Free Fine Woodworking one year subscription

[Steve Roxberg]

Lowes and Irwin have the following offer.

Free One year subscription to Fine Wood Working Magazine with a purchase of a 2 pack 6" Mini Quick-Grip. This is valid from 3/1 to 4/30/2005.

Information on clamps:

IRWIN® 6" QUICK-GRIP® Mini Bar Clamp (2-Pack)
Item #: 96054
Model: 5462SM

$19.88

So for a twenty dollar bill you get two clamps and a one year subscription. Seems like a deal to me.

It also asks if you are currently a subscriber on the form so you might be able to extend a subscription as well.
:D

[Kyle Mauro]

I may have to stop by Lowes today. Thanks for the heads up.

[Rob Russell]

Hey Kyle,

Post #1 - welcome to SMC. You'll find a lot of nice folks and good info here.

Steve,

Thanks for the heads-up. That basically makes the clamps free and the subscription at a discount. Works for me!

Rob

[Jeff Sudmeier]

No Lowes near me, otherwise I would be jumping on this deal :)

[Ted Shrader]

Kyle -

Welcome to the the Creek. Great place to exchange ideas and inforamtion (like this one).

Steve - Thanks for the heads up. Wonder how they would handle this for an already exisiting subcription. Just tack on another year maybe?

Ted

[Chris Padilla]

Ted,

I was wondering the same thing...makes sense to me but then, what makes sense to me doesn't always fly with someone else! :o

:D

[Steve Ash]

After reading this post this morning I was going to Lowes anyway so I checked it out. After purchase of the clamps (along with some other goodies!) you will get a Rebate Receipt from the cashier. It will ask if you currently have a subscription to the magazine....circle yes or no. Then it says current subscribers will receive a free one year renewal. It's a win/win situation. Now I don't need to pick it up at the newstands. Thanks for the heads up!

[Doug Shepard]

Well you can never have too many clamps. If they're going to extend my subscription for a free year on top of that, it sounds like a real no-brainer.
Thanks!

[Roy Wall]

After reading this post this morning I was going to Lowes anyway so I checked it out. After purchase of the clamps (along with some other goodies!) you will get a Rebate Receipt from the cashier. It will ask if you currently have a subscription to the magazine....circle yes or no. Then it says current subscribers will receive a free one year renewal. It's a win/win situation. Now I don't need to pick it up at the newstands. Thanks for the heads up!
Yes---this is correct!!! Thank you !

You'll just put in your current FWW acct# and fill out the form--they will "add on" to your subscription end date. I just called Taunton/FWW to verify all of this. They will not process all the Magazine requests until they get 500+ orders or so....about 6-8 weeks is common to get things rolling.

My subscription isn't up until Feb 06......so now I'm good thru Feb 2007!

Thanks Steve Roxberg for the heads up!!!:)

[Todd Davidson]

Thanks Steve! You just solved my what to give birthday present dilemma. Will also have to give an "unbirthday" present to me.:)

[Bill Lewis]

I just realized, I should've gone by Lowes this afternoon on my way home. I predict there's going to be a big run on Irwin clamps now that the word is out. Maybe even bigger than the $47 router table from Sears.

[Christopher Stahl]

I'll be stopping by Lowes tomorrow for this deal. Thanks for the heads-up.

chris

[Mitch Scott]

Hi everyone,

This is my very first post at the Creek, and I hope to make many more...
Went to my local Lowes in Sterling, VA late last night - the 6" 2-packs were nowhere to be found. But the their inventory system showed 30 units of that item no. (90654) in the store. I happened to find a very nice and very helpful employee named Charles (who will be very well complimented to his general manager) who happened to know how the system worked. When I told him what the approximate dates of the promotion were, he was certain that the clamps were in a box on the top shelf of their warehouse in a place designated for stuff to be rolled out at a later date. Bear in mind, by the time he figured this out, it was 9:58, and the store closed at 10:00.

"No worries, once you're in, you've got at least 20 minutes to finish up." He then located the box, co-opted the cherry-picker operator to get it down for us, slipped the cardboard cover off, and lo and behold, there were 6 boxes of Irwin Quick-Grip 6" mini-clamps with a special sign on the box noting the free subscription to FWW with your purchase.

