What Magazine subscription?

[Peter Gavin]

Hello all,

I've been spending a lot of money on magazines at cover price and figure I should spring for a subscription. My question is what magazine (if I could only pick one) would you recomend subscribing to. I am relatively new to wworking and am most interested in learning new techniques and building a decent tool collection, although finishing a few 'projects' would certainly help convince SWMBO that the money I'm spending is well invested. I plan on using minimal power tools and using neander tools for fine work and detailing, but I'm not at all adverse to building jigs etc to make a repetitive job simpler or easier. My design tastes run to arts and craft or even 'simpler' lines and detailing (so don't steer me towards magazines focusing on the reproduction of Louis XVI).

Thanks in advance for your help.

Peter

[Wendell Wilkerson]

My favorite right now is Popular Woodworking. I think they have the best hand tool articles. I think they have good are articles on power tool techinques also. I don't pay close attention to the project articles. I like to design my own stuff so I only use project articles as inspiration. If you are looking for projects to build, Woodsmith is excellent. I think they have the best project articles out there. I used to subcribe to Woodsmith. I find now that I get better bang for the buck buying only those issues that interest me.

Wendell

[Marc Hills]

Hi Peter:

My recommendation would also be Popular Woodworking, which lately seems to feature a higher portion of hand tool content than the other mainstream woodworking publications like Workbench, Wood or American Woodworker. (Although recent issues of the latter two publications indicate that the growing interest in neaderthal woodworking has caught their attention as well). Also, look for an adjunct publication called Woodworking Magazine. It is published by the same company as PW, only very sporadically (like, twice a year), but has NO advertising, features some excellent hand tool content and does a nice job of exploring basic joinery through some interesting projects along the lines of your stylistic interests. The second issue, featuring a Shaker table, may still be available at the better stocked newsstands.

I recommend PW over Fine Woodworking because you indicated you are a beginner and your present interests tend towards A&C and Shaker-inspired themes. FWW has excellent hand tool content, but in my estimation concentrates on more complex projects, both in terms of style and difficulty.

HTH

[Scott Brihn]

Hello Peter,

Tough to pick just one.

I enjoy Fine Woodworking, Popular Woodworking and Fine Tool Journal. Given your interest in hand tools you may enjoy Popular Woodworking . Chris Schwartz has been doing a great job covering hand tool techniques, reviews and projects that combine hand and power tool use.

Regards,

Scott
Go Packers!

[Mark Singer]

Woodwork and Fine Woodworking....that is it!

[Steve Wargo]

I've been pretty dissapointed with FWW lately. But I really enjoy Woodwork. I find the articles on idividual artists an nice read.

[Lloyd Robins]

I like Popular Woodworking.

[Dan Moening]

Peter,

When I first started out I found Shopnotes and Woodsmith very valuable both in entry level projects and techniques as well as jigs, and shop accessories.

I currently subscribe to Woodwork and Fine Woodworking. Or rather I have relatives buy my subsriptions for Xmas and Bdays :D
Don't take this as a slight, but you may find WW and FWW more of an inspirational reading as many of the "projects" make assumptions about your level of expertise and don't cover step-by-step procedures.

I have been picking up Popular Woodworking often enough now to want to subscribe. I think a beginning WWer will find alot of useful material here as well...and fully echo all the great things that Mr. Schwartz is doing with the magazine.

If you are into turning there is a British magazine I can recommend...but its pricey.

[Matthew Dworman]

Interesting comments here! When I first started woodworking, I read pretty much any and every woodworking magazine published, now I find reading Wood, and Shopnotes TEDIOUS as they seem to have a NYW Nailgun/Buscuit joiner readership. I picked up a copy of "WOOD" while at the airport because I had nothing else with me to read and it had a hand tool section in this issue. It was possibly some of the worst writing and advice about handtool use and techniques I have ever seen! aBSOLUTELY HORRIBLE! I too now mainly read FWW, Popular Woodworking and Woodwork. Woodwork I find is a very different magazine which is realy inspirational. They always have some very interesting articles about woodworking as art and sculpture as opposed to just furniture making. Their writers have a keen eye and really know how to find an interesting story. I sometimes pick up a copy of "Furniture & Cabinetmaking" which is a British publication for which David Charlesworth writes. It's hit or miss getting it at my local Barnes & Noble. I did just pick up the new "Woodcraft" Magazine which also seems to be pretty good. I don't think I could subscribe to just one magazine - especially since they all seem to publish only every 2 months, but my 3 subscriptions are with Pop.wood, FWW, and Woodwork.

