An Ad for Woodworking Magazine??
The new issue of Woodworking Magazine is out and I received my copy a few days ago. I subscribe to several woodworking magazines but when Woodworking shows up in the mailbox it’s a good day – a very good day.
The odd thing is that if I describe Woodworking Magazine to someone they look at me and wonder what planet I’m from. Afterall, this is a magazine that comes out only four times a year and only has 32 pages between its covers. It’s done in black and white and uses relatively simple graphics when required, not the fancy color isometric drawings so common in woodworking magazines.
And maybe therein lies the clue as to what makes Woodworking so appealing to me. It’s what isn’t in it. There is no advertising. I’m not opposed to advertising but this explains, in large part, why Woodworking is so thin compared to other magazines. Most of its competition are 3-4 times the number of pages. But those other magazines are at least 45% advertising (only postal regulations limit this), making the difference between Woodworking Magazine and the others to only a few pages of actual text and photos.
What they don’t do with their editorial space is also important to me. I’ve never seen Woodworking show me yet another article for the ubiquitous router table, crosscut sled, push stick or other common jig for lining up wood so you can shove it through a power tool. It’s not that they’re against power tools; they aren’t and use them judiciously in completing the projects they present. It’s just that they don’t seem to feel the urge to repeat, over and over, the basic jigs.
There are no lengthy comparisons like “35 power hand drills”, “Bench Tablesaw Shootout”, “We test 12 Routers” articles in Woodworking. These are great for satisfying advertisers but they hold little interest for me. Woodworking isn’t encumbered by the need to satisfy advertisers.
If you pick up any of your favorite magazines, count the number of actual article pages, and then subtract the sort of thing I’ve just been talking about you’ll see that, in fact, Woodworking provides more pages of hands-on, here’s how you build it, content than most. I’ll admit here that I like working with handtools and so articles, like “Bench Planes: The System of Three”, as appears in this issue, appeal to me but may not to others. Even here, though, the emphasis is on how the planes are used, not which ones to buy. What I can say is that Woodworking Magazine is the only magazine I read cover to cover – issue after issue.
I have only one reservation about making these comments. Is this an ad for Woodworking even if I pay for my subscription? Maybe if I don’t suggest you run out and get a subscription of your own… yeah, that’s it. This is not an ad for Woodworking Magazine.
Cheers — Larry
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Hear here!!!
It’s a fabulous magazine, and the ads aren’t missed. We all know where to buy what we want.Like you, I’m very pleased with the space being used for real, useful, content.
Bob, you have succinctly stated what I rambled on about for too long. Thanks for stopping by.
Cheers — Larry
Larry, I couldn’t agree more, the only thing Idon’t like is I am done reading every page by the time I turn in on the day it arrives! I purchased the hard bound copy to get “caught up” and I look at it over and over again as it seems I am always finding something new. Thanks for your write up. Rick
You’re right, Rick, mine gets “consumed” quickly as well. But, unlike others, I find it easy to re-read them AND to find stuff when you need to as the ads don’t get in the way during the search
Cheers — Larry