Thought i was done with Magazines ...until

I have let all my magazine subscriptions run out, find i get more from here than them and i have a pile collecting dust that i have yet to get done with all that i want to do in them.

But today my last arrived and it was the Annual Tools & Shops from Fine Woodworking.

Its interesting how these guys seem to hit a sweet spot everynow and then with their articles. I thought i would do a little coverage of the magazine because of the several newcomers to our site and the topics that have come up recently and are covered so well in this edition.

For people looking at shops and how to kit them out there is a detailed write up of a guys conversion of his garage to a shop.

Then for those that dont have that kind of space to consider and have limited space there is an article on a guy in Cyprus that has used a 5x5 storage area for his whole shop to fold into. He designed it on Sketchup and well executed. I think he even beats Stus dungeon. Also of importance here is the tools he has. He dont have space for big power tools but mounted all his power hand tools. Well worth a read for those on limited budgets and small space.

Then the subject has risen its head on our forum more than once and that is the good old plane refurbishment of a Stanley Bailey. This copy probably has the best article i have seen on how to refurbish an old boy. All the tips and tricks to tune it and excellent photography to show you if you a visual learner. To me its a reference piece of work that could be printed as a stand alone leaflet. Even includes sources for parts.

Then we have had much debate and discussion on routers and the lifts etc. But not too much on the table side and dust collection from them.

I have always had in mind to mount my router in my table saw to remove one more stand alone work station and save shop space.

Well this issue has the ultimate table saw insert design for a router. It does fall a little short in that they use a Triton and attach to its dust collector on a stand alone plate where i prefer to use a lift now and have an enclosure beneath the router to connect a dust collection port to. This is a reall great starter article and it was just the inspiration i needed to see my own view much clearer. BTW this approach makes it possible to connect the router dust extraction to the table saw duct so you get a 2 for 1.


There are loads of little tips that are relevant to some discussion here on workbenches like the aspect of adding a portable leg to support boards rather than having a permanently mounted deadman.


There is also a write up on the woodworkers version of the Delta drill press and a drill press table from Rockler but one you could make yourself. More though on its use as an accessory and its shown mounted on a bench top unit.

Then there is an article on shop safety first aid items like which bandages to use for what, how to use Krazy glue, it includes names of new bandages i aint heard of and covers you can stick on cuts to prevent garbage getting into it so you can continue to work. Really good article considering what we saw in the one i posted a link to recently.

And finally something i have been considering for myself and that is the all in one tool storage cabinet for hand tools and a picture showing a fine chest on the back page. This alone was worthwhile to me.

Seems it must be mental telepathy that they have these articles in it when we were all only just discussing these the last couple of weeks.

Its seldom i have seen such a well loaded excellent magazine. Dont ask for my copy this one is a keeper.

Here is a picture for those that need it to recognise it at the store.

This link shows the cabinet that is on the back cover and boy is it ever a beauty. The inside of the cover shows a kind of pencil type exploded view of the same cabinet so you can see how its constructed.
http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/32396/tool-chest-with-an-arts-crafts-legacy


BTW this is not the only tool chest this magazine contains.

It may seem like they paid me to say these things but i can assure you nothing of the kind. I am just giving credit where its due.

I stopped all my hardcopy woodworking magazines a year or two ago, with the exception of the American Woodturner, which is the official AAW journal, and Woodturning Design, which was a gift. (Thanks, Kerry!) I do, however, keep an online subscription to Fine Woodworking, since it allows me access to all the past print issues, plus a fair amount of other online-only content. (I did the same thing with my Consumer Reports subscription.) I still get Popular Mechanics in hardcopy, mostly because I couldn't turn down their last offer, which was something like $10 per year, as I recall.

I've let all my subscriptions lapse. I think I have a couple more issues of Wood left.
Never subscribed to Fine Woodworking. I just pick up a copy here and there. The Tool and Shop book looks like a fun read

I decided to let my subscription to Fine Woodworking expire - got the last issue last month. Overall, it's a good magazine but I had a couple of issues with it. Call it sour grapes or whatever, I submitted a few items to their Reader's Gallery over the years and was rejected each time. Then, one month they featured a couple of keepsake boxes built by a reader that were from designs published in Wood Magazine several years ago. They're cutesy little boxes but no real talent is need to build them. I built two of them myself!

I still have a subscription to Wood Magazine and will continue with it. It's like an old friend. I also subscribe to Woodsmith.

I looked at that issue in length Rob. Might still pick it up, some what on the fence.

Kinda come and go....

I have kept up my subscription to FWW (have every issue) and as long as they print it, always will. All the others have lapsed and then maybe get started up again if they offer a really special deal. I saw where Hartville Tools has the DVD of FWW for $89....considerably less than Taunton's price of $150 and thought of buying it, but I really enjoy a relaxing read with a book. I just finished building some painted ply cabinets for my shop just to keep the books and Mags handy...probably look kinda silly if you opened it up and found 1 DVD

I actually started with Issue #55 of FWW and then collected back issues later. I have always given credit to that magazine as my teacher. I never had formal training and have learned a tremendous amount from the authors of the articles.

I hope that the printed copy never goes away....