Garage of the Month?

What are the chances of people being willing to put in the effort for a "Garage of the Month" sort of thing? Just to give recognition to those that have completed a project, or started one, or just generated a lot of interest.

If not that, then maybe a sticky with links to some of the more popular garages on Garage Journal? Everyone knows Jack's garage but there are several others that you have to hunt for. We could have a poll of the top 20 or something and then have those stickied at the top of the Gallery page?

Not that typing "Asylum" into the search is hard but there are a few that I think everyone needs a chance to see and read about. . . lots of guys reference them as an inspiration. . . I mean, just look at flybefree's build thread title. . . all those easily make the top 10. . .

I see a couple stickied on the gallery forum, but why not have the real highlights laid out there. It's not even just a money contest. . . Jack's garage was beauty on a budget that competes with the high dollar builds.

Just a thought. If I've missed something similar to this, point me in the right direction, if not, then let's make something happen!

I think it is a good idea - especially if the first post listed each site. Otherwise you'd have to scroll through a million comments to get to the next one.

Although I have to say, what works better for me than the search function is just asking some of the members on here things like "what's a good workbench thread?" or "good ideas for cabinets?" and they usually have no problem pointing me to good threads. . . .

I wonder if your idea isn't "this whole thread"?

Might be a good idea but there's 4 or 5 that would stay in a winning rotation.

Along the same lines of KPSquared's second suggestion may I suggest a...

GARAGE GALLERY THREAD - MASTER INDEX

I think there are a ton of great garages on here and I don't think it's fair to limit a list to a small set number. Nor do I think it should be limited to just the popular ones.

I have been thinking about starting an index for a number of years now and I would be willing to put it together and maintain the master thread for it. I've been on here for quite some time and have seen a lot of great places come and go, never to surface again. Many that I'm sure the new members here would like to see.

Here are my thoughts:
- Index Thread pinned at the top of Gallery (Moderators, I'll need some help with this one)
- All members submitting threads in the gallery will be encouraged to post a reply in the index thread with a link to their garage and a one-line description to help categorize it. In their reply, they would be encouraged to submit a couple of their favorite shop pictures.
- These links and brief descriptions will be copied into a full index at the beginning of the thread
- The first 10 or 20 replies will be initially reserved for expansion of the master index (each reply is limited to 10,000 characters and each link alone is about 100 characters so it burns them up quickly)
- Instructions will be given for sorting the Gallery thread list for "Views" or "Replies". These sorts are basically up-to-date lists of the historically most popular threads over the years. (No additional work for me!)
- Categories will be created. This will be totally up for discussion, but I foresee maybe having separate lists for 1-car, 2-car, and so forth. There could be separate lists for shops primarily set up for welding, or woodworking, or machining, etc. Additional lists could be created for specialty garages/shops with a unique theme. I think a given garage could actually be placed in numerous lists like one that is a 2-car garage but with a Harley theme. There might be categories for different types of architecture. Again, I will need the members help with this.
- Additional links could be provided to the other massive threads out there already like the "Motorcycle Garages Only" or "Let's See some 2 Car garages" threads.
- I will try to go back and dig up as many buried threads as I can when time permits.
- I would love to add picture links, but unless the rules for the forum can be changed, linking 100's this way will be nearly impossible.

What do you think? I just need a little coaxing to kick this off. If there is a positive response, I will introduce it over in the Gallery and get the discussion going.

And thanks for the mention above KPSquared.

I think what shopnut has suggested is more along the lines of what I was thinking. Not so much a competition, but an easy way to reference some of the great builds of Garage Journal.

If this can happen, someone tell me what I can do to help out. I love this place. . . it's given me a whole new outlook on garage building!

What Shopnut has posted is a great idea.

There are so many great garages here, it's hard to remember who's is who's. I've went to show somebody a garage on online I'll be damn if I could find it as fast as the gallery section updates sometimes.

Another vote for shopnut. Maybe add a single small photo to each descriptive post with the link to the build thread. Also, maybe a specific set of basic "keywords" such as size, attached/detached, wood frame/metal/pole, etc to help index and assist searchers looking for "30x40 pole barn" and the like.

As for "garage of the month" - what the Street Meet guy in Houston used to do every Saturday was to hand out two trophies - one for a truck and one for a car. It was his call and they could go to anyone and always someone different each week. Could be a beater, somebody that was there every week, etc. Not necessarily the "best", it was just which ever ride struck a cord. Maybe the index could just feature a different build thread every month or two, picked at random from the ones available. There are good ideas in every one of these, even the "bitty" builds and do-overs.

I think it's a great idea. Especially since some threads do not get updated but at least they can be referenced.

+1 !!!

FYI - I started a new thread about the index so this one doesn't get high-jacked anymore than it did - sorry KPSquared!

Preliminary discussion on a GALLERY INDEX - Need your input!

I am in if it means just a featured garage of the month rather than a voting contest format. All to often it turns into something where people are lobbying to get votes, the original intent turns into something that does more harm than good.

Cool idea. I like all garages but not so much the boutique type places, I mean a real garage/shop where real work and creativity takes place. For me its usefulness and not much museum types. It should be fairly easy to categorize garage types??? .......my thoughts......

Love it +1!

Shaun

I think the index is a great idea. A lot of work, but a great idea. Too often, great shops disappear from memory just because they're not getting bumped to the top on a regular basis.

I think a contest would run out of steam, sooner or later, and require a lot of work to keep going.

I think the list is a great idea as well, and not so much on the contest. But I like many have caught a "new" build on here only to see that is was pretty old.
Randall

I think the contest idea was just what was rolling off my head, and I didn't delete the thought, but just kept typing as things came to me. . .

I am all for Shopnut's idea. . . Don't feel like this was a thread hijack at all. I am just looking for a way to have the real highlights of garage journal in some sort of easier access format. Like a "If you come here, you have to see this" kind of thing. . .

This thread is dead. . . on to shopnuts planning thread. . . CLICK HERE FOR SAID THREAD

I'm in.

Ryan said:

I'm in.

Click to expand...

That's awesome.

This is a good idea. Shopnut will have his hands full

On the other forum I believe he is looking specifically for approval to move forward with the garage index idea.

Go shopnut!!!

Sounds interesting.

My $.02 (yeah, and its worth every penny) is just a Project of the Month.

Could be an entire garage, could be a tool or toolbox restoration, an organization project, etc. Just an idea that we think would benefit many of us and that had been well photographed and well presented/explained.

I'm in

I've built an index of projects threads before and enjoyed every minute of it.
I'm sure you will too!

I read the other thread.
I really hurt my head.
I like the idea . . .
Shopnut, please go ahead.

I could never do it and somebody ought to!