I subscribe to FWW and have been considering adding another WW magazine or two. I’m a fairly experienced craftsman and a magazine about making pukey ducks and yard ornaments is of no interest to me. I’ve been receiving offers from several WW magazines and having no experience with any of them, I’m looking for comments and recommendations about any other WW magazines.
Sometime I sits and thinks and sometimes I just sits
Replies
Guy
I am hobbyist not pro. I travel a lot and end up picking up a copy of almost all of them to read while travelling, by the time the month is over. I suscribe to FWW; WOOD because they had a pretty good deal on subscription a couple of years ago, and Woodsmith. As a homeowner I think Workbench has some good ideas every now and then. I really like Woodworking (the no-ad bi-monthly mag that seems a bit hard to find) and would consider subscribing to it. The others are OK if you see an article of particular interest, but FWW is the one that takes longest to read.
I like Woodwork, Woodworking (as previously mentioned, no ads) and Popular Woodworking, as well as FWW. I get all 4. I'm going to buy them anyway, and the subscription is cheaper.
Walnutz
http://woodwork-mag.com/ and http://woodshopnews.com/ME2/Default.asp
I get a bunch of other free trade professional magazines such as Custom Woodworking Business, Wood and Wood Products, etc but Woodwork is the most interesting over FWW by far for me. It's a personal opinion and you should go to Barnes and Noble over a few months period to see what works for you.
I subscribe to Fine Woodworking, Woodwork, and Woodshop News, I like Woodshop News for the features on small shops and business profiles, also like the new tool reports. I too visit Barnes & Noble every month or so and read every other one that I don't subscribe. In particular I like Furniture and Cabinetmaking ( F & C ) from England, which I think is similar to FWW. Rob
You can only learn so much from the woodmags. I also read a lot of the design magazines like Dwell, Metropolitan, Interior Design, Architectural Review. Knowing how to build a box or panel is the basics. Tweaking the design and proportions is the artistic part. Also combining materials such as metal, stone is very rewarding. Straight wood furniture is ok but limiting.
Speaking of design, there is a site with some outstanding built-in work, I often go there for ideas when building a bookcase, etc. Check out http://www.thistlejoinery.co.ukRob
American Woodturner is great.
ooh! ooh! Can I answer?
I think Popular Woodworking is a good supplement to FWW (I read both and think you should too). Speaking as a reader, there a couple neat things about PW:
1) Its run by an enthusiast who doesn't seem to care as much about the bottom line as he does about woodworkers. So you'll see articles or even whole columns that have absolutely nothing to sell. You'll also see tool reviews where the big companies get panned.
2) If you liked the early issues of FWW, you'll find PW articles are similar- There are more words than pictures and the subjects seek to challenge, and can be a bit less "mainstream".
3) The editors and authors are actively engaged with woodworkers on the internet and elsewhere. All but one return emails and phone calls promptly and in kind. (I had a busy month last month).
4) Active blogs are now de rigeur and contain free supplements to articles and other insider information. The Editor's blog is very well read and highly respected not to mention free.
5) Don't you think the guy (Chris Schwarz) who came up with a no-ad woodworking magazine* deserves $20/year of your encouragement?
Adam Cherubini
Contributing Editor
Popular Woodworking Magazine
*"Woodworking" and "Popular Woodworking" are published by the same company, editted by the same editor, but not the same. PW is in full color, has ads, and is available by subscription. "Woodworking" is in B&W (which looks cool to me), has no ads and is newstand only. The only problem with "Woodworking" is that everybody dresses funny. In PW only some of the people dress funny.
Adam,
Great reply!! I read all three also, and find that they generally compliment each other -- by way of content -- very well.
I think Chris Schwartz has done a superb job as editor with both magazines; the on-line extras are just icing on the cake. I really like the thematic, in-depth approach that Woodworking takes: very refreshing, and it allows the author(s) to cover a lot of things that don't seem to get much coverage in most WW mags.
<<The only problem with "Woodworking" is that everybody dresses funny. In PW only some of the people dress funny.>>
You wouldn't be talking about that Cherubini guy, would you? ;-) [Actually, I rather like your period clothing in the photos for your A & M columns -- it adds a pictorial note of interest and authenticity to the articles.]
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<!----><!---->James<!----><!---->
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"I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that...."
--A.C. Clarke
Hey Adam:
Yes, I agree with you on all counts. But, is it necessary to wear that silly looking hat?
If FWW were half as good as PW, I'd have another good read every month.
