Re: The Glory Days Of "Fine Woodworking" Are Behind Us

But they have lost their way.

> > They have lost their initial animus to deliver articles produced by > masters of their craft and spent their time on dumbed down product, > which has too much picture weight vs. text, and skews itself to entry > level woodworkers at the expense of meaty material for mid level and > more accomplished artisans. >

Hi Tom,

I agree, but being one of the "unwashed" amongst us, I still look for my next issue (to put things in context, I still like/look forward to NYW each week).

FWW is still better than anything I subscribe to - and I am subscribed to 3 others - my FWW subscription dates back 12+ years.

When you are an accomplished woodworker (as yourself and others with like ability who hang out on the wreck) it must get a little "old" to hear the same stuff repeated over and over.

Some of can't have it repeated often enough, and actually learn from the repitition.

Is there another better magazine out there?

Happy woodworking!

Lou

Reply to
loutent
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I hadn't thought about it, Tom, but their renewal notice remains unopened on my desk.

My subscription has currently lapsed, and I'm not certain I'll renew. For a publisher, that's a problem, as we/they make little from single copy sales compared to the subscription which typically pays the cost of printing and mailing the piece.

I managed to obtain a number of those early B&W issues a couple of years ago, and while I disagree with you that the move to color was a problem I do lean t'ward agreeing with you about content.

Reply to
Dave Balderstone

I'm a relative newbie in woodworking, so I don't know the history of FWW. However, I will say that it is my choice, by far, of any of the publications currently in print, regardless of whether it has slipped a notch.

I'm an aviation enthusiast and subscribe to a publication called "Sport Aviation". 10 years ago, I thought every article was fascinating. However,

120 issues later, I don't see nearly as many interesting articles. Why? The writing and focus have changed some, so that's part of it. However, the biggest thing is that there are only so many articles that can be written about the core of the subject without duplicating material. That leaves the magazine to either publish redundant articles or publish articles that are so out of the mainstream that they don't interest anyone.

Its a heck of a problem to have...

Reply to
Kyle Boatright

As when two boats drift apart, the distance between the entities in any relationship can open up pretty quickly. I subscribed for awhile, then paid full over-the-counter price for years and most always looked forward to the next issue.

Reading your post I realize that the only issue I've bought this year is the "Power Tools" issue, and despite my similar feelings regarding the magazine becoming ho-hum, the taper jig idea in that issue was worth the price of admission.

My point is that I now check out FWW before buying, whereas before I bought it sight unseen, and therein lies the crux of yours.

Reply to
Swingman

Yes, maybe. "Woodwork". Like FWW, it can be spotty - some issues fascinating, others not, but it is at least as consistent as FWW and features artists and craftspeople each issue. Much less "how-to" and more visual inspiration.

Rick

Reply to
Rick Stein

Tom,

I agree with you whole heartedly. I began FWW at Issue 56 and have continued all these years to faithfully to renew my subscription. I delved into Fine Gardening, Fine Home Building and Inspired Home for a few issues but quickly lost interest in the calibre of articles being accepted by these magazines.

FWW does have a gem per issue IMO but, >Sadly, FWW lost its way.

Reply to
Rob

...

This, sadly is becoming more true, I agree...

Here I have to disagree...I can recall several marquetry and carving articles and some of Conover's turning in the not very distant past...

I think this is the crux of the problem...particularly losing Tage Frid and some of the other early contributors has hurt a lot. Quite possibly it is true that Roman's going on has led to a loss in hard recruiting of such masters, although that is pure speculation.

Reply to
Duane Bozarth

It still has value, but I've been subscriber since early volume 2 so I've seen essentially the whole run, too. I also think the depth has lessened, particularly over the last several years.

