Favorite Woodworking Magazine, take 2

[Steven Triggs]

I started a previous thread with a poll to vote on favorite woodworking magazine. Unfortunately, I left off a few obvious choices by mistake, so several people asked me to create a new poll.

This thread and poll is the result of that.

I had to leave off Weekend Woodcrafts and Workbench this time, because the polls are limited to 10 choices. I apologize for anyone that would have chosen one of those. In that case, please vote "other."

[Christopher Pine]

I subscribed many years ago... 10 plus... I don't want to be contrary because different strokes you know.. I can't stand that magazine.

The final straw was when they had a project to make a stepladder... you know the kind you get from homecenter for $25... like 6 footer.. I find this as a ridiculous project but to each his own...
I love woodsmith and fine woodworking is great.

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

I don't subscribe to any magazines at all.

I wanted to when I was a kid but as the years passed they all started to seem less and less appealing.

FW was and remains the one I think I'd get if I got any but still - - - - - -

[glenn bradley]

I found Workbench had morphed into more of a DIY/Home Improvement mag which is great, but not what I'm after. I like that Woodsmith has shop focus, tips and jigs and an heirloom project. Shop Notes is a close second. Both are ad free. I also find FWW online to be very valuable.

[Rob Bodenschatz]

I voted for FWW but Popular Woodworking is a very close second. I love FWW's online content.

About Workbench, I agree with glenn that it has become more home improvement-oriented but it's still one of my favorites, just not for pure WWing. It's a bit more advanced than Family Handyman.

[John Hulett]

I had subscribed to PW for two years. During one of those years, I also subscribed to WJ, hoping to get a magazine every month, but unfortunately they were both on the same every-other-month cycle.

I really enjoyed PW but now, I don't know if I've changed or if it's the magazine, or both, but I found I was getting less and less out of the magazine.

I've seen a couple of issues of FWW, but the price seems too steep, as compared to most other magazines. I guess if I was seeing projects featured that I actually had an interest in making, I'd subscribe to something again, but for now, I seem to get better inspiration right here at SMC!

- John

[Steven Triggs]

I had subscribed to PW for two years. During one of those years, I also subscribed to WJ, hoping to get a magazine every month, but unfortunately they were both on the same every-other-month cycle.
- John

John,
It sounds like you need better self-discipline. :p Even if both came at the same time, you should have put one of them away for a month. Just like if you get paid twice a month, you can't spend it all in the first week.

No, I'm just kidding with you. I know what you mean. I hate that they only come every two months, because as soon as I get one, I usually read it cover to cover in the first couple of days...

[Keith Beck]

I'm really surprised that there aren't more votes for Wood. I think at one time or another, I've subscribed to almost every WW magazine out there. It got to be so overwhelming that I even created an Excel database so I can easily find articles, tips and plans that interest me. Looking over that database, Wood easily outranks the others in the sheer number of entries.

I also think that FWW is a great magazine, but if I could only have one magazine, it would be Wood.

Just my .02...

Keith

[Nancy Laird]

I voted for FWW, but if this poll had been multiple choice, Wood, Woodsmith, and Shop Notes would have made the cut. We subscribe to all four (plus others), and we find that the information, tool reviews, project plans, etc. in all four are valuable and worth the price of the subscriptions.

Nancy

[Gary Keedwell]

I'm really surprised that there aren't more votes for Wood. I think at one time or another, I've subscribed to almost every WW magazine out there. It got to be so overwhelming that I even created an Excel database so I can easily find articles, tips and plans that interest me. Looking over that database, Wood easily outranks the others in the sheer number of entries.

I also think that FWW is a great magazine, but if I could only have one magazine, it would be Wood.

Just my .02...

Keith
I"m with you on this one about WOOD but alot of magazine snobs like to say that they "out-grew" it.:confused:
Gary K.

[Steven Triggs]

but if this poll had been multiple choice, Wood, Woodsmith, and Shop Notes would have made the cutNancy
Nancy, I certainly agree that it can be hard to choose just one. I went for the "only choose one" style poll figuring that it would provide some numbers that might be helpful to people looking for a new magazine, to see what other people like. And of course, then someone looking for a new magazine can choose whether to just look at the top 1, or top 3, or so on.


I"m with you on this one about WOOD but alot of magazine snobs like to say that they "out-grew" it.:confused:
Gary K.
I've been subscribing to Wood magazine for years, and even bought a huge "lot" of them on ebay once so that I've now got most of about 10 or 12 years of it. I really like the magazine, but it seems lately like the articales are re-hashes of articles they already did.

Of course, that may well be true of my new favorite, FWW, but I just haven't been reading it long enough to start seeing it.

[Ellen Benkin]

I think many woodworking magazines run out of creative ideas after a while. I was a charter subscriber to Woodsmith and kept it up for years, but I finally decided they had nothing new to say to me, although I find the quality of the magazine to be excellent. I faithfully saved old copies and recently realized I'd never looked at them after the first run through. I needed the space, so I sold the old ones on Ebay for enough to by an LCD TV!

I subscribe to magazines when they interest me and then stop when the articles become repetitious. For example, how many times will I read articles about how to build a bookcase?

[Greg Peterson]

FW is my favorite. Pricey, but well done and covers the spectrum. Most magazines offer good info. I tend to take reviews with a grain of salt. Call me cynical, but I just refuse to accept that a publisher will bite the hand that feeds 'em.

I won't buy anything published by August Homes Publishing (Shop Notes, Woodsmith, Workbench).

[Chuck Lenz]

I voted for Woodsmith because it isn't filled up with a bunch of advertiseing and the prodjects are more practical than Fine Woodworking. I spend enough time on prodjects, I don't need to be spending rediculous amounts of time trying to make a museum piece that no one wants to pay for.

