Projects come and projects go. As a woodworker sometimes repetition happens. Every piece can’t be a custom commission or have wildly different specifications, sizes or species of wood. How can you combat stagnation when projects sometimes become repetitive?
Give it a twist! Yes…that sounds overly simple, but you might be surprised just how enjoyable it is to spark the creative aspect of your brain again with a simple changeup.
Let’s say you’re making cedar planter boxes as it’s that time of year. All the dimensions are the same, so the cuts are the same, the glue up is the same, the nail gun is the same and yup, the outcome is roughly the same.
What if you deviate from the standard size in one section? What if instead of two panels on each side you did three? What if the height was bumped up by 6 inches? 12 inches? What if it was dropped to have the entire piece sit flat on the ground?
Simple changes that don’t create wildly new creations can sometimes give you that creative spark you’re looking for when stagnation sets in or you may be feeling a little burnt out with repetition.
Who knows…a new variation might be your most popular design yet.
What’s your go to for busting out of a rut? New sizing and dimensions on a familiar project? Or a whole pivot to something new for a little while?