After thanking Charles profusely, I went to the cashier, paid for my item, and received a rebate form which instructed me to fill it in and send it to a Lowe's P.O. Box. It also said that existing subscribers would get a 1-year extension on their current subscriptions.

So, if you go to your local Lowes and they do't have the clamps on an end-cap display (they won't be with the rest of the Quick-Grips), relate my story, and they should be able to accomodate you, unless the inventory showed 0 units in stock.

Hope that helps if you get into a frustrating situation. And thanks to Jamie, or whoever it was, who alerted us to this deal. The clamps look fine for the kinds of uses Jamie described - holding jigs in place, small object work, etc. And when you consider the deal, you're either getting two free clamps with your 1-year FWW subscription, or a free subscription (by far the priciest among the WW mags) with your $20 purchase of two Quick-Grip mini-clamps. A great deal any way you look at it.

I started to wonder whether I could run the deal multiple times, but I figure Lowes will probably hold all the forms until the promotion's over in April, and then send them all to FWW, so it probably wouldn't work (what a nefarious mind I have).

Have fun,

Mitch

[Dave Carey]

Thanks for the heads up Steve! Had a similar experience at the Lowe's on Route 50 (near Rt, 28) in Virginia. Couldn't find the clamps and the customer service guy hadn't heard of the promotion. But since there is a rebate involved he was able to search their database, came up with the info, checked their stock to find out when more were coming in,then gave me the stock # and the store's phone # (with a tip on how to sidestep the phone tree - dial 0!). I found a pair hiding on a lower shelf so didn't need to call but the customer service was excellent. At HD I'd still be looking for someone to ask!

[Jerry Olexa]

Great exchange of info. Example of the potential of this forum..Thanks..

[John Miliunas]

Oh great! The one Big Box we DON'T have in the area! :mad: And what are the chances this will come to HD? If I were a betting man, I'd say little to none, heavy on the NONE!:mad: Nonetheless Steve, thanks much for the heads up! Yes, SMC and its wonderful network of WW is definitely working!:) :cool:

[Steve Roxberg]

You know what John, I'm selling and shipping lots of items these days, and the wife thinks my girl friend works at Lowes, why else would I go there everyday.

I'd be willing to pick you up a pack and ship them to you. It would only cost you a small bit of postage, or you could buy one of my sets of magazines I'm selling and the postage would be covered. :)

[Ray Bersch]

the wife thinks my girl friend works at Lowes, why else would I go there everyday.
Steve, your wife should rest assured that you are not wasting your time with your girfriend when you say you are at Lowes. Why would one waste time during shopping hours when you can visit the girlfriend when Lowes is closed!!
(So, does the wife know the hours of operation??)

[Per Swenson]

Thanks Steve,
Forgot all about your post untill passing Lowes this morning.
Quick 180, ran in, clamps on a endcap near the register.
Off course no promotional signs. 5 minutes and $20 I was
out the door. This was also a first, usually its 2 hours and
200 to $500. Thanks again. Is not the internet wonderful?
Per

[Mike Monroe]

It took about 20 minutes of searching by the head "tool guy" to track down the Irwin clamps at the Lowes I visited. Lowes computer showed 28 sets on hand, but where? They were were in a special display in the middle of an aisle. Lowes staff was helpful, just not sure where the clamps were.

[Earl Reid]

The clamps were $15.99 at our Lowes :)
Earl

[Rob Blaustein]

Decided to stop off at the Lowe's in Weymouth, MA on our way down to Cape Cod from Boston this weekend. I didn't remember the details, other than Irwin clamps and FWW subscription, which is what I told the guy in the tool area and the woman at the customer service desk. Neither had a clue, nor did the store manager. I even asked if they had a computer hooked up to the internet, figuring I'd have them search here, but they didn't. Frustrating experience, but I just wrote down the part # and will bring it with me if I get to a Lowe's before the end of April.

