Keep FWW subscription?

Re: Keep FWW subscription?

Clint Searl

I was a charter subscriber, and maintained my subscription and collection till sometime in the early/mid 90's, when I decided that the content wasn't worth the price. Finally gave the stack away to a young guy I never met, but seemed serious about wanting to be inspired and learn about the craft. On an editorial note, I think FWW is responsible for relegating design to the shadows at the expense of making sure that there are no gaps in the dovetails, so to speak. Everything now looks like Krenov, Maloof, or Nakashima.

BTW...

Clint Searl

The boss of this website was an early unknowing mentor of mine via a book he collaborated on. Thanks, Ellis.

Re: Keep FWW subscription?

CJ in MPLS

I don't recall when it was added, but the new design segment in FWW is pretty good. There is a new green woodworking section that has just been added, which looks promising to me.

While the target audience for a woodworking magazine probably remains pretty static, i.e. the folks that buy the magazine can probably be defined by a set of fairly consistent characteristics, the set of people actually buying the magazine at any given time tends to age out. When I was very new to this avocation in the early 90's, a friend gave me a few issues that he had brought home from work (his employer was a midwestern printer of FWW). Since then, the stuff geared toward the target demographic has slowly become less interesting. Tool run-offs are mostly filler to me these days as I know what I want and mostly have what I need. Workbench trends have been fun to watch, but since I built my current bench when the Scandinavian/Frank Klaus style was in vogue, I don't pay much attention.

It is too bad, but frankly, I'd be more worried if FWW did not become a bit passe at some point. FWW is pretty much the same as it always was, I think us readers tend to grow out of it.

I dropped it

Bill Tindall, E.Tn.

I have most of volumes 1-200. Re-subscribed a while back then quit last year as a result of too much touchy-feely content and articles about shop furniture. I enjoy going back and rereading old articles. It was way less bland in the early days, and more pages.

I look for technique articles and inspirational pieces. The old issues are better than now. Modern woodworking has become too much about the showy wood and less about design.

I think the magazine has changed and not for the better in my mind. Popular Woodworking has run off the rails. I just got a "come back" offer for $10/year. Not worth it.

Re: Keep FWW subscription?

John K Jordan

I debate that every time. The reason I keep it is for the occasional useful article, for example on page 20 of #271, Dec 2018.

JKJ

Re: Keep FWW subscription?

Larry

I'm a charter subscriber. I wish they would have more on building machines like they had in the first years!

Re: Keep FWW subscription?

JL

I am not a charter subscriber. I started back in the late 90s.

I have debated - but kept my subscription.

I usually find something of worth in each issue.

Re: Keep FWW subscription?

Ron in Sterling, CT

At one time I think I probably subscribed to dang near everyone of the woodworking mags. As my skills progressed (and I got older) I slowly dropped them until now FWW is the only one I subscribe to. Many issues don't have a lot to offer me, but every once in a while an article comes along which really grabs my attention. I agree with Bill T that the older FWW's had better articles (at least for me) than the current ones. My 2 cents.

Ron

Re: Keep FWW subscription?

Derek Cohen (in Perth, Australia)

I'll keep my FWW subscription. There are articles that interest me still, as well as news of equipment. It is light entertainment, not an education, is still cheap enough, and with sufficient variety to find something interesting.

I shall drop Pop Wood. It has become too much like other mags since Chris Schwarz left. Megan did a good job of holding onto his philosophy, but now she has left as well.

I miss the days of Woodwork, and still dip into the mags on my iPad - just the thing for long plane flights.

Regards from Perth

Derek

Re: Keep FWW subscription?

Tom Norton

Dropped mine as I grew tired of all the advertising. Now I glance at it at the library.

Re: Keep FWW subscription?

Joe in a Cleveland suburb

"Lately seems like I've renewed just to keep my collection intact. Not that I'm a perfect wood worker (far from it) but I don't get the inspiration out of it I once did."

That's exactly what I think every year. I finally dropped it a couple years ago. I renewed in December because I was offered a good come back price. Actaully my wife renewed it.

I always felt I wanted to keep my collection going that goes back to the late 80's. Some my dad gave me.

Although I need lots of help with my woodworking, I just feel like FWW has gone stale. I get more help from WoodCentral than any other source.

Plus, it seemed like every issues was a repeat from prior years with new pictures. I mean, how many times can they write an article about the best wipe on finish, the best way to cut dovetails...

I get value from looking back at old issues, there really isn't much new in the newer issues.

I have been buying each issue of Mortise & Tenon Magazine. I have found that to be interesting and a little different.

I agree, Derek

Hank Knight

I agree, Derek, Woodwork was always my favorite. It was a breath of fresh air, even back in the day when it was being published. I still enjoy leafing through the pages of my old issues. I found more inspirational design information in Woodwork than any other woodworkng magazine ever. I still subscribe to FWW because, like you, I still find something interesting in just about every issue. I've dropped all the rest.

Re: Keep FWW subscription?

TomD

I started with it in the late 70s, and it was great. It was the first serious woodworking magazine out of the US, and many others followed. They deserved to own that market, but couldn't figure out how to do it without going down market. So they went down market, and they went to simplistic stories with lots of pictures. I haven't subscribed for decades, and recently threw out several hundred issues.

I get what you are saying about wanting to keep the collection intact, that is a clear signal.

When I stopped subscribing, I didn't have the internet to fall back on. Today, all these magazines are anachronisms.

Re: Keep FWW subscription?

John McGaw

I've kept mine along with Woodsmith but have dropped everything else -- can't even recall all the ones I once received. I gave boxes and boxes of old WW mags away at a guild meeting a few years back to anybody who was interested.

Re: Keep FWW subscription?

james runchey

I dropped my subscription last year after many years, almost from the beginning and haven't really missed it. Just the other day got an offer from them, 2 years for the price of one. They must be feeling the pinch of dropouts.