Woodworking magazines

[Nick Gibbs]

Interesting reading, Ian. Lots of good sense. I will ponder once I've got the latest issue of Living Woods to press!

Cheers

Nick

 

[Lons]

Ian

=D> =D> =D> here here!

Your last post pretty much puts it into a nutshell for me and is how I see it also though I've struggled to express it.

Change is never an impossible task - only a difficult one - who was it said that the first step is the hardest?

cheers

Bob

 

[Nick Gibbs]

Change is difficult. I don't mean to sound as if I don't like it: I've introduced plenty of innovations to woodworking magazines, and hope I've got a few more in me yet.

But I do think that some people have a misapprehension of what a professional workshop looks like and how it works if they want a high-end magazine. I've just been sent a photo of a router table from Simon at Oryx (fantastic work, he does) which is made from an old sideboard. The one Justin Williams of Williams & Cleal (fantastic work they do) uses is even more basic.

Thinking about it, one of the things American magazines have done by investing so much in fantastic illustrations is that they have sanitised woodworking, making all the jigs and things look very much smarter than the tend to be in reality. My experience of many pro workshops is that most of the jigs are flung together, and hang, tatty-ish, on the wall. That's why the tips pages in US mags are hand-drawn, to make the tips look sexier than they really are. In British Woodworking we remake a fair number of the tips, a) to try them out, and b) to portray reality.

 

[Dodge]

But I do think that some people have a misapprehension of what a professional workshop looks like.

Thinking about it, one of the things American magazines have done by investing so much in fantastic illustrations is that they have sanitised woodworking, making all the jigs and things look very much smarter than the tend to be in reality. My experience of many pro workshops is that most of the jigs are flung together, and hang, tatty-ish, on the wall. That's why the tips pages in US mags are hand-drawn, to make the tips look sexier than they really are. In British Woodworking we remake a fair number of the tips, a) to try them out, and b) to portray reality.

I have got to fully agree with what Nick has said here - The majority of my jigs are made specifically for a single purpose and therefore are rarely re-used as most of my pieces are "one off" commissions and even if repeated new jigs will be made specifically to suit that piece being worked on.

The other thing is that jigs one made take up alot of space and whilst they are made to be accurate once used quite often end up in the off-cuts bucket ready for the woodburner. If I had kept ever jig ever made I wouldnt have space to move in my workshop.

A workshop should be clean and tidy environment but what you see in the majority of American Mags are purely photographic stages!

I feel that this thread is going round and round a bit - What we all must remember is that what interests one person will bore another rigid - We all have different interests and abilities . What we personally dislike in an article may be highly praised by another.

Personally I think a bit of give and take is required - the magazines may only take a few hours to read but take weeks if not months of hard work to put together.

Rog

 

[Nick Gibbs]

It is quite funny the emails I've had the weekend, with so many different folk liking and/or loathing almost every article in different ways.

A famous planemaker once asked me for a copy of one of my magazines. I suggested he swap it for one of his planes. "But my planes take a month to make," he said. "So does an issue of my magazine," I retorted!!!!

 

[Dodge]

A famous planemaker once asked me for a copy of one of my magazines. I suggested he swap it for one of his planes. "But my planes take a month to make," he said. "So does an issue of my magazine," I retorted!!!!

=D> =D> =D>

 

[Lons]

It is quite funny the emails I've had the weekend, with so many different folk liking and/or loathing almost every article in different ways.

A famous planemaker once asked me for a copy of one of my magazines. I suggested he swap it for one of his planes. "But my planes take a month to make," he said. "So does an issue of my magazine," I retorted!!!!

=D> =D> =D>

Yep - have to admit that an hour of my time costs a hell of a lot more than the cover price of your magazine Nick

I do support what you are trying to do and you're never going to please me or anyone else completely so middle ground it has to be.

BTW, I did eventually wade through the pencil pages and at least applaud you for including the comment from Mike Garnham who's last sentence clearly showed his opinion. :-"

Got to agree with what Rog says as well. The post is going round in circles and to that end I won't air any more of my opinions on the subject in public.

cheers

Bob

 

[ondablade]

I can safely say that Nick is right. Despite the 'come on guys' sound of what I wrote change is one of the most difficult undertakings possible in an organisation.

It's a catch 22 problem though, in that the point is eventually reached in every normal organisation where it's no longer optional. The safest bet is usually gradual but continuous or evolutionary change. The risks increase rapidly with the depth and speed of change - which is why delaying until it's forced is even more risky....

 

[Alf]

I feel that this thread is going round and round a bit

The subject itself tends to go round and round a bit - we've had similar discussions frequently over the years, with various magazine folks contributing. Fair play to Nick; he's probably taken more of it on board than any other editor (and more flak too, I reckon), but still the same points crop up again and again. The magazines are all still seeming to try and be all things to all men, and it doesn't work. Another frequent moan is where is the aspirational/inspirational stuff? Yes, you want projects that make you want to rush out to the w'shop then and there, but sometimes you want to read about a "Someday" project, that you aspire to do. If it's well presented, in the meantime you can still generally pick up tips and techniques from it that you can use now anyway. FWW used to be good at that, but not so much now, I gather.