[Doug Shepard]

Decided to stop off at the Lowe's in Weymouth, MA on our way down to Cape Cod from Boston this weekend. I didn't remember the details, other than Irwin clamps and FWW subscription, which is what I told the guy in the tool area and the woman at the customer service desk. Neither had a clue, nor did the store manager. I even asked if they had a computer hooked up to the internet, figuring I'd have them search here, but they didn't. Frustrating experience, but I just wrote down the part # and will bring it with me if I get to a Lowe's before the end of April.

Sounds like a repeat of my morning except I took their stock # with me. The employees are totally oblivious about the rebate. The shelf spot for the clamps was empty so I had to get some help. The guy that looked them up on their computer and located them for me was real glad I stopped in as he's now going to buy a pair for himself to get the free FWW.

[Mark Riegsecker]

Thanks Steve for that alert. I'll go to Lowe's in the morning. I wonder who has too much inventory. Irvin or Tauton?

I always liked Fine woodworking mag. but it was a bit too advanced for me and couldn't justify the cost. But this site has inspired me to do better. Really! :)

Thanks to all of you who share so unselfishly.

Mark

[David Tiell]

Thanks! I'll swing by Lowes on my way home tonight!

[Lynn Kasdorf]

Hi everyone,

This is my very first post at the Creek, and I hope to make many more...
Went to my local Lowes in Sterling, VA late last night - the 6" 2-packs were nowhere to be found.



I was at that same Lowes tonight from about 6:30 to 7:15 while the tool guys were scratching their heads and tearing the store apart trying to find these items that the computer shows they have. They never found them! So, maybe they know where they are now. I'll try again tomorrow.

Thanks!
Lynn

[Ray Bersch]

You can get a coupon at the www.Lowes.com (http://www.Lowes.com) web site so you don't have to deal with the floor help at the store - they do not know about this promotion. Go to the bottom of the page to the Customer Care section and click on Rebates. You will find a spot to search for rebates by manufacturer.

I have made three trips to local Lowes and still have not found the clamps in stock - I quit asking the staff for help - one guy said "I only put out what they give me, so I don't know where you can find that clamp." Oh, well.

Actually, I only deal with the big box stores when it is a benefit to me, I ignore poor service and get what I want. I'd much rather deal with local merchants where I can get service, even at a price. Problem is, there are few local guys that can supply my needs for woodworking stuff.

[Rich Tesoroni]

Lowes needs better proofreaders. Just went and got the pdf off Lowes web site. "Find Wood Working Magazine" on the rebate form?

Even at the bottom it asks:
"Are you a current subscriber to Fine Wood Working Magazine" with the extra space.

Rich

[Brad Knabel]

I noticed that you can order the clamps online to be picked up in the store. I don't know if the store staff would be any better at finding them. But that might give them a chance to hunt them down without you having to wait for them.

[Mark Riegsecker]

I picked up a 2-pack today after some time with the tool expert at Lowes. Some of you already warned me about the store attendents not knowing about this so I wasn't surprised.
Whoever said the clamps weren't with the tools was right I found mine in the lumber section in a display case with big letters FREE. Meaning the subscription. You can't miss it. The rebate you need comes with the sales reciept. Don't just pick two off the shelf these definantly have to be the 2-pack version.

[Rob Russell]

Bump to the top.

The rebate offer for the free 1-year subscription ends 4/30. If there is no Lowe's near you, try ordering the clamps online. Even with shipping, it'll probably be cheaper than the subscription and you still get a pair of clamps.


I stopped last night to get my pair of clamps and rebate slip.

[Christopher Stahl]

I stopped at Lowe's again this morning only to find they do have the mini's. After going in there numerous times and asking for the clamps, somebody finally knew what I was talking about and pointed me to the mini's. They were sitting somewhere else and I guess only one person has ever known where they were. Outside of tools near lumber in the back, well hidden.

Good thing is, I know have the clamps and a free subscription coming my way. :)

chris

[Bill Lewis]

Has anyone started receiving their free subscription yet? I almost bought the June issue of FWW yesturday but figured I would wit to see if comes in the mail instead.

[Mike Deschler]

Thanks Steve, picked up a set yesterday and just made it in under the wire. Better late than never!! Normally I am not much of a fan of the Quick Clamps but these little guys actually may be useful for one handed clamping applications on smaller projects.