I've seen a few issues of Fine Woodworking and just subscribed. I have learned of at least two other woodworking magazines: American Woodworker and Woodworker's Journal. This is not a flame-bait message asking which is "best". But, ... I would like to learn from your collective experience:
-- What is the audience of each magazine? -- Which ones you have found useful, and why. -- What other magazines are currently being published on the subject, in the U.S.
in a nutshell, there is a lot of cross-over as far as content (tool reviews, how-tos, projects, etc). Some have a slant towards a certain area (like FWW and ShopNotes), some have better tool reviews (less advertiser ass kissing), some lean more toward the hobbyist (like Popular Woodworking), and some distinguish themselves by just giving you more bang for the buck (like Wood). Here are a few quick notes I tossed together (as I am in a hurry).
Fine Woodworking
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on fine furniture building)
Woodsmith
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advertising, typically has one furniture project (usually with a practical variation or two), a couple of related tips and techniques related to the project (like details on making some of the joints used in the project)
Workbench
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projects and other information
ShopNotes
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advertising, lots of tips and jigs for your workshop
Let's not forget Woodwork and Woodshop News. The latter is aimed more at the small commerical shop owner, but has a lot of info that hobbyists may find useful. Woodwork is an overall excellent magazine, aimed more at the artistic side of practical woodworking. Now there's a title no one is using these days: Practical Woodworking. Too, Popular Mechanics still does a lot of woodworking project articles. Ro Capotosto has retired, but Neal Barrett seems to be a very worthy successor.
Charlie Self "Brevity is the soul of lingerie." Dorothy Parker
I'll agree with what the others's have said. Personally I do Fine Woodworking (to see others build things I could never do) and Wood (to do projects on my skill level).
I won't subscribe to any others - but will page thru them at the bookstore and buy the occasional issue.
Some closing comments: ShopNotes, as others have said, is entertaining for about a year, but then wears thin. I don't really think I'll ever build my own lathe.
Workbench, has improved greatly in content, with the last few issues. I won't continue the subscription but will peruse it in the future.
American Router - a new entry - I found to be very disappointing. Won't be buying another issue.
Perhaps I've missed a post, but I haven't seen anyone mention "Woodwork" yet. For artistic inspiration, I think it's the best. Not much "how to" stuff, but a showcase for real talent.
Boy, I wish!!! I'm a not intentionally retired, a down-sized cellular field engineer. Now I can afford the mags but not the wood & tools. Oh well, the economy is turning around...CNN just said so. (If I hear THAT one more time)
In the meantime, if you know of anyone needing a few SC-4812 BTS units installed & optimized or needing carrier adds etc, I'm your man.
For now, I'll read a few woodworking mags and dream about better times. And then surf Monster.com et al to see what's shaking.
On Thu, 8 Jan 2004 12:10:03 -0600, Rich Shepard wrote (in message ):
I'll toss one more in here that while not strictly a woodworking magazine has some nice woodworking/home improvement projects that always have me thinking about ways to improve my house or shop. Reader's Digest publishes The Family Handyman magazine. It's aim is towards the DIY homeowner, but they do on occasions have a real winner project wise in the magazine...My favorite was the cedar "shed" they built this past summer ... I have to figure out if my homeowner's association will allow me to build this in the backyard next summer (or whenever I can work up about 3K in building expenses). ;-)
are being facetious, of course. From someone who is being run by three businesses these days, this is _still_ the worst ecomonic climate I've seen since the early 80's. The money is shiftng ever higher and to fewer and fewer. I was talking to an insurance executive last week who was decrying the proliferation of twenty somethings under her making "high six figures" on commissions last year for "placing health insurance" ... "money that should be staying in the system for health care costs" ... her words.
They can paint all the rosy pictures they want, but nothing good will come from this topsy turvy nonsense ... Old George O hit the nail on the head when he coined the concept of "newspeak".
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