The Craftsmans book club

[Steve James]

Hi

Has anyone had anything to do with this book club?
I had a leaflet fall out of one of the WW mags and was wondering are they ok or a con?
It look's to be a good deal on the surface but......
Has anyone had "membership" of this club, any views good or bad?

Cheers
Steve

 

[Woodythepecker]

Steve, i was a member a good few years ago and i have to say that they are not to bad. A number of the books were very good and at a decent price.


Regards

Woody

 

[Steve Maskery]

I, too, used belong once upon a long time ago. It's pretty straight, WYSIWYG.

However, I found that the selection didn't change much, if at all, month by month, so by the time you've had your first 4 for 50p each or whatever, then another couple for the first month or two, you are scratching around to find titles of interest, and having to buy something (under the terms of your contract) which you are not really interested in.

FWIW

Cheers
Steve

 

[Pete W]

I'm still a member, but considering cancelling. As Steve says, you can struggle a bit to find titles of interest - for my taste there are too many DIY, build-your-own-house titles. I've also noticed that once you've had the initial offer, you can usually find the regular offers cheaper on Amazon.

So, probably worth it if you can get four must-have titles on the initial offer but I wouldn't bother otherwise.

 

[Jorden]

If you happen to have access to usenet (newsgroups) then a look in alt.binaries.ebook.technical could be interesting. :wink:

D.

 

[Anonymous]

Still a member but not for much longer. Not worth it IMO, by the time you have taken the postage into account not particularly cheap. All the books I have had so far have been by American authors. Not that I have anything against Americans but their terminology is different and I have found some of their books not all that useful. The last book I had was called The Small Workshop, well if some of the examples given were small mine must be about the size of a rabbit hutch in comparisan!

 

[Pete W]

Anyone looking for book bargains should check out the GMC bargain books catalogue that just fell out of my new copy of Good Woodworking.

Lots of Taunton books at a fiver each, and the Garrett Hack duo (Classic Hand Tools and The Handplane Book) in hardback for a tenner each - which is cheaper than the current Craftsman's book club offer for the paperback editions!

About 70 woodworking titles in all, all for £5 or £10 each.

 

[Philly]

Pete
I have ordered stuff twice from it-but most items are out of stock almost instantly. I phoned my order through the day it arrived (and I subscribe so it was in my hands 3 days before it was on the shelves) two thirds of the books I wanted were gone already and I hada letter from them saying two others had sold out between me placing the order and them packing my order. :?
Go for it, but be prepared to come home empty handed
Cheers
Philly

 

[Pete W]

Hi Philly,

I knew there had to be a catch :roll:. I check the GMC website and found they're selling much of the same stock at full price there, so I'm not sure which warehouse they're clearing (small stock cupbord, probably!)

I also note that Amazon UK has a used copy of Hack's Handplane book in hardcover for only £73 :shock:. Anyone who wants that one can feel free to jump ahead of me in the queue :lol:.

 

[Alf]

That GMC sale catalogue has been out at least a month, maybe more, which might account for things already being gone. I've had good results from them in the past when I've got in quick, although the postage ups the cost a bit. Thought about it this time but I'm suffering from a bit of a surfeit of books and a famine of shelf space...

Cheers, Alf