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05-19-2019, 09:34 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-19-2019, 09:37 AM by Big Dave.)
I didn't want it to, but it finally did.
Woodsmith Magazine has started adding advertisers.
It was one of the reasons I liked Woodsmith. It was always about the woodworking. An old friend of mine, who was a woodworker I really admired, once told me "You could become a pretty good woodworker if you read Woodsmith." I always though the same thing, but was a little surprised to hear it from him as I didn't think he read it. I always figured him for a Fine Woodworking guy. The entire magazine was about nothing but woodworking. I could be wrong, but I don't remember any of the articles having a comment saying "continued on page x." You started and finished an article without interruption. Whether building a hope chest, sharpening a blade, or learning how to cut dovetails. No pages about the latest saw, the best finish, or newest gadget to interfere. Woodsmith truly is my favorite magazine...
Now, I'm not implying that the magazine will become just like all the others. After all, the advertising is limited to both sides of the back cover. But I don't believe it will be long before they start moving inside. It's not just about the woodworking anymore, now it's about the money, too...
Dammit.
"One should respect public opinion insofar as is necessary to avoid starvation and keep out of prison, but anything that goes beyond this is voluntary submission to an unnecessary tyrany, and is likely to interfere with happiness in all kinds of ways."
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The writing was on the wall when Shopnotes disappeared. A business has to do whatever it can to stay afloat, including selling ad space. Sooner or later, magazines will only exist in the digital format...and may be there will be two versions we can choose--ads free vs ads-filled (which would be cheaper to subscribe?).
Simon
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(05-19-2019, 09:43 AM)Handplanesandmore Wrote: The writing was on the wall when Shopnotes disappeared. A business has to do whatever it can to stay afloat, including selling ad space. Sooner or later, magazines will only exist in the digital format...and may be there will be two versions we can choose--ads free vs ads-filled (which would be cheaper to subscribe?).
Simon
For the second time. That was the only one I really liked years ago and then they cancelled it and came out with Woodsmith gold addition and then shopnotes came out again. Now it is gone and one of the reasons I do not get any mags from them.
If they were more consistent I would subscribe to shopnotes and keep it but just who wants the on/off again mag.
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I was also surprised as I have been a news stand purchaser and later subscriber since Woodsmith started in January 1979. Have a every issue and often times go back to review an article or look for something. Always enjoy reading the magazine -- from cover to cover -- even if I had no intentions of building one or any of the projects. Same with Shop Notes -- have all the issues -- another interesting and informative publication, which for some reason, just could not hold its base.
The Woodsmith and Shop Notes no advertisements format/policy is/was a major draw for me and other as well. Guess I will just have to wait and see how this all shakes out. But I still keep thinking of the old saw: "Once the camel gets his nose into the tent"....
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I stopped taking Woodsmith when my subscription ran out earlier this year. I was a subscriber almost from the beginning and often refer back to an article or project. I became a pretty good woodworker by building projects I liked in Woodsmith. I kept taking it longer than truly was useful to me, however, and it got to the point where I just didn't need to see yet another workbench build, so I let it go. I'm now down to one now, Fine Woodworking, which I likely will continue to take as long as I continue with the craft.
As far as the advertising now in Woodsmith, I'm very surprised they didn't have any for all these years. But if having advertising helps them meet their bottom line it wouldn't bother me. Prior to the internet I looked forward to seeing what new tools and machines were being offered in the ads in FWW.
John
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(05-19-2019, 01:14 PM)jteneyck Wrote: I stopped taking Woodsmith when my subscription ran out earlier this year. I was a subscriber almost from the beginning and often refer back to an article or project. I became a pretty good woodworker by building projects I liked in Woodsmith. I kept taking it longer than truly was useful to me, however, and it got to the point where I just didn't need to see yet another workbench build, so I let it go. I'm now down to one now, Fine Woodworking, which I likely will continue to take as long as I continue with the craft.
As far as the advertising now in Woodsmith, I'm very surprised they didn't have any for all these years. But if having advertising helps them meet their bottom line it wouldn't bother me. Prior to the internet I looked forward to seeing what new tools and machines were being offered in the ads in FWW.
John
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I stayed with shopnotes till the last dog died. It was the best for me. I liked the tool making articles better than the woodworking projects.
I'd pick it up again if they brought it back.
I'm down to 0 magazines now.
Steve
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I started letting all my subscriptions go 10 years ago when I retired. I really liked Woodsmith but tool reviews were starting to replay periodically in all the mags, newer models and more reviews but...... so bye-bye. Woodsmith was the last to go and I really didn't want to let it but bye-bye also.
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Will it be bigger? (More pages to carry the extra advertisement pages.)
or
Will it be the same size? (Lose some "woodworking stuff" pages and replace with "advertising stuff" pages.)
NOTICE: smaller is not an option. Why would you pay for fewer pages, if they were selling ads to offset expenses?
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05-20-2019, 08:53 AM
(This post was last modified: 05-20-2019, 08:53 AM by ®smpr_fi_mac®.)
Being younger, I've always had adverts in magazines. My first subs were motorcycle magazines back in the late 90's, so they're nothing new to me. I *do* love Woodsmith for its no-nonsense approach to woodworking, but maintain a subscription to several magazines, including Wood, Popular Woodworking, Woodworking Journal, Fine Woodworking, and Woodsmith.
Why?
Because I still learn from each of them. I love Wood because it features plans that are almost always on my level or *just* above it, so that I learn and enjoy building them. If I had to pick *one* magazine, it would be a toss up between Woodsmith and Wood.
Not having adverts would be nice, but I ignore them.
Semper fi,
Brad
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