Favorite Woodworking Magazine? - Page 2

sapwood · 02-21-2007, 02:26 PM

Thanks for starting the thread Mike. I've been considering wood mags subscriptions for a while and it's great to know what others like. I usually grab them off the rack. Local library only subscribes to one, but it's free! I enjoy Shop Notes but figure it will become repetitive/jaded after a year or two.

FWIW, do not subscribe to This Old House magazine. I fell for the $10 for 10 issues offer. It's 90% ads and the rest are fluff article on kitchens and bathrooms

Roger

MikeH · 02-21-2007, 02:56 PM

Originally Posted by sapwood

Thanks for starting the thread Mike. I've been considering wood mags subscriptions for a while and it's great to know what others like. I usually grab them off the rack. Local library only subscribes to one, but it's free! I enjoy Shop Notes but figure it will become repetitive/jaded after a year or two.

FWIW, do not subscribe to This Old House magazine. I fell for the $10 for 10 issues offer. It's 90% ads and the rest are fluff article on kitchens and bathrooms

Roger

You're welcome Roger. I remember you saying in a previous thread that you didn't like it. Duly noted.

McRabbet · 02-21-2007, 06:49 PM

I subscribe to Wood, Popular Woodworking, Woodsmith, Woodwork, Woodworker's Journal, American Woodworker, Fine Woodworking, Finewoodworking.com, Workbench, Shop Notes, Workbench and yes, This Old House (got it for free). I like most of them, but Fine Woodworking is the best (I have well over 120 issues). Wood comes second for me -- I have every issue for the last 15 years -- and then come Woodwork, Popular Woodworking, Shop Notes and Woodsmith. American Woodworker and Woodworker's Journal are okay and I've gotten plenty of ideas from them, too. Workbench and This Old House are throne room reading material.

I'm adapting a plan from the Feb 2000 issue of American Woodworker right now for a Toy Box for my grandson, so they are a great resource. One I didn't mention is a must -- subscribe to Fine Woodworking Magazine - skill building articles, tool reviews, project plans, books (FWW subscribers can get it for $15/yr) as it is an excellent resource loaded with information from all of their past issues. Lots of down-loadable articles and plans.

Rob

froglips · 02-21-2007, 07:20 PM

#1 Woodworking - from the folks at PopWW, but no adds. No subscriptions, just juicy detailed articles and tips. Its the only magazine I read cover to cover.

#2 Popular Woodworking - I totally love the new direction. With Christopher Schwarz and Bob Lang and others, I feel they are leading the pack. They offer a lot of "how do you do _____".

Over the years, I've become less enamored with magazines that just talk about tools. I got tools, but what do I do with them?

Also, this trend to show you how to build a Queen Anne Highboy in only 3 pages have left me cold.

"Cut a 3/8" mortise with your mortiser" has told me exactly what to do. But, what have I learned? Why 3/8? Why select a mortise?

"A mortise provides a strong joint that resists twisting." Now I know what a mortise offers me. I've learned something.

Just my opinion of the universe, not to be confused with fact. I'll leave facts to gravity.

Jim

Terry · 02-21-2007, 09:28 PM

I like them all! But in the order I have subscribed to is starting with the favorite first.
Fine Woodworking
Woodsmith
Shopnotes
Popular Woodworking
Wood Magazine
American Woodworker
Woodcraft
Workbench
Handyman
Woodworker Journal
American Router
Creative Woodworks and Crafts
Woodcarving Illustrated
That's my order of prefence!
Terry

walnutjerry · 02-21-2007, 11:47 PM

Fine Woodworking-----------informative articles, good resource for tools and materials in the classifieds, good presentation of special projects w/pics.

Jerry

WoodWrangler · 02-22-2007, 11:34 AM

Originally Posted by froglips

#1 Woodworking - from the folks at PopWW, but no adds. No subscriptions, just juicy detailed articles and tips. Its the only magazine I read cover to cover.

I had never read this magazine, so I downloaded a sample article last night (from http://woodworking-magazine.com/). It was well written and educational ... I like it. So today I purchased the past 7 issues on CD-ROM. Thanks for the recommendation!

While we are on this thread I want to say ...

ShopNotes is either really good, or really bad. This month's is a "really bad" for sure!

I have the first 70-something issues in PDF format ... which is really nice ... and I have to say they have more good than bad, but they do have a fair amount of bad.