To a certain extent, yes. Some of such remembrances are, in fact, based on reality... :(

Reply to
Duane Bozarth

Agreed. I've been homebrewing for 10 years, making splinters & firewood for

  1. Early in my homebrewing life I wore out copies and subscriptions to "Brew Your Own". I thought it great to even be in existence, and then, after reading them for years I got tired, and worse, resentful of them. The articles and recipes on "how to clone your favorite store beer" or whatever were unbelievable. The BYO magazine was particularly insipid in it's publishing letters from readers about how great the magazine was; I can't remember a single correction or "We messed up" type message from the editor. I let my subscription lapse. Now when I pick one up on my rare jaunt to the bookstore I think "Damn this magazine is still the same!..yawn".

To be honest, though, I haven't had a magazine I've felt like was worth the $4.50/$5/$6/$7! in a long time. Al east we have the Internet, and these forums where information is passed so much more readily, and subject to criticism without all the inane advertising for the next geewhillickers thingamajigee!

Cheers! Duke

Reply to
Dukester
[severe snippage of yet another astute observation]

The growth of FWW has been 'sideways' over the years. Once in a blue moon, the magazine shows a glimmer of its past.

It's like meeting up with an old girlfriend who has let herself go.... still has that 'look' that was so appealing years ago...but now only shows itself between beers # 6 and # 10.

But unlike that chance encounter with that old love, this one invades my house via a subscription. I read it when it shows up, but only because I paid for it. Seldom will I revisit an issue once I have scanned it for something that could have given me a woody.

Rolling Stone has changed a lot too, but it had to in order to stay abreast of the talents it covers. The industry changed, so did their coverage. That's legit, IMHO.

But FWW can't really attempt to follow that same path. It, instead, has followed trends it thinks will sell magazines. FWW tries to do the job of a Consumers Reports and in that capacity, I find it still very useful...'cept that I wish they'd get into more detail.

I like the Scientific American format. They start an article describing a discovery/event/etc. in a language most people can understand... as you read on, they change gears and become more specific to the point where they lose a certain group of readers...just to switch gears again and then REALLY get technical..they throw equations around which look like they're multiplying verbs.

I like that gradual in-depth-getting-deeper approach.

I think FWW should do some of that... aside from a certain Poly being shiny.. tell us why. They could go in-depth till they lose us... It's just too frickin' shallow these days.

But it's still a pretty nice production... and I will renew.

FHB has no equal. Period. I find that mag very useful.

But... let's face it... what has really spoiled me has been the LV catalogues...now THERE's a source for stimulation. Compared to that, FWW reminds me of a Gephardt speech.

Reply to
Robatoy

Tom Watson wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

...

...

Hi Tom,

I'm sure FWW could be better, and I'll accept your word that it's not as good as it used to be. Still, FWW is still the only magazine I look forward to finding in the mailbox. There's always a good inspiration there; projects that are on the more unique and challenging side.

Of course I have yet to see a pukey duck plan in FWW. ;-P

Cheers, Nate

Reply to
Nate Perkins
[snippage]

Finally something I can be proud of, even if it isn't any kind of accomplishment.

I first subscribed to FWW somewhere around 1976 or '77; I don't recall precisely. I do remember getting a solicitation for the premiere issue before they started publication and passed on it. Don't ask me why. Probably because I just generally do ignore offers like that.

I didn't see a copy until a couple of years later when someone at work had all the issues to date on the midnight shift. I fairly gorged myself on them, copied down the pertinent address and the next day wrote a letter and a check to start my subscription. I've been a faithful subscriber since. I even bought all the back issues, so I have every single one of them (I just pulled out my Winter, 1975 issue--Checkered Bowls--to leaf through when I finish posting this)

I remember all the names, all the articles (not "remember" to the extent of recall, but experienced them). I got my router table philosophy from Tage Frid. I figured out that James Krenov makes nice cabinets but they're not my style. Sam Maloof makes nice chairs, but they're really not my style. Regardless of taste, however, I've never not enjoyed looking through a Fine Woodworking. Even fine work with nails pounded in.

