magazine choice

pick your 2cd choice for a magazine, not fine woodworking.


  • Total voters
    54
  • Poll closed .
Shop notes has been my favorite for the last couple years. I am very much a beginner with a very modest 2 car garage shop. Fine WW is also my first choice even though I cannot build to that level - yet. I find the high quality and skill levels inspiring.
Recently I picked up a copy of fine home building and liked it too since home remodeling seems to be what i can actually do with my spare time.
 
I subscribe to 3: Woodsmith, Fine Woodworking and Popular Woodworking. I have every Woodsmith magazine, and still subscribe. It is great for how-to ideas when I already have something similar in mind. I only wish that the level of sophistication of their tv program would equal the projects they highlight in the magazine.

I've also subscribed to FWW since the early 80's and have every issue of that mag, too. It was the best for so long that I feel a sense of loyalty even I no longer consider it to be the best. Since I'm a neanderdabbler, I use both machine and hand techniques and tools in every project I do. FWW only gives a nodding reference to hand tools anymore. At least not enough to suit me.

Popular Woodworking is, hands down, my favorite, especially since Chris Schwarz became editor. I read every issue of PW cover-to-cover. If I were to get only one, PW would be it.

I wish I could come across the issues of American Woodworker when Ellis Walentine was editor.
 
No subscriptions here at all. I can find everything I need on the web or in the library, and I hate wasting both natural resources and my money buying something that is guaranteed to end up in a recycle or waste bin. This is not a comment on anyone else, just my own approach.

cheers

John

That has a lot of merit John, as I find myself close to being a 'hoarder' on magazines. It's one of those things I can't seem to get rid of once I get them.

I love the tactile feeling of reading a magazine, but I tend to read them once, stack them up, and rarely look at them again.

I'm starting to see the wisdom in the online versions, as I can read them, then print out just the sections I think I'm interested in.

And still, I can't quite give up on the joy I get from getting them in the mail and being able to read them in the 'library'....
 
Well, LOML was sleeping this afternoon, and it's too hot in the shop. I tried. So I dug through my stack of woodworking stuff and found a copy of Wood magazine that I had bought last fall for a coupon, and realized I never sat down to go through it. So I fixed that. Nice magazine. Decent mix of jigs and projects. Good ideas and information. So I spent some time looking online for the best deal. I've found a 2 year subscription for $20.66. I don't think it comes with the bonus Jig supplement that Wood offers on their web site, but who knows...it might be part of it. Anyone see a better price on this? Or know something about Magazine Deals Now that I need to stay away from? Jim.

edit: A google search on them answered my question. I think I'll stay away unless some of you have had a good experience with them.

Jim, I got Wood several years ago for a one year subscription and when it ran out I continued getting renewal notices. I started noticing that the longer I went the better the deals got. I finally re-upped when I got 3 years for 19.99. I've done that twice since. The last time wasn't as good though only 2 years for 20 bucks.
 
John this is a good point to make. For anyone out there wanting to subscribe to any of these mags, make sure to look on the internet at some of the magazine sites. The deals are way better than the publisher.

I got my renewal notice for WOOD today and they made out their best deal was 7 issues (1 year) for $41 Canadian. I went online just to see following reading Jims posting and found a deal for 2 years for the same price.:huh: Found a bunch of sites offering all sorts of deals on these variety of mags. In some cases bundle deals on two of the titles listed in the poll even though they might come from different publishers.

Brent said "And still, I can't quite give up on the joy I get from getting them in the mail and being able to read them in the 'library'.... " Brent this is the part that i enjoyed about a magazine too. Its like a surprize when you go to the post box. But i re read mine from time to time and seem to find something new each time.
 
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