Crapola mags....

[frugal]

I also wonder how much Record are paying for inclusion of their products in these features.

I doubt Record have paid for inclusion in this case

I had always assumed that the editors/authors contacted a bunch of manufacturers and say "we are doing an article on X next month, can you send model Y so that we can review it". Depending on the reknown of the publication and the relationship between the person asking and the manufacturer will determine if something is sent in for review.

So in this case I just assumed that the author had a good relationship with Record and asked them for a couple of different morticers to help out with the article.

The grey area for me has always been about the full page advert that sometimes appears opposite the article. Does the advertising revenue affect the review results? Or do the review results lead to the advertising sale "hey, your product came top in our tests and we have a full page of add space right next to the article"

 

[Nick Gibbs]

There was a time when Trad Wood was good, but by the time I took it over there wasn't enough left to resurrect it from the ashes of a dying magazine. Sorry.

 

[woodbloke]

The grey area for me has always been about the full page advert that sometimes appears opposite the article. Does the advertising revenue affect the review results? Or do the review results lead to the advertising sale "hey, your product came top in our tests and we have a full page of add space right next to the article"

In theory...no, not sure about the following bit, but I suspect that doesn't happen either. Manufacturers book advertising space and then may or may not supply a bit of kit that they would like favourably reviewed...hence the never ending procession of big bits of machinery up for review. Whether it does get a decent review is up to the reviewer and the Ed. There is a disclaimer though in the beginning of every issue stating that the reviewers findings are not necessarily that of the mag...or words to that effect - Rob

 

[big soft moose]

There was a time when Trad Wood was good, but by the time I took it over there wasn't enough left to resurrect it from the ashes of a dying magazine. Sorry.

I know what you mean - i'd stopped buying it well before the end. ( In fact with the exception of "woodturning" which i have on subscription until i discoved BW i'd stopped buying any - in fact the main reason i joined ukw was as a substitute for buying the woodworking press)

my point tho was trad wood, when it was good, had the balance between experiential and tutorial right imo - i also liked their inclusion of the ocasional green/branch wood projects, and also the more light hearted bits (even my then girlfreind used to read the simon whitehead column)

as i said before none of this is meant to knock BW i'm getting that every month (tho our useless local shop still cant get it ) and i'm generally quite impressed - i'm also starting to get living woods tho the only place ive managed to get that is yandles which is hazardous for my wallet as after driving all that way i cant just buy a magazine can i

 

[TrimTheKing]

In F&C 159 there was an excellent article by Richard Jones (of this parrish) on pricing a job.
For a drawer with hand cut dovetails and a solid bottom, charge 8 hours per drawer. For a machine dovetailed or a finger jointed drawer charge 1.5hrs. There are discounts that can be calculated depending on the number of drawers in a piece.
I thought that particular article was one of the best that I'd seen for a very long time, and was a real eye-opener regarding just how to price a job - Rob

As a very raw amateur this was one of the best articles I have read in any of the magazines IMHO. It was incredibly detailed and very very interesting and gave me a real insight into how pricing works should I ever have a rush of blood and decide to try and make something to sell...

 

[Sgian Dubh]

It was incredibly detailed and very very interesting and gave me a real insight into how pricing works should I ...

If you think that was detailed, you should see the original manuscript, all 8500 words of it, ha, ha.

I should point out that a couple of significant and misleading typos appeared in the text of the published article that were completely outwith my control. There are extra brownie points available if you can spot them. Slainte.

 

[TrimTheKing]

It was incredibly detailed and very very interesting and gave me a real insight into how pricing works should I ...

If you think that was detailed, you should see the original manuscript, all 8500 words of it, ha, ha.

I should point out that a couple of significant and misleading typos appeared in the text of the published article that were completely outwith my control. There are extra brownie points available if you can spot them. Slainte.

Ahhh, I didn't realise that was you Richard. Feel free to send me the full 8500 words if you want, I would be happy to read them...

Will have another read and see if I can spot them...

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Ahhh, I didn't realise that was you Richard. Feel free to send me the full 8500 words if you want, I would be happy to read them...

Will have another read and see if I can spot them...

I'm considering putting a full version in a high resolution printable PDF format on my website that incorporates censored or blanked out bits over essential information in a few months.

A tenner deposited into my back pocket or bank would trigger me removing the censoring so the buyer can read the whole thing. You never know; it might work and raise some welcome extra cash. Slainte.

 

[frugal]

Ahhh, I didn't realise that was you Richard. Feel free to send me the full 8500 words if you want, I would be happy to read them...

Will have another read and see if I can spot them...

I'm considering putting a full version in a high resolution printable PDF format on my website that incorporates censored or blanked out bits over essential information in a few months.

A tenner deposited into my back pocket or bank would trigger me removing the censoring so the buyer can read the whole thing. You never know; it might work and raise some welcome extra cash. Slainte.

Is that one of the pricing rules that they cut out of the full article :wink:

 

[lurker]

as i said before none of this is meant to knock BW i'm getting that every month (tho our useless local shop still cant get it ) and i'm generally quite impressed - i'm also starting to get living woods tho the only place ive managed to get that is yandles which is hazardous for my wallet as after driving all that way i cant just buy a magazine can i

Moosey there exists a quite remarkable solution to your dilemma its called a subscription.
What happens is this: You send Nick a sum of money (which convienently is less that the cost of what you hand over to your Useless local shop) and then every so often the mag appears on your doormat. This works for both Living Wood & BW.

As the little rat on the telly would say "simples!"

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Is that one of the pricing rules that they cut out of the full article :wink:

Er, no. I made it up only yesterday. Slainte.

 

[Benchwayze]

Furniture & Cabinetmaking tends to keep the standards pretty high as well, new Ed just started as too....

What I find intensely annoying about the 'murrican mags is their completely cavalier attitude to machine safety, which is the reason I don't subscribe. F&C (and similar mags in this country) though is a bit hidebound by advertising pressure, which is where much of the revenue comes from, so in some cases it has to dance to the manufacturer's wishes...'he who pays the piper etc'
I like BW and subscribe to it, but there are issues with the style of textural presentation that irk me, so I won't be taking out a further sub when this one ends.
My two euros, as ever - Rob

Hi Rob,

I had the chance to speak to an 'Amurricun' about the safety issue.
He said quite simply; 'Anyone stupid enough to put their fingers near a circular saw, should take the blame.' (I am just quoting.)

Having mentioned that, only the other day, 'Helicopter Heroes' (Yes I watch breakfast TV! ) featured two clearly experienced guys up North who both had accidents with saws. I don't believe the first chap could honestly tell you what he did wrong, and as the accident happened on a chop-saw, I must agree. How? The guards, as far as I know, are always in place. But he took most of his hand off all the same.
Surgeons managed to stitch it back on, but if a craftsman of his experience can have an event like that, it's put me right off a chop-saw, I can tell you! (Incidentally, the fellow's work was a joy to behold, as you might expect from a man who worked with 'The Mouseman'.) I only hope he recovers enough to get back into his shop, where he is clearly at one with the world.

Cheers.

John