This is a good question - one I've struggled with. I'm glad this place isn't one of those "If you had used the search..." or "It's easy to find on google..." - in fact, people who do that instantly get put into a category of people I reserve in my mind for the kinds of people I'd never trust with anything. What's the point of a forum if everyone just searches? The whole point of a forum is discussion ... if you're sick of answering the same question, zip yer lip and let someone else answer! Sorry - rant mode off now
For me - I decide whether to ask vs. research depending on several factors. If it's relatively safe information (something won't explode if I get it wrong, etc) and I need to know right away, then I Google. This would be things that are cropping up in the process of doing something and the answer is timely - i need to know before I can continue with whatever it is I'm doing. Stuff like deciding how to attach one piece to another - if i'm in the midst of the task at hand and a question like that comes up, I'll either Google it or ask the guys (if any) that are hanging out in my woodworking chat room. The timeliness is a major factor there because I want to keep my train of thought rolling. But I think confidence in my ability to find the right answer also plays a major role, too.
When it's something I'm not too sure about or isn't needed right away, I'll post on a forum. Forum answers come over time and when that's okay, they're the best place I've found for kicking around an idea. I try to reach these questions sooner in a project so as to have more opportunity to ask a forum and reduce the number of things I end up having to Google instead. Preparedness, I guess.
Questions are the heart of a forum. If we all sit around waiting for someone to post tips or finished projects, a forum doesn't thrive. It's questions that are the lifeblood of any forum. That's why it baffles me when I encounter a forum where questions are met with "Do a search...". Those forums shoot themselves in the foot, I feel. The simple questions need asking so that other folks can find the information should they do a search. It also breeds healthy discussion over the best techniques, or the pitfalls of one technique over another.
I try not to Google hard stuff ... I probably should ask more of the simpler questions, but I was raised to seek the info first, then ask if I need to so sometimes I don't always ask first. In the end, it's kind of a balance and it really depends on the situation when the question comes up. If it can wait and I want a thorough explanation or if it would actually generate some conversation, then I try to ask.
Good question, Rob