Cheers,
Jethro
I’m starting to really favor Popular Woodworking over FWW, (hey, <!----><!----><!---->Taunton<!----><!---->, you guy’s listening? WOW, free internet content too, what a concept.). I have every issue of FWW including Home Furniture ever published and you are right, PWW is very much like FWW was in the old days when it was a great publication, though I really miss the larger format, I’d pay more to have that back. Also, I’d like to see PWW get rid of the stapled binding, it is not very durable for those of who tend to save our magazines.
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But that hat, dude, it’s gotta go…..
I'm not going to get in the middle of this debate, although I do enjoy reading this thread every time it comes up, but I wanted to respond to your comment about the Web. While we charge for access to our magazine and video archives on the Web, we have more free content on FineWoodworking.com than any other magazine Web site. [edit]We have more than 350 articles and videos on our site that are free to view compared to less than 40 free articles on PopWood's Web site (I just counted). We put every single tool review online for free (more than 600) and let people post their own reviews. We host free blogs. We have free profiles on nearly 100 leading woodworkers. Our online gallery is free of charge. And all of our magazine online extras (more than five per issue) are free.Matt Berger
Fine WoodworkingP.S. If you see an FW icon next to a piece of content on our Web site it means a subscription is required. If not, it's free to view.
Edited 2/23/2007 6:15 pm ET by MBerger
I understand Matt. This is just one very long time and loyal subscriber’s opinion. Given what I consider a continuing slide in the quality of the publication since, oh, about issue 115 or so, the thought of having to spend extra to access material in the website rubs me the wrong way. I have spent hundreds, maybe thousands with <!----><!----><!---->Taunton<!----><!----> over the years, and gladly, as a publisher they have set the standard for craft magazines and books, (BTW, bring back the annual design book, those were great). I taught myself how to work wood with FWW and Tage Frid. Many days in the shop with a Carlyle Lynch article in one hand and a newly refurbished Stanley Sweetheart chisel in the other. You guys helped me furnish three homes. But as you often read here, I’m by far not the only one who thinks FWW has really slipped in content. I have also been with FHB since the beginning, and it has been able to keep to its roots, it is a good today as ever. So what’s the difference? I think they listen to their readers, at least that is all I can put my hands on.
And you say you avoid these debates, well as a salesman myself, if my loyal customers are starting to “debate” the quality of my product or service, and are even allowing me into the discussion, you can damn well bet I’ll jump right into the middle of that. Otherwise, they buy from some one else.
These two mags have become my favorites. FWW is still good, but doesn't speak as directly to my style and interests in woodworking, or at least not as often and consistently. I can really relate to how Schwarz and Lang think about wood working. Not say there aren't others out there who I identify with in the same way (or aspire to as the cast may be), but these guys along with their fellow contributors are in the zone lately.
Thanks for your articles too, Adam. I may not always agree with your conclusions or approaches, but they are inevitably thought-provoking and entertaining.
I think you guys do an excellent job and I am always disappointed when I am done reading PWW. I just built a five drawer mission walnut chest of drawers using the shouldered dovetail joint I saw in your magazine. I have gotten more compliments on that joint, people think it is so hard to build and your author explained it perfectly. I am a firm believer in the John Wooden quote that nikkiwood publishes with each post.
Edited 2/23/2007 5:24 pm ET by terrylee86
Adam, I subscribe to both and they both have value. PW for it's timely and very complete articles whether builds or tech. FWW for it's depth and they have in recent issues turned around the build articles and tech/shop articles, ie. the neat stuff from our JWW - kudos John. Lots of space to show it correctly. You had some nice space also and it was super info. What I never want to see again is the "quickie sound bite" type of articles that I found in TOH the mag, what a waste of time.
Now what's this blather about your classy hat. In that age you could spot the master of the shop in a trice as the shop rat with the broom would not be wearing a hat of such import. There is no such thing as a bad hat.
So says PADDYDAHAT. Peace to all.
I subscribe to Fine Woodworking. But I also read a few other Mags also. I don't like Wood, because it's alittle to craft orientated for me. I read The Australian Wood Review. Which is Australia's Fine woodworking. It's a good Mag that I will subscribe to when I get home to the states. Someone mentioned F & C out of england. Not a bad one either.
But like someone else said, I love to read design mags. InDesign, Architechal Digest, anyting with interior desing in it. Those are where you find what people and professionals are buying. But then again I am a soon to be fulltime designer maker with my own company. So I would rather focus on different things than making boxs and turn little things. Just my 2 cents.
http://www.kalafinefurniture.blogspot.com
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