GWW - Is it just me missing the lack of projects?

[mailee]

Yes I too like the woodworker and GWW I also like the router although I haven't seen that on the shelves recently? I do buy magazines even though I don't subscribe to them but only when there is something of interest in them for me. As you state they all have their good and bad points.

 

[Neomorph]

I tend to get most of my woodworking knowledge from the net but do get magazines for one room of the house... the loo.

What I look for in WH Smiths is a magazine with a decent amount of info in... if it's all adverts and pictures it get's put back on the shelf. I also stay clear of anything american because imperial measurements just tick me off for some reason. It's like I'd love Incra stuff if you could get it properly in metric.

Therefore I don't buy GW that often as I could finish it completely during one trip to the lavvy and end up looking at another from my pile of old mags in the corner (not pervy one either ). This is why I don't get a subscription as I tend to only buy editions with info I would like to keep.

Another reason I love the net over a mag is because you can get feedback pretty quickly. When I wrote into Garden News they posted my letter in their weekly newspaper in February... after I submitted it in December. Imagine how long it would have been in a monthly mag. :lol:

 

[Jarviser]

I must admit that reading through 5 pages of this post I am in the minority in finding the new GWW the most interesting UK wood mag on the shelves - for my tastes of course. It's a mag you can read in small bites (ok on the lav if that takes your fancy). What made The Woodworker such a masterpiece in the first half of the 20th century was plenty of reader involvement and contribution, advice from experts on a variety of both difficult and mundane problems, and a scattering of simple projects, with the occasional major project once or twice a year (like make your own caravan!). It made its money from mag sales plus just enough adverts to keep it afloat. Today's GWW has all those qualities, and an editor who replies to every email with an enthusiasm that puts the other mags in the shade. I think I have used at least one idea or jig from each issue I have received (though the pencil sharpener went in the bin!)
Router mags?? How many different ways are there of cutting a groove anyway?
Nick, welcome back (though I wasn't here 9 months ago) and keep up the good work. My subscription will be repeated.

 

[Woodythepecker]

Paul Chapman wrote:

OK, here's another 2p worth.

Most magazines, woodworking and other, are obsessed with equipment tests and reviews (bit like woodworkers, really ).

That's fine if that's what people want.

I agree that we do not want a magazine full of tests and reviews, but surely we do want a reasonable amount of them in whatever magazine we buy?
After all if we are looking for a particular tool or machine they give us a independent view of what it is like. Just like "Buying Advice and Tool Reviews" do on this website.

Then there are the readers who cannot, for whatever reason, get to the dealers, and so they have to buy everything by mail order. I would have thought that this sort of reader relies on the above advice.

Anyway i prefer F&C, The Woodworker, Woodworkers Journal (USA) and GWW when Mike is finished with it.

Regards

Woody

 

[Matt1245]

How about joining the market with UK Workshop mag?

Matt.

 

[paulm]

Am I the only one to find Nick's post, though probably well intentioned, ever so slightly disturbing :shock:

Having applauded the forum and chosen to return and post after a self imposed boycott is all nice and gracious but perhaps I am bieng oversensitive in finding it all just a tad egotistical, it probably wasn't intended that way.

I don't think that suggesting the forum suppresses a diversity of views, opinions and preferences, even with the well meaning intent of protecting GWW, is any kind of healthy outlook and approach to life and is actually somewhat odd.

Yes, there is competition out there for all businesses, including magazine publishers, but thats just a fact of life and the only way to deal with it is to rise to the challenge and try to be better than the competition or to differentiate your product from theirs in some way.

Trying to suppress or hide criticism isn't the way to go about things, and nor is going off in self imposed exile !

The forum members here are a genuine, friendly, welcoming bunch with a lot to say and contribute on a whole host of subjects and I am sure, like myself, would be only too pleased to have some regular prescence here from people as experienced as Nick and anybody else who cares to take the time to join in and contribute, but I am somewhat taken aback by the suggestion that for that, and/or any mention of the forum to be made in GWW, would only happen if we all behave ourselves and pretend that GWW is the only show in town and that it is beyond any constructive criticism!!!

