About a year ago . . .

[lowell holmes]

I declined to renew a wood working magazine because their subject matter was pretty much balderdash.

Recently, I missed getting the magazine and ordered a new subscription. Well, I received the first issue of the new subscription, and I threw it in the trash.

Their subject matter is still balderdash.

Sigh. . . . . . . . .

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I only buy Fine Woodworking, and I do not subscribe- I buy it at the Miami Airport when I travel. Typically I'm through there two or three times a month, and it's kind of my little ray of sunshine in the doom and gloom of the MIA Airport to find that the new FWW is out. I actually know the three stores in the whole airport that stock it. It is the only magazine, since the demise of "Shop Notes" (sigh) that has material that interests me. Many of the other magazines carry stories more for the basic weekend hobbyist, and focus on screw and glue type of builds. I prefer to read about different joinery techniques, see what artisans are doing with their work, and read reviews of tools. FWW seems to have a very good coverage of stuff that suits the amateur and professional alike.

[lowell holmes]

I receive and enjoy Fine Woodworking, though sometimes their subject matter is weak.

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

I've been a FWW subscriber since around 1990, and finally let it run out a few months ago. For the last year or two, I found that I'd spend about 5 minutes thumbing through them when they'd arrive, then right to the bookshelf, never to be read again.

While it's incredibly expensive, I might subscribe to Furniture and Cabinetmaking. I had a subscription several years ago, and found that it had more high end projects that I like to see.

[lowell holmes]

I'm not familiar with Furniture and Cabinet Making, I will check it out.

Forget it, I would have to subscribe to it to determine subject matter.

[Mike Wilkins]

I like the Furniture and Cabinetmaking offering, although it is hard to find. In the Eastern NC area, the Barnes and Noble in Raleigh on Capital Blvd. is the only one that carries it. Fine Woodworking has been my consistent favorite, even keeping my subscription during a period of unemployment. I do miss the ShopNotes mag, especially for the jigs and fixtures articles it offered.

[lowell holmes]

I may renew my Shop Notes and Woodsmith, their articles interest me more than the slick back magazines at this time.

Also, maybe the slick magazines will follow this string and do something about their content. I don't recall ever seeing a magazine ask for guidance from the subscribers on content matter.

[Frederick Skelly]

I don't recall ever seeing a magazine ask for guidance from the subscribers on content matter.

The old Woodwork magazine did, especially in the early years. They're the only ones that I can recall though.

[george wilson]

I enjoy the testing of steel in chisels articles that they have done 2 of,several months apart. HOWEVER,the 2 series of tests had VERY different results!!:) I liked the 2nd one best,because it made my Pfiel wood chisel set look better!:) In both articles,the Japanese chisels did do best,at least.

WHY these 2 tests came out different,I don't know. And,I can't recall HOW the tests were conducted.

[Malcolm Schweizer]

I may renew my Shop Notes and Woodsmith, their articles interest me more than the slick back magazines at this time.

Also, maybe the slick magazines will follow this string and do something about their content. I don't recall ever seeing a magazine ask for guidance from the subscribers on content matter.

Shop Notes has gone to the great printing press in the sky. I believe Woodsmith still exists.

[lowell holmes]

Shop Notes has gone to the great printing press in the sky. I believe Woodsmith still exists.

Your correct, I renewed Woodsmith though.

[Rob Luter]

I've subscribed to Popular Woodworking and to Fine Woodworking. I let them both lapse. Too much rehashing and too many tool shootouts. I just take a peek at the newsstand now and pick up a copy if I find the features interesting.

[Jeff Heath]

I allowed my subscription to FWW lapse about 10 years ago, and I'm certain I haven't missed a thing. They should change the name of the rag to "Very Ordinary Woodworking", and it would be more accurate. They dumbed down their marketing approach and cater to a completely different audience than they used to.

[george wilson]

They post some pretty atrocious looking projects in their "Reader's Gallery" section. I wonder if the person who selects the projects has any taste at all!!

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

They post some pretty atrocious looking projects in their "Reader's Gallery" section. I wonder if the person who selects the projects has any taste at all!!

Imo, the Reader's projects have been the best part of the magazine for the last 10 years. I think most are excellent, in both design and execution. There are some exceptions, of course, but I like the vast majority of them.

[John T Barker]

I think most of the mags rehash way too much and don't offer much else I want. Sorry to see Shopnotes go, the idea of helping guys make their own tools is great and I'm glad Woodsmith does this. There are some good articles but they seem few and far between. FWW seems to be resting on its laurels far too much. Am I mistaken or does Becksvort (excuse the spelling) do the same three or four Shaker pieces?

[Bob Glenn]

Since I don't have the skill set for Fine Woodworking magazine, I've been trying to find where to purchase Fair Woodworking magazine.

[bridger berdel]

There is a bottleneck in advanced content about woodworking beyond which things get very specialized, requiring separate magazines. Beginning content however will always have a steady audience of newcomers. Once the advanced general woodworking content has been covered the editorial choices seem to be: do lots of reruns, specialize, pivot to beginners or just fill issues with tool reviews and ads, which inevitably become indistinguishable from one another.

I doubt that a woodworking magazine can stay relevant for more than a decade or so.

[lowell holmes]

All who know what the maynard method pertains to, speak up and tell where you learned about it.:)

[Jim Koepke]

As to the original scope of this thread, recently there was a FWW (I believe) that had a promise on the cover of 'Flawless Dovetails.' At home the article was a disappointment. Not only was there nothing in the article new to me, a few of the finer points in the process were totally missing.


All who know what the maynard method pertains to, speak up and tell where you learned about it.:)

I think MOST people understand parts of the concept but do not know there is a name for the efficiencies.

When I was working for a living I tried different ways of systemizing my work for my own ease and as a challenge to beat the boredom. A lot of my co-workers expressed their dislike of my behavior. Often the complaint was "they will expect everyone to do that."

One of the best work efficiencies is the elimination of rework.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

I started this string because the various magazines are becoming stale. Some even suggested that the magazines had covered everything and maybe they have.

I wanted to demonstrate that it doesn't have to be that way. At this point, I'n not sure if it appeared in Woodworking or Popular Woodworking. It is a method for chopping mortises where a hole is drilled about 2/3 the length of the mortise and then the chips from chopping go into the hole that was drilled. It makes the effort go faster with dependable results.

The article can be downloaded if anyone wants to see it. It is at http://www.popularwoodworking.com/wp-content/uploads/MORTISE_BY_HAND.pdf.

I think that kind of subject matter is missing from today's publications.

[Jim Koepke]

I have submitted an item or two. One was published the other was on technique on Stanley #45 use. The editor didn't think it was of a wide enough interest. My thought is if a few enthusiast saw the article they might buy the rest of the magazine. Besides, it is a plane very common in most areas. It can be a bit more expensive than a regular bench plane, but it can do a lot more.

Heck, mine has been used to fancy up a couple of projects in the last week.

I have been thinking about shooting boards and how often mine are used to do something besides just hitting the perfectly squared end on a piece of wood.

jtk

[bridger berdel]

it's not that they have covered everything. far, far from it. it's that they have covered everything that their readership will bother to read.


I started this string because the various magazines are becoming stale. Some even suggested that the magazines had covered everything and maybe they have.
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