Of course, if you can find half a dozen good writers who have a steady turnover of new projects to write about, a breathtaking range of technical know-how, and will work for peanuts, you could solve the problem in one fell swoop. And I'm sure Nick writes to Santa and asks about that on an annual basis... :wink:

 

[Nick Gibbs]

Of course, if you can find half a dozen good writers who have a steady turnover of new projects to write about, a breathtaking range of technical know-how, and will work for peanuts, you could solve the problem in one fell swoop. And I'm sure Nick writes to Santa and asks about that on an annual basis... :wink:

Thanks, Alf. I gave up believing in that Santa years ago, I'm afraid. But it's good to hope.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

A famous planemaker once asked me for a copy of one of my magazines. I suggested he swap it for one of his planes. "But my planes take a month to make," he said. "So does an issue of my magazine," I retorted!!!!

Ah, maybe true Nick, but you are operating in a truly scaleable industry and the planemaker isn't. By that I mean the planemaker has one product to sell at the end of a month's work, whereas you have hundreds, or perhaps thousands, albeit each one of your magazines costs a fraction of the single plane.

You aren't comparing like for like, but I suspect you were aware of that and your comment to the planemaker (and here) was rather tongue-in-cheek. Slainte.

 

[Nick Gibbs]

Ah, maybe true Nick, but you are operating in a truly scaleable industry and the planemaker isn't. By that I mean the planemaker has one product to sell at the end of a month's work, whereas you have hundreds, or perhaps thousands, albeit each one of your magazines costs a fraction of the single plane.

You aren't comparing like for like, but I suspect you were aware of that and your comment to the planemaker (and here) was rather tongue-in-cheek. Slainte.

It was, of course, tongue in cheek, but only up to a point. It is very easy for people to underestimate the effort that goes into producing a magazine, and that the collection, analysis and repackaging of information in an entertaining and informative manner is a skill the same as making a plane, fitting a sink or cooking. I had a very rude visitor at a show recently who saw nothing painful in telling me how he gets his copies of my magazine from someone else, and passes them around.

 

[tisdai]

I had a very rude visitor at a show recently who saw nothing painful in telling me how he gets his copies of my magazine from someone else, and passes them around

I think you are getting a bit carried away with this Nick, You can't say with hand on heart that you have never passed anything on, or gave someone a magazine of book that you have read. How would we be able to pass the time away in a docs surgery or hospital waiting room if their was nothing to read

Cheers

Dave

 

[Jacob]

..... I had a very rude visitor at a show recently who saw nothing painful in telling me how he gets his copies of my magazine from someone else, and passes them around.

At least he didn't bin them, you should be pleased!

 

[Nick Gibbs]

Sorry. I didn't mean to be over the top. People often say that to me at shows, and they're a bit embarrassed, and you laugh about it, and think that yes it hopefully will lead to a sale. This one was just rude about it, and aggressive, and didn't feel he should have to pay for information. He got my goat.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

It was, of course, tongue in cheek, but only up to a point. It is very easy for people to underestimate the effort that goes into producing a magazine, and that the collection, analysis and repackaging of information in an entertaining and informative manner is a skill the same as making a plane, fitting a sink or cooking.

Nick, I don't doubt the effort and work that goes into creating a good magazine, issue after issue. I have had some peripheral involvement in the publishing game over the last fifteen years as an author, and I like to think I've developed just about enough understanding of the business to recognise the work and talent needed to create a good magazine.

I genuinely enjoy sending my manuscripts to a good editor of a good magazine.
I suppose the counterpoint to that is I do not enjoy sending work to a poor editor, and won't do so if I find out I'm working with a dud. Slainte.

 

[Nick Gibbs]

I genuinely enjoy sending my manuscripts to a good editor of a good magazine. I suppose the counterpoint to that is I do not enjoy sending work to a poor editor, and won't do so if I find out I'm working with a dud. Slainte.

Does that mean I can expect to hear from you?

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Does that mean I can expect to hear from you?

Possibly, but it will have to wait until I finish working on a larger text which is a manuscript on timber technology. It's only been five years and a bit in the writing until now, ha, ha.

I'm not much interested in putting together short two or three thousand word pieces plus figures and photographs at the moment, although I can do so easily enough if I'm in the mood and/or the pay is tempting enough. Pay itself is rarely tempting in the woodworking publishing world as you know of course. Articles are generally relatively straightforward though and the research, referencing and attribution often needs to be only be very slight, although that's not the case with every article. It depends on the subject and the treatment: is it merely an opinion piece and/or one based on experience, or is it a text that needs real primary and secondary research with references and a bibliography are elements that influences the time required to create the manuscript. Slainte.

 

[Nick Gibbs]

Well, good luck with it. Do drop me an email if you have something to say/write.

 

[Oryxdesign]

I wonder if there is a market for a British mag in the states, they're exporting enough stuff to us, it'd be only right to send some back.