[Marc Hills]

now I find reading Wood, and Shopnotes TEDIOUS as they seem to have a NYW Nailgun/Buscuit joiner readership.

Bingo! I ate that stuff up when I first started out, but as my knowledge deepened, and as my personal tastes crystallized, I just don't find that stuff interesting anymore.

I find an interesting parallel in woodworking forums. As a beginner, I found the "which tool" and "tool advice" posts the most interesting. I was, am and probably always will be a tool junkie, but that sort of post isn't what keeps me coming back to forums like SMC anymore.

Now it's the woodworking technique and especially the completed project posts that I find the most interesting. I feel like maybe I've turned some sort of woodworking corner by outlasting my tool/gadget fascination phase and now thrive on the process of woodcraft itself.

[Steve Kubien]

I subscribe to Popular Woodworking. They offer great info on handtools and apprentices. FWW seems to be going more power-oriented. Woodwork can offer great inspiration and their interviews are great but it's a little too artsy for my tastes. Popular Woodworking seems to cater more towards us normal (figuratively speaking) hobbyists.

Regards,
Steve Kubien
Ajax, Ontario

[Jonathan Szczepanski]

I subscribe to Fine Woodworking and ShopNotes. I think they are at the two ends of the spectrum. Fine Woodworking covers the theory and design. Shopnotes covers the practical side. And bewtween the two I get jigs, finishing info, tool reviews, as well as other resources.

Plus they are both bi-monthly subscriptions. This way I alternate between the two magazines and I always have something woodworking related to read.

[Andy Henriksen]

I think I have a subscription to Pop. WW. Think, because my inlaws bought it for me as a bday gift 2 months ago, and I have yet to recieve one. There have been at least 1, if not 2 new issues in the newsstand since they paid for the subscription. I'm sure this is not the norm, but a PITA nonetheless.

[Joel Selman]

Fine Woodworking is a wonderful magazine. If you do a search on Ebay you can get a very good subscription price. This is true of most magazines.
I also subscribe to WOOD Magazine which although much less sophisticated, has some interesting content. I built some of their projects, but had to refine the "bicuit" solution with real M&T...
I also still like to watch Norm, who has contributed more to the revival of Wood Workmanship worldwide than any other person you could name.
He, too, has grown and become a better woodworker over the years, and has been able to keep his projects simple enough for beginners and yet manages to inject good tips for the advanced woodworker.
I am saddened sometimes to read some of the negative comments about him and his show.

[Scott Loven]

The last mag that I would give-up is Fine Woodworking. It is always a good read, with the ocasional great or fantastic article.

[Bob Lang]

I think I have a subscription to Pop. WW. Think, because my inlaws bought it for me as a bday gift 2 months ago, and I have yet to recieve one. There have been at least 1, if not 2 new issues in the newsstand since they paid for the subscription. I'm sure this is not the norm, but a PITA nonetheless.
Andy,

I work in the editorial department at Pop Wood, and unfortunately I'm snowed out of the office today, and on vacation until after the new year. If you e-mail me your address, I can send you a copy of our most recent issue from my home tomorrow, and I'll get in touch with someone who can resolve your problem asap. With the Christmas holiday, no one will be in the office until Tuesday, but we will get it fixed!

We do our best to keep our readers happy, and all of our staff e-mail addresses and phone numbers are listed in the front of the magazine. Feel free to contact any of us if you have a problem, comment, or question.

Robert W. Lang
Senior Editor, Popular Woodworking

[Dan Moening]

Mr. Lang,

Its a great pleasure to have you here and I do hope that you will continue to join us in our discussions!

To be honest the fact that you print the names, addresses and contact information for the staff at the end of the articles struck me as being a very standup thing to do. Especially in this day and age.

I have followed many of Christopher Schwartz' posts on other forums and continue to be impressed with the quality and direction that y'all are taking this magazine. Especially the handtool emphasis. :D

The ability to directly share information, and be heard, is a rarity.

After all this praise, I may just have to pony up for a subscription. :D

Happy Holidays!