I believe it cost a few bucks to participate but the magazine Fine Woodking has a website known as "finewoodworking.com." There are many tips, articles, tool reviews, and a very lively discussion group with fewer OT postings and an infinitely more knoweldgeable base of readers and contributors. Not trying to raid this group which I still enjoy; just pointing out alternatives to those who might be interested.
Joe
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Dave Balderstone
Oh, really? Infinitely more?
Some may take that as an insult, and possibly wish to use foul language in your direction, suggesting physically impossible auto-sexual activity.
But y'know what? I think I'll just keep hanging out here with the dumb guys.
I'd be too embarrassed to go to a forum where people are infinitely more knowledgeable than me. Why, they'll probably know the question whose answer is "42", and then the universe will disappear and be replaced with something even more inexplicable.
I bet even Dr. Bernofski would shy away, and he knows *everything*.
Thanks anyway.
D
Don Fearn
I think it was Dave Balderstone who stated:
Do *you* want to know the Question?
The Ultimate Question?
About Life, the Universe, and Everything?
I could find out, but it would take some doing.
Meanwhile, I stick with rec.woodworking too.
-Don (off to see the mice)
-- I started out with nothing, and I still have most of it
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Edwin Pawlowski
us dummyz cant reed gud anyway so ill just stay heer.
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blmfldpaul
If you make the most of woodworking classes, you study hardwoods, you do your woodwork, and you make an effort to be smart, you can be in Finewoodworking.com. If you don't, you get stuck in irec.woodworking.
John K.
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daryl1138
Could be just me but I was deeply offended when they wanted to charge over and above the subscrip price for their website. A charge for those who don't get the mag would be OK. But for those of us who do and have for years...If the mag wasn't the quality it is I would have dropped them over that. Instead I continue to enjoy the print version. As for online, there is just waaaaayyyyy to much free on the net to justify the extra cost.
Filtering out the OT's, Spam and Iraq body counts really isn't that difficult. As for the skill level, If I didn't need to ask a dumb question once in a while I probably would save that time poundin' keys and put it to better use making sawdust.
Daryl
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Bewildered
There are plenty of good alternatives, but web-based groups are too hard to use. This is perfect for dummies like me.
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Leon
If infinitely wiser, why do they pay to give advice?
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Dave Balderstone
How dare you question the infinitely wise!
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lwasserm
Hey, do you think I could substitute "rec.woodworking" for "finewoodworking.com" in your post and have it posted there?
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Robatoy
ONE word:
Handymanclubofamerica. I read the articles, I do NOT stick around for the free drill guide. ..and WHAT has FWW even give away for free?, Huh? Huh?
Didn't think so.
42
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LRod
I'm a WoodCentral guy
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as are a few of the others here: Lee Gordon, Charles Self, David Eisan, to name a couple. So far as I'm concerned, it's the best web based alternative to the wreck. However, I've been here longer. There is something to be said for being able to post a picture directly, though.
I don't much care for the others, for a variety of reasons--personality (of the site), personalities (of the players), software...you get the idea.
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Lee Gordon
Another option is the Woodshop News forum
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and, unlike Fine Woodworking's, it does not charge a membership fee or require a subscription to the magazine.
Lee
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Prometheus
You know, I think I'll pass as well.
What I still can't understand, no matter how long I poke around on this group, is why OT discussion is so horrifying to people. I like woodworking quite a bit, but I'll be damned if I'd visit a forum that had ten or fifteen conversations about tuning up a handplane and how to use a router recycling on an endless loop. It's the same reason I let all my magazine subscriptions lapse- they were just repeating themselves.
I come here to talk about whatever comes up on the group, because it's entertaining, and I at least know that the folks here have enough intellegence and motivation to engage in a hobby that requires considerable investments in time, money and research (not necessarily in that order.) That alone is a pretty effective pre-filter when deciding who I wish to speak to, if looking at most of the other groups on Usenet is any indication. And, I learned a lot here when I started to look at making furniture when I decided to *graduate* from being a remodeler with basic carpentry skills- so answering newbie questions is sort of paying the community back for past assistance.
Far as "experitise" goes, I'd trust most of the regulars here to work in my shop unattended, and at least some have amazing abilities and knowledge. So how is the FWW forum better? Do they tell you how to make wood appear from nothing using only the power of your mind? :)
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Puckdropper
Don Fearn wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:
I'll have to think about it for a while, but I should be able to come up with it. (-:
Puckdropper
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Panic
So how is the FWW forum better? Do they tell you how to
Now THAT I would pay for!
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Andy Dingley
For those of us who buy it at UK prices, they can surely afford to fly us over on a Learjet !
I sometimes buy Threads too, and that's even more pricey
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tommyboy
Joe, you blow.
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George
Some may realize that knowledgeability is assumed when in agreement, ignorance when in disagreement. Can you say "halo effect?"
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Swingman
Bingo ... I don't subscribe to the magazine precisely because that.
However, I personally find the FWW subscription web site worth the price because of the availability of a ton of articles in pdf format. If you're continually searching for design ideas, and ways to solve woodworking problems based on design, it's an excellent resource at a reasonable price, IMO.
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