Again, see above description of commenters on social media. Lol!