Polarization Rampant - Woodworking Topics - almost zilch

[charlie b]

At least in the past, FLAME WARS were mainly woodworking related. But for the most part, name calling and such was kept to a minimum, and often valuable woodworking information was learned.

Politics, especially polarizing politics doesn't do much in the way of producing any useful woodworking information and frankly, there are other news groups dedicated to politics that seem, at least to me, to be a better place for political exchanges - that go on and on and on and on and . . .

So - a question.

Why all the plans for Arts & Craft / Greene & Greene / Stickley pieces in magazines - and NONE on chinese furniture and joinery. There's a long and deep pool of joinery and design waiting to be tapped by an editor and I for one am awaiting some of that info with great anticipation.

What would you like to see woodworking magazines get into?

charlie b

[Paul T.]

Both the Chinese and the Japanese have some excellent craftsmen that are doing excellent work with wood. I agree with you Charlie that magazines in this country should be doing articles and showing us how they do it. There is enough material there to keep up the articles some time, if not years.

Paul T.

[LDosser]

Japanese carpentry. Though, if you've seen examples, 'carpentry' does not do it justice.

More on Tansu would be nice.

And there is all manner of miniature work that does not seem to get mainstream woodworking media coverage.

[marc rosen]

Japan wood work Fine nice technique joinery clean want more articles

(impromptu Woodworking Haiku composed while taking a shower after reading first post.) Marc

[Joe]

regarding the chinese joinery... here's the simple way:

the difficult way: Demystifying a complex Chinese Joint by Randolph Demercado

It is in Fine WoodWorking issue Sept/Oct 1998 pages 108 to 112 and it is a double-mitered, dovetail-keyed, mortise and tenon joint.

I have the issue, but can't seem to find the article on FWW online.

jc

[HeyBub]

The Health Care debate?

[Dave Balderstone]

I've stopped buying any of the magazines, as it's the same old crap over and over and over...

ANYTHING new or different would be welcome, but how would I know, having abandoned them?

[Mark & Juanita]

... snip

More on some of the older styles -- Federal, Chippendale, William & Mary, Queene Ann, etc. Not just the big pieces, but some of the more mundane things as well. FWW has done a pretty good job of occasionally touching on those styles.

[chaniarts]

magazines only print what writers pitch and provide to them. you have to get the writers involved or it won't happen.

[SonomaProducts.com]

Finishing, finishing and finishing, especially coloring. I spend weeks trying to dial in a color. How can I make a nice warm reddish brown maple finish? How can I age pine such that it looks natural, etc.

[Bill]

Well, as long as you are asking like that: Luthery (instrument making).

I could submit a photo-essay detailing the washtub-bass I built for my wife (so don't rule it out by saying the topic is too difficult...lol)!

Of course, the likes of Gibson, Martin, Taylor, et. al. may be vehemently opposed to my idea. I suspect they have successfully brain-washed most people into believing that only they are capable of making musical instruments.

Bill

[Joe]

Finishing, finishing and finishing, especially coloring. I spend weeks trying to dial in a color. How can I make a nice warm reddish brown maple finish? How can I age pine such that it looks natural, etc.

You may have hit on an entirely new magazine idea. Finishing, it often seems is half (or more) of the work on a piece, so why not have a separate mag for it. It would be a very specialized magazine, but there are more specialized ones out there in other fields that seem to do well. Taunton? How about it?

jc

[Larry Blanchard]

I have a several books on joinery, and a few have a little bit on Chinese joinery. I look at them and think I'm not that good and may well never be. I suspect that's why you don't see much in the magazines. With few exceptions, they cater to beginning and intermediate woodworkers, whose reaction to those joints would probably be worse than mine.

But I did like the suggestion about more on finishing. Especially more on dyes because they're so much more versatile than stains. More on shellac, which is a lot tougher finish than most people think. More on toning to avoid blotching.

I'm glad you brought the subject up. And I vow to respond no more to OT political posts. At least for a few months :-).

[Larry Jaques]

On Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:16:00 -0800, the infamous charlie b scrawled the following:

And the chances of those topics moving to the other realms are, what? Zip, right.

I, for one, do not plan on spending 4 years learning and perfecting Japanese and/or Chinese joinery _just_ so I can make a temple, Charlie. ;)

Just received the 2nd issue of a 2-year scrip to PopWood for $18 and I'm enjoying the articles on design. Mo dat, preese. And less "modern" furniture. And fewer articles on "distressing" furniture. Oh, gimme more toolmaking, too!

-- Challenges are gifts that force us to search for a new center of gravity. Don't fight them. Just find a different way to stand. -- Oprah Winfrey

[Larry Jaques]

On Fri, 26 Mar 2010 07:42:51 -0700, the infamous Mark & Juanita scrawled the following:

To each their own. That was one reason I didn't renew FWW. Price was the biggie, though. $35 for half a dozen issues? Ouch.

-- "Not always right, but never uncertain." --Heinlein -=-=-

[Larry Jaques]

On Fri, 26 Mar 2010 08:16:13 -0700 (PDT), the infamous "SonomaProducts.com" scrawled the following:

Just traipse down to Homey's Despot and pick up a pint of MinWhacked RBS, Sonomy. (Proof of what bears do in the woods.)

Pre- or post-distressed? (Ayieeeeeeeeeeeeee!)

-- "Not always right, but never uncertain." --Heinlein -=-=-

[LDosser]

Here's a couple of magazines I wish were still published:

'Scale Woodcraft' last issues I have are from 1985. Issue to hand has articles on forming architectural model moldings and how to photograph your work.

'Maritime Life and Traditions' I think this disappeared around 2000. Issue at hand contains articles on building a full sized replica of a three-masted barque built in Quebec in 1845 and an article on constructing model boats.

[Bill]

How many others would like to see luthery in a magazine? I'm already on "Stewart MacDonald's" email list, but I think he's preaching to "techs", not woodworkers. A mountain dulcimer project may seem interesting to many readers and doesn't seem like it would be too difficult. I may make one as a gift for my wife.

Bill

[LDosser]

Almost anything would be more interesting than the latest incarnation of the "perfect bench", "perfect router table", "best table saw jigs", barrister bookcase, shaker hutch ... well, you get my drift. The magazines all seem to be on a four year cycle except for the annual router table issue.

[Larry Jaques]

On Sun, 28 Mar 2010 02:39:23 -0400, the infamous "Bill" scrawled the following:

Yeah, that might be cool. How about a standup bass? No? Violin, then, please.

-- "Not always right, but never uncertain." --Heinlein -=-=-