[Jim Grill]

It seems there are quite a few WW rags I have been missing out on totally. The local stores never have anything other than PWW and FWW. I already subscribe to both.

[JayStPeter]

I voted for FWW. But, PWW is close enough that it is a difficult call. Their new found slant toward handtools is a good break from the repetitive content in the other mags. The PWW blogs are pretty interesting also. I think what sets FWW above the others for me is the joinery in their projects. They don't dumb down all their projects to use biscuits. Their tool reviews are a mixed bag though.
I think Wood "hits" on 1 of 3 issues. I've thought about dropping it, but they always seem to offer up a great deal so I stay. I find I buy it every now and then for their better than average tool reviews anyway.

[Steven Triggs]

I think Wood "hits" on 1 of 3 issues. I've thought about dropping it, but they always seem to offer up a great deal so I stay.

That's funny. I said almost exactly the same thing to my brother in an email about a week ago. It was so similiar I looked it up in my outbox:

"...But I guess you get what you pay for. At $28 for 3 years of 7 issues per year, it is only $1.33 per issue. That is why I keep subscribing. If only 1 out of 4 issues is worth anything, it is still no more money than buying them on the news stand...

[Michael Lutz]

I have subscribed to FWW and Shopnotes for probably 7 years each. I tried Wood and Woodsmith when I got good subscription deals, but I let the subscriptions lapse. I determined I don't like plans with measured drawings, since much of the furniture in Wood and Woodsmith was basically boring with few new ideas. I usually like the finished products in FWW, even if they are not my current design preference. With Shopnotes I usually get something out of each magazine to improve the functionality of my shop. I have looked at others and even bought a few on ocaision, but for the most part they didn't peak my interest or offer anything new.

Mike

[Lori Kleinberg]

It is hard to choose just 1 magazine (I did vote for Woodsmith). I do have subscriptions to Wood, Shopnotes,
Woodsmith, Popular Woodworking and Workbench(which I will let run out because as others have said it has
become too much of a home improvement magazine and not what I am looking for). I all so buy FWW when
the cover interests me. I enjoy reading all these magazines. I have saved all my old issues. Wood I feel is a
general woodworking magazine. Shopnotes is great for jigs and such and I just plain enjoy Woodsmith and
Popular Woodworking. I even saved my old issues of Woodworkers Journal even though I don't receive them
anymore.

[Christopher Pine]

I"m with you on this one about WOOD but alot of magazine snobs like to say that they "out-grew" it.:confused:
Gary K.

While i did not vote for it "Wood" has allways been a given that I subscribe to it. For probably 15 years now...

[Cody Colston]

I voted for WOOD because it's the only one to which my subscription hasn't expired. I've now started just buying off the stand when I see something tht catches my eye. Gumball machines are not high on my list of projects to build. ;)

[Bill Sampson]

For me, this is a choice between FWW and Wood. I do have a complete set of Wood from inception in 1984, as well as the complete set of Wood's Weekend Woodworker. Both sets in pristine condition. When the timing is right I will sell them all, but it is difficult to cancel after all these years. I still build projects from some of the early issues.

Bill Sampson, Richmond

[Steven Triggs]

Gumball machines are not high on my list of projects to build. ;)

Oh, come on, everybody needs a gumball machine, another miter sled, a sandpaper storage cabinet, and a drop-down finish-drying rack!:D

[Mark Rios]

Hey, what kind of poll is this?????????????

How could you leave off American Popular Fine WoodShop Journal????????????

Come on....wake up will ya????????





:D :D :D

[Larry D. Wagner]

I get Shopnotes, Woodsmith & Wood. I like all three, but if pressed to pick just one, it would definitely be Wood. FWW and PW are also OK, but for my money Wood is the best all around and I virtually always use at least one of the projects in every issue.

My .02 worth!

Larry:) :) :)

[Jim Crockett]

I subscribe to Pop Woodworking, ShopNotes and Workbench. While Workbench has some good articles on jigs, etc. it is aimed more at home workshop than at woodworking. ShopNotes is the one subscription I would continue if I could only have one but Pop WW is a very good magazine as well.

JimC

[Frank Stolten]

Close but Popular Woodworking gets my vote because, in my opinion, it does the best job of balancing usage of both power and hand tools and also in the projects it presents. Plus, it has an excellent blog and e-zine.

[Jason Beam]

I agree with Frank - and not just because we're neighbors. PWW has lots of good stuff for my knuckle dragging side thanks to Chris Shwarz and others. :)

... i'd forgotten about that ... My new rank is:

1. PWW
2. Shopnotes
3. FWW

4 & 5: WOOD or American Woodworker.

[jonathan snyder]

I really like FWW and popular woodworking, but Woodworking Magazine is my new favorite. I really like the fact that there is no advertising. They also seem to have several hand tool articles in each issue which I enjoy. The downside, is no subscriptions yet and only a couple issues a year.

JOnathan

[Mike Null]

I like FWW and have for years. I used to subscribe to Wood but I aspired to do better woodworking and dropped it because I found no value in too many issues.

My woodworking hasn't improved but I'm reading a better magazine.

[Roy Harding]

I have subscriptions to Shopnotes, Woodsmith, and FWW. I also get every issue of Woodworking as they become available.

Although I voted for Woodsmith - it was a close call between the four of them. I like the no ad format of Shopnotes, Woodsmith, and Woodworking. I'd like to subscribe to other mags, but there comes a point where you're getting more mags then you have time to read. I pick up other mags at the newstand when something in them catches my eye.

Roy

[Doug Shepard]

Votes for FWW as I guess that's my "favorite" but I have subscriptions to FWW, Wood, and Woodworkers Journal. Used to get American Woodworker, but think it started getting increasingly weak a number of years ago so dropped it.