Apples and Oranges

[Handplanesandmore]

https://www.woodsmith.com/review/band-saw/

I had never come across a band saw review that lumped everything together. Like trying to pick the best means of transport out of planes, semis, suvs, bikes.......

Simon

[Tapper]

https://www.woodsmith.com/review/band-saw/

I had never come across a band saw review that lumped everything together. Like trying to pick the best means of transport out of planes, semis, suvs, bikes.......

Simon

^^^^^^^^^^

Agree! Can't believe they didn't differentiate between the vertical and horizontal bandsaws.

Doug

[lincmercguy]

"It can be quite bothersome to explore the different makes, models, saw types, etc. to find the right bandsaw for the job. Lucky for you, we've listed the most relevant pieces of information about this tool in this section to help you make a decent purchase."

This reads like it was written by a bot.

[jteneyck]

It's reviews like that that helped me decide to give up my subscription a couple of years ago.  Haven't missed it.  It really is hard to believe Woodsmith actually published that.  

John

[camp10]

I've noticed that more and more reviews seem to be written by someone who has no experience with the topic.

Sheeesh, why didn't they include a hacksaw?

[Handplanesandmore]

It's reviews like that that helped me decide to give up my subscription a couple of years ago.  Haven't missed it.  It really is hard to believe Woodsmith actually published that.  

John

Woodsmith should stop pretending to be a magazine for the power tool guys AND hand tool folks. The inclusion of hand tool topics in a superficial manner through a couple of external writers is a desperate move. That would neither please the usual base nor attract traditional woodworkers. Stay true to the roots and don't try to be trendy. Don't try to be fine woodworking is what I want to say. (Popular Woodworking is not a good example to follow either).

Simon

[Ohio Mike]

This reads like it was written by a bot.

^^^^^ This!

And each tool has an Amazon affiliate link you can click.  I'm guessing if a particular tool wasn't available on Amazon, it didn't make the "best" list. 

Really disappointing.


Mike

[jteneyck]

Woodsmith should stop pretending to be a magazine for the power tool guys AND hand tool folks. The inclusion of hand tool topics in a superficial manner through a couple of external writers is a desperate move. That would neither please the usual base nor attract traditional woodworkers. Stay true to the roots and don't try to be trendy. Don't try to be fine woodworking is what I want to say. (Popular Woodworking is not a good example to follow either).

Simon

Even Fine Woodworking has soiled their reputation for excellence.  A recent article devoting 6 to 8 pages on ways to hang wall shelves was a new low.  

One of the reasons I gave up on Woodsmith was because they would have a workbench project every year it seemed.  I know new people come into the craft, hopefully, so there's a desire to present a timely project relevant to their needs, but for long time subscribers it was just more repetition.  I became a pretty good woodworker by building many of the projects I saw in Woodsmith over the years.  Sadly, they didn't offer enough new stuff to keep me interested in a subscription.  When they moved off into machine building they really lost me.  I remember looking at many of those machines and thinking what a waste of time and money to build something that will be subpar at best.  

John

[Handplanesandmore]

  I remember looking at many of those machines and thinking what a waste of time and money to build something that will be subpar at best.  

John

Was it because Woodsmith is also Shopnotes?

I don't know about others. Some are really into building rocket-science jigs and fixtures but as a woodworker, I build furniture not reinvent tools to build it. I once saw a tuber making his "domino joiner" out of a router. If I started to build something like that, I knew that's time for me to end my woodworking hobby.

Simon

[EvilTwin]

It's not just in woodworking.  I frequent car sites and there is one called Motorbiscuit that has all sorts of articles on cars and trucks that are based on an author reading other sites like Consumer reports, Road and Track, etc and summarizing what they want to out of the content they supposedly read.  Some arent even attributed to a single author but "The editors".  Really just a bunch of words mostly aimed at people who dont know anything hoping that they will click through to a link on Amazon or some other marketer.  Since most content on any subject these days is posted on the web rather than printed, it may be one of the only ways that they can generate income.  Very sad state of affairs.