Which Mag?


Lee Bussy

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I am kind of going to through the same thing Lee.  I got a free subscription to Woodcraft Mag... Meh.  I started a subscription to Popular Woodworking and just put in for a subscription to Fine Woodworking thanks to a coupon from Trip.  Only one will end up surviving after a year's viewing.

 

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If you are primarily a machine tool person with a little handtooling then Fine Woodworking.

If vice versa then Popular Woodworking but as Mike says is low on content at the moment. Hopefully it will improve.

I have both and also a UK based subscription to Furniture and Cabinet Maker.

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If there could be only one... I wouldn’t subscribe at all... I’d take the $$ and get the FWW DVD Archive... I believe it’s available at Highland for around $70US.

The DVD is every mag from 1975 through 2015 with a searchable database of articles... So if I’m making a Federal Period piece with hand-hammered drawer facings, cock beading and inlay (typical for the period). I’ll search the DVD archive for “Federal Period, hand-hammered veneer, cock beading” and find articles from 1979 and 2006 – perfect...

The other point is there are no new articles... In the last few months, I’ve taken to reading every mag from issue number one forward (I’m at issue 12) to see what I missed the first go around... It struck me immediately that FWW is recycling old content with snazzier layout and photos... I'm not sure it makes sense to subscribe at all... But you do get exposure to new tools... So that's something... And MikeP does a good job on the photos/drawings/sketches/artwork...

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@David, bwahaha 

+1 for FWW.  Yeah, they do recycle projects, often bringing them forward for newer tools.  I like their tips as well.  It has to be hard coming up with something that has never been done before. Their tool reviews are worthwhile. Frankly, I like the ads as well.  Let's me see what's out there.

That said, the archive suggestion is a good one.

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2 hours ago, RichardA said:

Playboy!

Supposedly the just have articles now, that's no fun.

 

I got a subscription to fine woodworking recently, someone had a 20% off coupon so I got a year for like $26 or something like that, and all the ones I've bought at a book store seem to have a lot of good info. 

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So I guess my decision point is Digital or Print.  With Digital, does it allow you to print pages?  And it says something about searching XXXXX past articles.  Does that only allow it to tell me WHERE they are and let me buy a back issue?  Otherwise I don't understand buying the back issue library.

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3 hours ago, hhh said:

The other point is there are no new articles... In the last few months, I’ve taken to reading every mag from issue number one forward (I’m at issue 12) to see what I missed the first go around... It struck me immediately that FWW is recycling old content with snazzier layout and photos... I'm not sure it makes sense to subscribe at all... But you do get exposure to new tools... So that's something... And MikeP does a good job on the photos/drawings/sketches/artwork...

They said on the FWW podcast that about every 5 years you can expect to see a complete recycle of content. Makes sense but sucks for those that been in this for more than five years. 

I got Popular Woodworking and FWW. I liked FWW much better. But  I cancelled both after a year simply because I barely read them. I think magazines just don't provide me with what I need. When I do have time to read physical media, it will be comicbooks, while I am watching tv at the same time.

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Honestly if you want, I can gather up whatever issues I find of PWW and FWW and mail them to you. I'll either throw them away or just let them sit until they disintegrate. In theory I should have the last 7 issues of each, though I doubt I'll find them all.

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I would start with FWW and would get the online subscription in addition to the print or digital edition of the magazine.  The online subscription gives access to videos and other content that is definitely worth it.  I also subscribe to PW and don't agree that it is thin; however, it seems to be primarily Megan and Chris Schwarz driven, which makes me wonder what has happened editorially.  I will continue to get both, even if I don't have an immediate need or use, because I want them to stick around.  It's like sponsoring Public Radio - I don't listen all the time but want to make sure it is still out there.  Besides, the cost is relatively low, compared to tools and lumber.  Consider it a consumable, like sandpaper or wiping rags. 

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31 minutes ago, PeteJr said:

Woodsmith is the best I've found for learning techniques and building projects.

http://www.woodsmith.com/magazine/about/?autostart=true

I have found myself looking at that publication, but it seems to me it's more "gadget" driven - and I don't mean gadget in a derogatory sense.  I personally find myself sinking so much time into researching jig this and fixture that, home made whatzit tool ... I forget what the whole thing is about.  I've personally decided that for me the right thing is to settle on a project THEN figure out how to do it.

To tell a secret, I do love Stumpy Nubs.  I know lots of folks could do without him but he gives me a chuckle now and then and it feeds my gadgetry need.  I've not made any though, I just find it interesting.

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