I've been pissed at them a couple of times. Their review of chisels was the worst article I have seen to date (I haven't seen the finishing one yet). The router bit review was another fiasco, in my view, although interestingly, Carlo Vendetti, owner of Jesada, which took a real beating in the review, got out of the business within a couple of years after that and the company quickly went in the tank. Makes me wonder if the review wasn't more accurate than I thought.

But I'm not a subscription canceller (there's a whole type of person that the name describes). If I like a magazine, I'm pretty much "in for a penny, in for a pound." I have life subscriptions to at least four that I can think of, and if FWW had had an option in the '70s I'd have been all over it.

I don't really think about "now vs then." I just like going through the magazine. So long as it doesn't start printing on recycled paper, I'm going to stick it out. As someone said, it's still the best around.

Reply to
LRod

Is this in response to the latest issue, Tom? I found this last one to be much better than some of the other recent ones. I don't ever expect 100% of the content of these magazines to pique my interest, as there are too many varying degrees of abilities/experience in the readership. Basically, I hope to learn a few things and see some projects/tools that I find interesting.

This almost always happens for me with FWW, and more so than most other publications of late. Popular Woodworking is by far my favorite at present, however, but FWW is still very good, IMO.

This last issue had a good hand tool primer for those of us like myself that could use a few reminders on how to teach oneself the basics of these methods, and hopefully train our muscles to do these tasks more accurately. I liked the coffee table design, although haven't read the article yet - but added it to my database of possible future projects. And I even found the comparison of different wipe-on finishes to be interesting. And that taper jig was a new design for me, and one that I feel could really improve the safety and ease of that particular task for me.

The only article I thought was quite a bit unneccessary was the mortising machine review - nothing new that I could see there that hasn't already been written quite recently.

On the whole, though, for myself (being of extremely less skill than you and your peers, and much less time under my belt in this craft) FWW is still doing a great job.

Just my $0.25-0.23

Mike

Reply to
Mike in Mystic

Rick Stein wrote in news:SvKte.283$Lj2.35 @newssvr12.news.prodigy.com:

I agree with Rick. Woodwork is consistently better than FWW these days, at least for my tastes.

Having been given the 'black & white' years of FWW by a good friend, I read them all. There are nuggets there, and they were groundbreaking for their time. But stacked up against the current fare, I think it inaccurate to say that they are head and shoulders above the new material.

George Frank's articles on finishing techniques were, for example, for me, far less interesting than most of what Jeff Jewitt or Terri Masachi have written.

The profiles on masters in our craft, however, have always been excellent. That's one of the features I enjoy most about Woodwork.

Patriarch

Reply to
Patriarch

50 years ago, as a 10-year-old living in NE England, I thrilled to promises in the 'Eagle' comic that by the turn of the century, we'd all be flying around with wee helicopter back-packs.

Mine hasn't come yet. Think I ought to ask for my postal order back?

Actually - seeing how most of my neighbours drive a motor car, possibly just as well they aren't airborne .....

John

Reply to
John

Don't forget the short-lived "Fine Furniture" too. I miss that.

What does FWW cost to you locally ? How do you regard this as value? I wince when I buy it (currently $12 local price), but at least my toolshop always apologises for it!

Reply to
Andy Dingley

Interesting. I used to read SciAm 20 years ago and loved it. Now it's (IMHO) total junk. Did the magazine change or did I?

Reply to
Roy Smith

I have no idea where they're at these days, Roy. I liked the format, but the content is beyond me... stuff like nano-tubes. Unless I can make those into a panel saw, I couldn't care less. *G*

Reply to
Robatoy

I understand what Tom is saying, but I also fully agree with you, especially the Scientific American approach. FWW would be well advised to read these posts.

Mutt

Robatoy wrote:

Reply to
Pig

My oh my, first the rec has gone downhill, now FWW. What will be next?

Reply to
Lawrence Wasserman

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