Is 'Furniture & Cabinetmaking' magazine well regarded?

[goldeneyedmonkey]

Hello all,

I'm thinking about getting a one year subscription to said magazine, does anyone read it? Is it a decent publication?

Cheers _Dan.

 

[AndyT]

Oh dear. You might wish that you had read some of the earlier threads on woodworking magazines before asking that one.
(Btw the Search UKW at the top rhs is more intuitive than the Search on the User Tools.)

 

[goldeneyedmonkey]

...I couldn't find anything much through the search (except a very long debate over British Woodworking Magazine that got daft) and a few other things, can you point me out to the thread if pos? Or sum it up?

Cheers _Dan.

 

[coille]

Dan
I couldnt find any threads on it either. I took out a subscription recently just because they were doing a cheap subscription deal and I thought I would give it a go again after a long period of absence - was cutting back on too many subscriptions and not having enough time to read all the mags. I was very disappointed - it has changed a lot in the last few years obviously. However every woodworker will have their own opinion and preference so the only way you will find out if you like the general subject matter covered and style is to buy the odd copy and see before you think about a sub.

For me the appeal used to be that it was mostly professional cabinetmakers and their projects, exhibitions and workshops. This is of great appeal to other professionals and amateurs who work to pro standards, and also serves to set a standard for those of us still learning and looking for inspiration. Now F&C is a mix of everything and too much about amateur woodworking at a mediocre level, a subject matter covered by too many magazines already, although there is the odd article in the original vein and a few respected contributors.

Pat

 

[Jacob]

Never seen it.

 

[goldeneyedmonkey]

Never seen it.

...useful comment.

 

[Jacob]

:lol:
It shows how I regard the mag, doesn't it?

 

[goldeneyedmonkey]

:lol:
It shows how I regard the mag, doesn't it?

No, how can you have any opinion on something you've never seen? It's like saying you don't like chocolate when you've never tasted it.

_Dan.

 

[leverb01507]

Just my personal opinion, as I suppose any review is, but I rather enjoy it,
There are a lot of articles that I skip but for the price I don't think its too bad
and I normally find a couple of articles interesting. However it does lead to
some serious tool envy when they show some of the pro shops lol.
Ben

 

[cambournepete]

I've been clearing out my magazines lately, looking through them and just keeping the pages I want.
I've found that I've hardly kept any articles from F&C.
Now, with Fine Woodworking and Practical Woodworking (both US mags) and British Woodworking I don't know what to not keep.

OK, I'm mostly interested in turning but I do some flat stuff, and F&C is a bit of an oddball to me, aiming at amateurs and pros and as far as I can see not really meeting the needs of either.

I think your money would be better spent on a subscription to Fine Woodworking.

 

[RogerP]

Just my personal opinion, as I suppose any review is, but I rather enjoy it,
There are a lot of articles that I skip but for the price I don't think its too bad
and I normally find a couple of articles interesting. However it does lead to
some serious tool envy when they show some of the pro shops lol.
Ben

That sums up my opinion as well - except I'd change "too bad" to quite good

 

[devonwoody]

I haven't taken out a magazine subscription now for over 7 years, I found they were manufacturer controlled imo.

If I were to restart a subscription I would do an on line version because it would be easier to collate up subjects and projects and save that magazine storage problem with the paper stuff.

Or place a post in the Sale and wanted section here and buy up previous issues.

 

[mtr1]

I use it as a tool like any other. I like to see photos of others work(high end), I ignore most, if not all tool reviews, I like the series on furniture history a lot, the projects I ignore. I like some of the technical articles on workshop equipment, I also like the furniture industry news articles, I put it through my books as research and development I've just renewed my subscription, in conclusion I would rather have it than not, and there is not a comparable mag for me to look at.

 

[coille]

aiming at amateurs and pros and as far as I can see not really meeting the needs of either.

that sums it up rather well

Pat

 

[AndyT]

I couldn't find anything much through the search (except a very long debate over British Woodworking Magazine that got daft) and a few other things, can you point me out to the thread if pos? Or sum it up?

Summary - magazines don't have impartial reviews as they have to please the advertisers.
Some articles are too detailed. Some are too superficial. You can get better information from a forum like this.

some of the threads:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/this-months-f-c-better-t37516.html
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/woodworking-magazines-t46668.html
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/f-c-t35355.html
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/f-c-magazine-t9214.html
https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/this-months-f-c-magazine-t32711-30.html

 

[goldeneyedmonkey]

Cheers chaps, yeah I'd skimmed through most of those links Andy, only a few are younger than 18months oldish, that's why I started this topic. I think I'm gonna try and find a few copies of F&C, but also sign up for the FW Online subscription, which as Devonwoody said I think is probably worth it.

Cheers again. _Dan.

 

[Modernist]

LIke most mags F & C has had it's ups and downs but I think under the present editor it has improved greatly. I think it has found a way forwards to appeal to some pro's and high end amateurs and you can ignore the tool reviews like any other.

 

[Mooeee]

I find F and C is only good for tool comparisons and not a lot else, although I do appreciate that there are wood workers that want to get tool reviews but do find that tests on things like drill/drivers that can screw in 2000 screws not that helpful. I also find that on occassions what is listed on the cover as to content is not what is inside.

There have been certain articles in the odd edition that have been good and therefore worth buying a copy.

As I have said I would only buy odd copies if something catches my attention, IMHO I would not subscribe but only buy when you have flicked through them in the news agents.

 

[andy king]

Summary - magazines don't have impartial reviews as they have to please the advertisers.

Wrong. I test and review for the benefit of the readers, no one else.

 

[AndyT]

Andy that's good to hear - but I was only summarising the sort of things people have complained about in threads about woodworking magazines.