Jump to content

popular woodworking magazine


kmealy

Recommended Posts

Being local and that I'm active in the woodworking community here, I've know the people at Popular Woodworking since day 1.  The top guys spun off a number of years ago.  A few years later, three of the major staff members left all at once, now this.   Don't know what is coming up next

https://rudemechanicalspress.wordpress.com/2017/12/05/the-times-they-are-a-changin/

Link to comment

I think Chris Schwarz left to follow his own star.  Not sure why Glen Huey, Chuck Bender and Bob Lang left, but I was never forward enough to ask any of them.  Not sure about Steve Shanesy, either, but maybe he just retired.  Jim Stack told me he got caught in a staff cutback.  David Thiel is still there, although as a video head.   Brendan Gaffney just joined this year.

Link to comment

The story over at Woodnet was that Bender, Huey, and Lang were forced out. Fuzzy memory here, but i think they disagreed with something the magazine was doing at the time. I like Megan and the job she did...but truthfully the magazine business is in trouble so it's just as well (for here) that she's leaving. I think she's a doctoral candidate and this might give here more time to pursue that (if she hasn't completed it already).

Link to comment

Well, I have only heard things second-hand regarding the threesome, so I won't repeat it.    Megan has an ABD (all but dissertation) on a PhD in Shakespearean Literature.    It's been that way for a long while so I don't know if she'll ever get back to it.   I'll see Megan this Saturday at Schwarz's shop and find out what I can.

Link to comment

There's an old saying, "If you're not the lead dog in the sled team, then the scenery never changes".

 

I think all of the woodworking magazines are in trouble. People are just plain bored with the same basic things over and over. This is great for the woodworkers that are just learning, but the more seasoned folks are in the market to challenge their abilities and doing more artistic and complicated techniques. Magazines like Popular Woodworking, Woodsmith, and others are struggling for readership and market shares, which are limited.

 

There is obviously a fundamental difference in philosophies between the old school, seasoned woodworkers, and the newer ones now running the magazines. Some of their directions have totally turned me off. The biggest mistake was the Woodsmithshop video series. Two or three episodes in and I was ready to slash my wrists and end the pain.

 

I wish Megan well and hope she continues to publish often.

Link to comment

Bill, you paint a bleak picture. Sad to say but, you're undoubtedly correct in your assessment. 

Add that there is beginning to be some excellent and, process specific, content on YouTube and, its free....for now. I'm afraid that twilight is rapidly nearing for the WW magazines.

Link to comment

There was a big discussion on this topic over on WoodNet earlier this year.  It seems like the market is for beginning woodworkers, not experienced ones.  I guess we've "aged out" of the demographics.  I stopped getting WOOD way back when they got more into "pukey ducks"  (OLDTOOLS term for crappy lawn and mantle ornaments)

Link to comment

This old guy can still find a gem in some issues of some mags. But, not worth subscribing for, though. 

Even if their target audiences are newbies, they're still going to have to find a way around digital content. I'm a luddite but would much rather watch ie. Rob Cosman sharpen a blade, than read an article about his methods. 

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...