As for Workbench ... I subscribed again this year and have to say it will be my LAST. The magazine is just getting worse. Not sure who the target market is.

And for Popular Woodworking ... I quit the subscription last year because it was getting pretty bad. HOWEVER, with the reviews here I've decided to give it another shot. I have subscribed for a year ... we'll see how it goes.

MikeH · 02-22-2007, 02:12 PM

Originally Posted by gotojeremy

I had never read this magazine, so I downloaded a sample article last night (from http://woodworking-magazine.com/). It was well written and educational ... I like it. So today I purchased the past 7 issues on CD-ROM. Thanks for the recommendation!

It looks like an interesting magazine, but they don't have a regular publication schedule. They state that they only have ONE issue coming out this year???? Kinda odd don't you think?

mturi · 02-22-2007, 02:44 PM

Woodsmith tops my list as well. Also tried Workbench and Wood but lost interest in both. I was considering a trial issue of shopnotes just for some variety but have a feeling it won't compare to Woodsmith.

zimman20 · 02-23-2007, 10:35 AM

I currently subscribe to:

PWW
Wood
Workbench
This Old House
FWW
WWJ

I'd previously subscribed to Shop Notes but decided it wasn't for me.

10/$10 on TOH Magazine seems about right...yep, it's a lot of ads but it's throne material and once in a while I'll pick up a nugget or two, at $1 per issue I can live with the ads. I do abhor the kitchen stuff, the LOML likes to look at those pretty pictures.

WWJ is new for me, thought I'd give it a try. Just got my first issue and haven't read through it yet.

My faves are FWW, Wood, PWW. PWW because of Chris Shwartz as someone mentioned above...and the fact that they're doing a lot more on hand tools and that avenue has struck my fancy this year.

dancam · 02-23-2007, 11:43 AM

I subscribe to a few and the order of preference is:

FWW -- the best. Something in each issue to aspire towards.
AM -- Good projects and well designed layout.
Woodsmith -- really nice projects and very good directions plus tips. Don't like the new way of providing cutting lists on the protective mail cover. Most time mine are chewed up from the mail handling.
WWJ -- OK will keep for awhile.

I used to get Shop Notes but too many bad issues to warrant renewal.

TOH is just a bunch of ads with what I perceive to be biased stories/articles to compliment the advertisers.

zimman20 · 02-23-2007, 12:38 PM

Dan - What is 'AM' ?

MikeH · 02-23-2007, 01:17 PM

I have yet to subscribe to FWW, but I will pick up an issue at the bookstore and check it out. I am not at the "fine"

woodworking stage yet. I hope to be soon though. My wife gave me a gift subscriptio to Woodsmith for Christmas and I just ordered a free trial issue of ShopNotes. I am pretty sure I'll subscribe to both FWW and ShopNotes very soon.

WoodWrangler · 02-26-2007, 03:37 PM

Originally Posted by hpm67

It looks like an interesting magazine, but they don't have a regular publication schedule. They state that they only have ONE issue coming out this year???? Kinda odd don't you think?

Received this in my email today that describes the situation ...

I know that many of our readers are wondering what the future holds for Woodworking Magazine. We've been publishing two issues a year for four years now and have built a loyal readership (thanks to you). But we haven't been able to offer subscriptions. And we haven't been able to publish more frequently.

We hope that will change in 2007. Our circulation experts are now evaluating our track record and figuring out how (or if) we should start offering subscriptions. Many of you have sent us unsolicited letters of support, which we've forwarded on to the circulation department. Those will help, so thanks for all of your letters. I'll keep you informed of any news on the magazine in this newsletter and through my blog.

— Christopher Schwarz, editor

MikeH · 02-26-2007, 03:41 PM

Originally Posted by gotojeremy

Received this in my email today that describes the situation ...

I know that many of our readers are wondering what the future holds for Woodworking Magazine. We've been publishing two issues a year for four years now and have built a loyal readership (thanks to you). But we haven't been able to offer subscriptions. And we haven't been able to publish more frequently.

We hope that will change in 2007. Our circulation experts are now evaluating our track record and figuring out how (or if) we should start offering subscriptions. Many of you have sent us unsolicited letters of support, which we've forwarded on to the circulation department. Those will help, so thanks for all of your letters. I'll keep you informed of any news on the magazine in this newsletter and through my blog.

— Christopher Schwarz, editor

Thanks for the update Jeremy.

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