Woodworker's Journal RIP

[kmealy]

When I was thinking of leaving my corporate job and going out on my own, I believe it was Glen who told me that the world is full of ex-woodworkers paying off their IRS debts.

[Wood You]

Another sad day for wood workers! Besides Wood Craft, American Woodworker, now Woodworkers Journal and another I'm quite sure I've forgotten....

 

Looks like we won't need to build any book cases or book shelf. Just put in on a disk drive.

 

All this magazines going to heaven makes me wonder.

Have these publishers had many years of minimal profit? After all money makes the world go round right?

 

What has me thinking is these publishers have been through tough times with the economy. But like all of us sat it out because times change and get better. Yea, just as they can get worse.

 

What these folks disregard well the bean counyets that is. I'll bet woodworkers over lets say over 50 much prefer a magazine to hold in their hands. ( My self included). Going to the PC Cell phone, or tablet is as interesting as picking up a off the press fresh magazine. Personally I have no problem storing things on my techy things.  And that's the answer today it's online big deal. Paper, ink and how do you bring all that into the bathroom when nurture calls ?

 

In closing theirs no mention other then using Fine Woodworking files. Are we going to see just their plans?

 

I have nothing against fine woodworking. I'm an advanced woodworker a highly skilled one, I'd say it's coming. Fine woodworking has very what I call intense projects.

 

And that's fine, personally theirs going to be a whole bunch of folks will agree with the aforementioned.

 

Wood Magazine and 

Woodsmith appear to be the last of what? The Dinosaurs?

 

I'll take flipping a page rather then scrolling all over anytime.

 

It like a political Coo or Koo, which ever it's a pretty sad time were in. 

 

Rest in Peace the magazines I've mentioned.

And my appolgies if I did forget any others now lost in time!

 

[kmealy]

I am most familiar with Popular Woodworking since they were here in town, I knew all the writers and still have a friendship with most of them still in the area, and even had some interaction with their parent company before they bought the magazine from somewhere maybe in California.  Toward the end, I lived closer to their offices and shop than any of the staff.  When the long-time owner retired and sold out, the parent company was acquired by a bunch of corporate bean counters (no offence to accountants, as my wife was a career one).  Slowly ran it into the ground and into bankruptcy.  The introduction of YouTube where anyone with a garage and table saw could start posting videos didn't help.

 

Woodworker's Journal was acquired by Rockler, who I guess didn't know exactly what to do with it.

Edited September 10, 2024 by kmealy

[Fred W. Hargis Jr]

One of those magazines (either WWJ or Woodcraft) was actually published as Today's Woodworker, which was not a bad magazine. I'm pretty sure it was Rockler who bought it and turned it into their own magazine. Whichever it was, it was better as Today's Woodworker than it was as the renamed and revamped publication.

Edited September 10, 2024 by Fred W. Hargis Jr

[Grandpadave52]

On 9/9/2024 at 12:26 PM, Wood You said:

Another sad day for wood workers! Besides Wood Craft, American Woodworker, now Woodworkers Journal and another I'm quite sure I've forgotten....

 

Looks like we won't need to build any book cases or book shelf. Just put in on a disk drive.

 

All this magazines going to heaven makes me wonder.

Have these publishers had many years of minimal profit? After all money makes the world go round right?

 

What has me thinking is these publishers have been through tough times with the economy. But like all of us sat it out because times change and get better. Yea, just as they can get worse.

 

What these folks disregard well the bean counyets that is. I'll bet woodworkers over lets say over 50 much prefer a magazine to hold in their hands. ( My self included). Going to the PC Cell phone, or tablet is as interesting as picking up a off the press fresh magazine. Personally I have no problem storing things on my techy things.  And that's the answer today it's online big deal. Paper, ink and how do you bring all that into the bathroom when nurture calls ?

 

In closing theirs no mention other then using Fine Woodworking files. Are we going to see just their plans?

 

I have nothing against fine woodworking. I'm an advanced woodworker a highly skilled one, I'd say it's coming. Fine woodworking has very what I call intense projects.

 

And that's fine, personally theirs going to be a whole bunch of folks will agree with the aforementioned.

 

Wood Magazine and 

Woodsmith appear to be the last of what? The Dinosaurs?

 

I'll take flipping a page rather then scrolling all over anytime.

 

It like a political Coo or Koo, which ever it's a pretty sad time were in. 

 

Rest in Peace the magazines I've mentioned.

And my appolgies if I did forget any others now lost in time!

 

Many good points in your post Neal. Not so different in what we're experiencing with our local newspapers too.

I try to keep my electronics (tablets, phones, laptops) out of the shop environments as much as possible so extra steps are needed to print out plans, diagrams and the like whereas a hard copy can travel with me.

 

BTW, welcome to The Patriot Woodworker. Glad you found us and came aboard. Looking forward to seeing and reading more about your projects and sharing of your experiences. Great group of folks here. Maybe you can give some pointers to @John Morrisabout relocation opportunities in North Carolina.