Popular Woodworking Magazine :(


Marcus Hand

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For intermediate/beginners I would recommend Woodsmith.  Good tips for the shop and methods of work along with some of the best plans I've seen in a magazine.  The featured piece in a given issue is often built by the person writing the article so they can give "builder's notes" from actually doing the tasks.

Any woodworking magazine will eventually repeat itself as there is a cycle of readers and experience levels.  I will see the same topics covered about every third year it seems although that's just a "feeling"; I didn't count or anything.  The magazine is also available online.  The search engine that is used in their "Woodsmith Library" is the best I've seen and I have been online with FWW, Wood and others for years. 

I have no affiliation and BTW, they have no ads.

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I read Schwarz's blog semi-regularly & enjoy it. But he sure comes up with some loopy subjects. That one on the soap finishes was the worst. About the dumbest idea for a finish I've heard of yet.

And his obsession with ancient workbenches and tool chests gets tiresome.

But still, he's entertaining.

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Strangely enough, your post might make me want go buy the new issue.  If you hate the new issue that much, maybe they are at least trying something new :).  

For the last year or so, I do think PWW has pretty much delivered dog poop.  They lost their best editors when Bob Lang, Chuck Bender and Glen Huey left.  I was never a fan of Schwarz's pseudo-intellectualism, he just rubs me the wrong way.   I know he nominally left the magazine for his Lost Art Press thing, but still seems to have a heavy influence on it, maybe even more so since he left.   His whole brand seems so.... sanctimonious and pretentious.  I am sure he is a great guy, lots of people seem to like him.  Just not for me I guess.  I am a little more meat and potatoes at the core.   

I still like FWW and continue to subscribe.  The photography is always great and I love the reader's gallery.  There is usually a project or two that gets me inspired (either in the gallery or one of the featured projects). 

I guess there are mac guys and PC guys and PWW guys and FWW guys.   I am a mac/FWW guy.

 

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14 minutes ago, C Shaffer said:

Watch a little Barron. Sellers and Schwarz all of a sudden no longer seem pretentious. Thoughts proposed to me by @Llama

He lost me when he compared his tool cabinet to Studleys. Just no. He does good work, but wow, not close to being a Studley cabinet. 

 

Edit.. I guess both cabinets had hinges, so there's that.. 

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14 minutes ago, C Shaffer said:

Watch a little Barron. Sellers and Schwarz all of a sudden no longer seem pretentious. Thoughts proposed to me by @Llama

 

1 minute ago, Llama said:

He lost me when he compared his tool cabinet to Studleys. Just no. He does good work, but wow, not close to being a Studley cabinet. 

 

Edit.. I guess both cabinets had hinges, so there's that.. 

I don't trust anyone who uses a "guide" and a dozuki to cut dovetails. :D

But the anal is strong in him (LOL), which I appreciate, and he does nice, tidy work.  But there's something about him...can't put my finger on it...Frank Costanza said it best...

 

 

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I have been displeased as well. I am not renewing any of my subscriptions. The only thing I look at is the readers gallery in the back of FWW. I could give two craps about using soap as a finish. I wish there was something with advanced techniques and projects. That would be a lot more motivating.

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I subscribe to PWW and FWW.  I happen to be a Schwarz fan and don't find him pretentious, but agree he does go off on tangents that aren't all that interesting to me, but they may be to someone else.  A couple of months ago some guys said they had subscribed to a new mag they really liked - I think they said it had wood shavings inside or wrapping the cover?

I agree with Marc that the majority of new and exciting content is not found in magazines anymore.  Some, yes, but not as much as used to be the case.  There is a plethora of really great digital content available.  You just have to search through it to get what you're looking for.

Chuck Bender and Glen Huey have the 360 Woodworking site, which I tried for a while but just wasn't my cup of tea.

I guess it all depends on what level of woodworking you are at, and where you are trying to go.  There's never been a time in history with more content available in more delivery methods than today.  Just gotta search for it. 

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2 hours ago, prov163 said:

A couple of months ago some guys said they had subscribed to a new mag they really liked - I think they said it had wood shavings inside or wrapping the cover?

I haven't subscribed so I can't comment on the content.  I know @Llama has it so maybe he'll give us a review to return the favor that @-MattK- did for him.  Mel has nothing but time on his hands these days anyway.

http://mortise-tenon-magazine.myshopify.com/

thumbnail,w_500,h_500,m_a.jpg

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3 hours ago, Eric. said:

I haven't subscribed so I can't comment on the content.  I know @Llama has it so maybe he'll give us a review to return the favor that @-MattK- did for him.  Mel has nothing but time on his hands these days anyway.

http://mortise-tenon-magazine.myshopify.com/

thumbnail,w_500,h_500,m_a.jpg

Yeah, Eric, that's the one.  Just curious as to what the new kid on the block had to offer that might be worth a look.  I looked on their website just now and at $24 per mag, it better be good :)  I do like one of their stickers - it says "We plane, We saw, We conquer."  

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I can't remember the last time I bought a magazine.  The NRA still sends me one every month, but I haven't looked past the cover in years.  There just really isn't anything I need from a magazine any more.  Hell, I even installed a USB charging outlet by the john when I remodeled my bathroom.  Takes up a lot less space than a magazine rack full of 2 year old magazines nobody reads. 

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