I would humbly suggest Nick that you stay with the forum, influence and be influenced by it in turn, and try to be inclusive rather than defensive, you can't have too many friends even if occasionally they do speak their minds and tell you things you would rather not hear !

For what it is worth, I have been a subscriber to GWW amongst other mags for a couple of years now and have been increasingly feeling of late that I may have grown out of it. The occassional inspirational article from the likes of Philly and Steve :shock: is pretty much all that has prevented me from letting the subs lapse recently, but this months issue in particular, sorry to say, was pretty thin and uninspiring in my honest opinion.......

Paul

 

[Mike.C]

I think that the 'Get Your Bandsaw Perfect' article by Steve (Maskery) was good, with some useful tips, and would be very helpful for someone who has just bought their first bandsaw.

As a novice with a lathe, i also enjoyed the 1600-piece vase that Dave Roberts turned. Of course i realise that many of you are experts, and so may not value this article, but for me it is something i would love to do.

Cheers

Mike

 

[builderchad]

As a beginner I quite like the mix of articles that appear in GWW, few as the projects may be. Speaking in general on projects, though, is it just me or are there far too many for toys? Is toy making that popular? I remember going into Borders a month or two back and just about every magazine on the rack had some toy or another as a project... :roll:

I pretty much end up buying a copy of each (UK published) magazine every month as there is always something in them that looks like an interesting read. The most interesting articles for me are on techniques. I also like to read the articles on using tools/machines I don't even have because they invariably provide some general insight.

I didn't like F&C at first because it felt like too much of a showcase of work and projects beyond my capabilities, but now that I have gained a tiny bit of knowledge and appreciation I wouldn't miss a month without it even if I won't be doing these projects until I am more accomplished. I now scour through it reading every line and studying every picture to feed my ten-fold thirst in how things are made. SWMBO hates the fact that I can't walk by any furniture or antiques shop now without going in to study the joints and drawer runners on everything!

 

[CHJ]

Am I the only one to find Nick's post, though probably well intentioned, ever so slightly disturbing :shock: ....major snip...
Paul

No Paul you are not, I initially took great exception to the implied censoring of the forum by Nicks post and spent some time trying to compose a measured reply that would not raise too many hackles but could not get myself out of a confrontational mode so did not click the 'submit' button.

You have nailed my sentiments exactly, we may not be a representative group as far as the targeted readership is concerned but I feel that many members are more than skilled enough to match the workmanship and covered content of the magazine.
Coming from a very wide area of trade skills, and in many instances managerial positions as they do they are responsible enough to give measured, professional, opinions on its content.
No one is obliged to agree with them, to ignore them is one thing, but to indicate that they would be better suppressed is disturbing.

 

[Alf]

Paul, nope, definitely not; that's what made me speechless. Like Chas I couldn't find the words to express it as well as you have.

Cheers, Alf

 

[tibbs]

No, Paul, me too - definitely a strange & somewhat worrying thing to say in public - exactly which American magazines does he think GWW is in competition with ? - its not as if GWW is in the same market as FWW is it ? I can't comment on the other US magazine that seems to get mentioned around here (Popular Woodworking) as the only issue I've seen of that was about 10 years ago & it was definitely at the bottom end of the quality scale then, although it sounds like it may have improved over the years since then.

Having said that, I like GWW in its new format tremendously - it was, and still is, the only UK general appeal woodworking magazine that I subscribe to, having subscribed to, and then ditched, most of the others over the years. The other woodworking magazines that I subscribe to (the nearest newsagents that carries woodworking magazines being an hours drive away) are F&C & FWW mainly because they are at the top end of the quality scale & full of work that I can only aspire to at the moment.

Richard

 

[Alf]

Just to cheer Nick up, deja vu across the pond. Ruddy readers, huh? Demanding blighters, the lot of them...

Cheers, Alf

 

[mr]

Strikes me that reading through a thread like this it should be possible to make up a list of things that people think are lacking from any particular publication (other than the projects of the thread title obviously ). That doesnt seem to be the case here. Will have to start at the top again.

 

[MikeW]

Just to cheer Nick up, deja vu across the pond. Ruddy readers, huh? Demanding blighters, the lot of them...

Cheers, Alf

Ha, even the generally benign SMC has a thread going concerning FWW right now.

Take care, Mike