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The second issue prompted me to make my first hand cut dovetails. I have been a subscriber since the premier issue in 1975. Back then my workshop was a 4 by 8 foot room in front of my carport and my only power tool was an electric drill. The main benefit I still get out of the magazine is it gives me the confidence to try new projects that demand new skills. While I buy Woodwork regularly, and occasionally other magazines at the news stand, Fine Woodworking is the only magazine I subscribe to year after year.
Second now to Woodwork magazine.Tool reviews - generally good, but often aren't always comprehensive in coverage of available tools. Fine Woodworking (FWW) was the pre-emininent woodworking magazine for the craftsman market in the US for many years. From an overall quality and value standpoint, it is not. Writing is good to excellent and editing is air-tight.Depth of articles - fallen over the years. My advice is to subscribe to several others if you want to read about truly fine work. Breaking it down into a few categories:Production qualities - still excellent.
I also subscribe to the FWW online site, which provides enhanced content and video, though I have to say that much of the online site is very dated. From a sales standpoint, it probably still is. I find in practice that I can never rely on FWW reviews alone.Art Quality and Fine Craft content - distinctly second place to Woodwork magazine.Tips and Techniques - superficial filler content.Value - FWW has become expensive, considering the fall-off in content quality.I'm a current subscriber and intend to continue. FWW is a beautiful magazine. Pictures are usually superb. My opinion of FWW has declined over the years to where I "only" regard it as a very good magazine, but not a great one.
In the US, Woodwork magazine is at the top of the list.
This is, in my opinion, one of the top two or three woodworking magazines in America. Reading it with raise the level of your craft.(Ammended) I now give it 4 stars (****) I've been subscribing to this magazine for almost over 8 years and I feel that it definitely helped raise the level of my craft significantly in the beginning - and still does today, but to a much lesser extent. I find a lot of the content to be repetitive. The tool reviews are excellent.
Started my subscription in March of 2008. They had backdated my subscription to January 10, 2008, and had sent me back issues from thier trash bin. Got my first copy (April issue) week of April 7th, 2008. Got two more issues (June and February)next week (April 14th). I have now gotten six months of magazines in two weeks. I have had them do this also for Fine Home Building and Wooden Boat.
Seems a little fresher these days. If you ever can get your hands on some of the earlier copies, you will be amazed at the quality of writers and articles then compared with now.
Woodwork is a better magazine with more original content. I have been a subscriber for many years, but for $34.95, it just isn't worth it anymore.
The magazine has always had an "east coast" bias, which is fine, but the lack of diversity of the woodworking styles represented is not excusable in a magazine supposed to be covering the furniture building audience. I just can't see putting out this much for an advertising based magazine.
Look elsewhere, like used books for lasting content for much less. I would recommend Popular Woodworking if you are interested in hand tools and methods.
Or for a more artistic bent, look at Woodwork magazine.
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