Magazines

[marcros]

I was working in Aberdeen for the last couple of days, so went to W H Smith's for a magazine whilst I watched tv in my hotel room. The Airport smiths had nothing of interest to offer at all.

There were 2 woodworking ones on the shelf- fine woodworking, and another British one that didn't look very good from the quick look I had. I had a flick through and selected FWW. It was ok, but there wasn't a lot in it and it cost £5.25. The articles in the main part seemed well written and quite interesting.

Are the other magazines any better? Is there any more in them, and can i buy a copy without having to take out a subscription? Would I be better to save 40+ quid a year and subscribe to a few blogs online?

Mark

 

[Nick Gibbs]

Of course, I'd say British Woodworking is best! You can buy a trial subscription of three issues for £5 at www.britishwoodworking.com to get you going, with no strings attached. You don't have to cancel or anything. You can also try an electronic version for an iPad, iPhone, Android etc... at www.pocketmags.com. Hope that helps.

Hope that isn't counted as inappropriate advertising. You did ask!

Cheers

Nick

 

[Jacob]

Next time you are in an Aberdeen situation poke around a few bookshops, new or second hand. Much better value than throwaway magazines. £40 a year and you soon have a permanent collection of interesting stuff

 

[Nick Gibbs]

I hope there's still room for mags and ours provide a valuable service, but Jacob has a point. If you can find Charles Hayward's fabulous The ABC of Woodwork you will have bought a gem.

Cheers

Nick

 

[Jacob]

Ideally, if the content of mags were good enough, they would eventually be published as a book. Some of the collected "Woodworker" articles are now classics.

PS here's a good idea for you Nick- why not reprint old articles (many out of copyright) perhaps add some modern footnotes?

PPS say from 50 years ago, then from 100 years ago. Could be good - I might even buy the mag!

 

[Hutzul]

Of course, I'd say British Woodworking is best! You can buy a trial subscription of three issues for £5 at http://www.britishwoodworking.com to get you going, with no strings attached. You don't have to cancel or anything. You can also try an electronic version for an iPad, iPhone, Android etc... at http://www.pocketmags.com. Hope that helps.

Hope that isn't counted as inappropriate advertising. You did ask!

Cheers

Nick

I tried this offer of 3 BWW for a fiver, and quite enjoyed the mag, however I wasn't sure I wanted to shell out a lump sum for a subscription.

I would like to know if anyone can recommend other woodworking mags, British or otherwise. Whilst I try to be patriotic, I do like what I've seen of American WW

 

[Nick Gibbs]

I have done that in the past. If anyone has any suggestions, then send them my way and I'll put them in the magazine, as you say with analysis and updating. I don't have many of those old issues. But someone can surely supply some.

Some magazines, Fine Woodworking particularly, produce brilliant compendiums (compendia??) of articles. They are good and useful. They don't offer the immediacy of a mag, but are a good compromise. Woodworker were still doing an annual when I first edited it 25 years ago, and GMC have done some collections of articles by specific authors.

 

[Nick Gibbs]

I tried this offer of 3 BWW for a fiver, and quite enjoyed the mag, however I wasn't sure I wanted to shell out a lump sum for a subscription.

It is available in larger Smiths if you want to keep trying it. What is it you are looking for that would persuade you to take out a subscription (considering you quite enjoyed it)?

Nick

 

[dickm]

Next time you are in an Aberdeen situation poke around a few bookshops, new or second hand.

No, don't do that, you might beat me to them
The Red Cross shop in Ellon (about 15 miles north of the Granite City) has/had last week, a five-year run of Good Woodworking from the 1990s at 30p a copy......