Wood magazines?

[kliu]

What are some recommended woodworking magazines to subscribe to?
Geared for the newbie

[mcgrath4u]

I enjoy Wood, Workbench, and Fine Wood Woodworking.

If there is a Lowes near you, I would go and see if they have the 2 pack of Irwin 6" clamps that comes with a free year subscription to FWW. 20 bucks for decent clamps and the subscription.

Others will chime in. Good luck.

[don_hart]

I suscribe to Wood, American Woodworker, Popular Woodworking and shopnotes. Of the 4 the best is shopnotes all the rest are good as well with Wood leading the pack.

[gmack5]

The first ones I would recommend would be ShopNotes and WorkBench, both good magazines for the beginner.
And of course there's Wood Magazine, a good all round rag for Woodworkers.

[Mainemarc]

Hi Kliu:

For a new woodworker, I'd recommend Wood Magazine. I think they do a pretty good job covering techniques and projects appropriate for the beginner to intermediate WWer. Workbench is pretty good too, with a touch more emphasis on home renovations in addition to just furniture, shop and craft projects.

After a year or so, consider graduating to Popular Woodworking, which I somehow find much "deeper" but without being too artsy. Beginners can get a lot out of this one too, but it doesn't offer full size patterns and a trio of projects every month (including one geared toward the rank novice), like Wood does.

I think Popular Woodworking is the best general interest woodworking publication out there now, but for the beginner, if you can afford only one, I'd steer your towards Wood Mag first.

For sheer inspiration, I recommend Woodwork Magazine. It used to be Fine Woodworking, but I don't recommend that so highly anymore. Call me crazy but I think they've slipped in quality in the past year or so.

[kliu]

Thanks for the responses.
I think I will follow mcgrath4u's advice and check out Lowes. They should have a few of the magazines on the racks too.

[LarryG]

I'll fifth/sixth/whatever-we're-up-to the motion for WOOD. Probably as close to an all-around crowd-pleaser as you'll find.

Popular Woodworking and it's no-ads offspring, Woodworking Magazine (currently published only twice a year), are good if you enjoy reading about woodworking as much as doing woodworking. I concur with Marc's analysis on this one ... it's deeper, but not artsy. The content is the sort of thing that will sink into your conciousness and gradually become more valuable over time. A lot of the biggest names in the game are contributors.

Many people, myself included, aren't impressed by Woodworker's Journal. Too many ads, and what editorial content it contains doesn't seem very helpful.

A recent order I received from Woodcraft contained a sample copy of their new magazine. Other than the bio article on David Marks, it was pretty much a nonstop yawn.

Most if not all of these titles are bimonthlies, six issues a year, so keep that in mind if you subscribe; the price may not be as good as it initially appears.

[gary]

I subscribe to Woodsmith, Shopnotes, Wood & Fine Woodworking (order I like them). I buy (newstand) an occasional American Woodworker and Workbench that looks interesting. I had subscribed to Woodworkers Journal but never will again.

[jnesmith]

My favorites are Fine Woodworking, Popular Woodworking, and Wood, in that order. Athough FWW is geared more towards woodworkers with a lot of experience, it is still very educational and interesting. So, don't rule it out because you think you might not fit the target audience.

I also subscribe to Shop Notes, but unlike others who have responded, I don't like it. It takes me literally less than 10 minutes to read. Just not enough to it for my taste.

[Ken Weaver]

My list is Wood, Shop Notes, Woodsmith, American Woodworker, in that order.

[ChrisD]

quote:Originally posted by jnesmith

My favorites are Fine Woodworking, Popular Woodworking, and Wood, in that order.

Same here. I subscribe to all three now.

[mater]

Wood and Shop Notes would be my recommendation.

[wassaw998]

Best advice is to go to a mag rack and check out a few. Lowes / HD carries a lot. There is a style that I really can't stand, that style is layed out in "The Family Handyman" - basically tons of silly ads , real purty models "posing" like they are doing the work, and, fluff. Unfortunately I have noticed some of the other more respectable mags slipping over to this format.

Also, I know ShopNotes rates well with most, I have a subscription to that and have not been real happy with it, although I like the concept. Some I guess is just personal taste. For sure, you can save a bundle on a subscription over buying off the rack.

[tmaceroli]

I subscribe to ShopNotes. Popular Woodworking and Wood. I'm going to let my ShopNotes subscription lapse. Although I've built a couple of the projects in that magazine, or adapted some of them to what I was trying to do, many of them are too involved for me to really be interested in them. I don't really want to build my own jointer. If I'm going to spend that much time on a project, I'd want it to be something useful outside of the shop. There are some good tips in there, like how to make box joints, etc., but the other magazines will have the same articles.

I think I'm going to replace my sub to ShopNotes with one to Fine Woodworking. I've gotten a couple of newsstand copies, and I like the mix of articles, and the in-depth coverage of a subject. I also look at various mags on the news stands in case there is a project I would like to build. I've built a couple from Woodsmith (same publisher as ShopNotes) as the plans and explanations are excellent. I don't subscribe since I won't want to make every project they feature. I just buy it when I see something that interests me.

Those magazines also have web sites and newletters you can get via email. They also offer free plans for downloads, some of which are pretty good.

Have fun.

[LarryG]

quote:Originally posted by tmaceroli

I think I'm going to replace my sub to ShopNotes with one to Fine Woodworking.

<s>As someone else mentioned, get yourself to Lowe's and take advantage of the Irwin Quick-Grip clamps offer ... buy a pair of 6" mini QG clamps, get a free year's sub to FWW. A great deal for twenty bucks, and you need more clamps anyway, right?</s>
<s>I think the offer runs through the end of May. The rebate receipt should automatically print at the register.</s>

Edit: ACKK! Decided I'd better check my notes on the above ... turns out the rebate request must be postmarked by the end of the May, but the offer itself expired at the end of April. Sorry 'bout that.