Wood Turning Magazine (mild rant)

[CHJ]

Issue 363 just dropped through the letterbox, just a quick glance before I go and start todays tasks. **

Why is it that after all the years of publishing and past feedback on the subject, the publisher still can't be bothered to get a Turner to proof read the finished articles and layout.

Page 18 article, full page image of turned piece referring to reactive metal paints to give patina shows item as turned not finished. Page 23 of same article has three numbered and captioned images purporting to show finishing progress to finished item from top to bottom with images printed in reverse order to numbering (finished item first and lowest number)

Article page 90 advocates and shows the use of a Spindle Roughing Gouge for truing up a cross-grain blank a definite no-no with the majority of timbers. But I guess this is OK because it is advocated by a renowned Turner.

And what's with this constant reference to cutting circles damaging Bandsaw blades, surely if the blade has suitable width and kerf for the task it does not know what shape its cutting.

I've never experienced this to my knowledge and my blades stay on the machine until they need sharpening, cutting logs, slabs, slices and circles.


**cutting up yet another 8 X 4 sheet of 1/2" ply for the last of several large containers for neighbour to store his generators.

 

[Alf]

Ah, Chas, t'was ever thus. My one experience of being in woodworking print had pictures and captions apparently randomly assigned one to another. I can only hope that the readership realised I knew a bandsaw from a mitre saw, even if the editor did not.

Have fun with the ply.

 

[Woodbloke]

When I first started to write for the relatively new F&C, the page rate was £75. It was still £75 :evil: when I packed it in a decade later and in addition Derek Jones expected his contributors to take almost studio quality pics in the workshop, which involved the purchase of lights and a camera tripod - Rob

 

[Lurker]

Didn’t realise magazines still existed.
You highlight exactly why I stopped reading them.
That and the fact that charity shop books are cheaper and not full of advertising.

At least if I read something online that is incorrect, I’ve not paid for them.

I still occasionally browse through my collection of British woodwork.

 

[Mike Jordan]

I think your magazine is going the same way as many others in the woodworking world, the publishers know very little about woodworking as a rule and are keen to make a profit by recycling articles without payment and only being willing to pay peanuts for new articles.
Very few competent craftsmen are willing to waste time without decent returns, there is a real need for quality articles to keep up interest. Watch out for the next signs of impending failure, a new editor and a change of name! The internet looks like the death of these publications.

 

[Woodster]

Didn’t realise magazines still existed.
You highlight exactly why I stopped reading them.

Cost and space put me off years ago. I did notice some years ago that you also can’t zoom in on pictures in the printed versions like you can with the digital ones! :lol:

 

[CHJ]

Ah, Chas, t'was ever thus. My one experience of being in woodworking print had pictures and captions apparently randomly assigned one to another. I can only hope that the readership realised I knew a bandsaw from a mitre saw, even if the editor did not.

Have fun with the ply.

Yes had similar, in my case wood species mixed up between Oak, Walnut and item description, the last straw was similar to Rob's experience, article turned down, images not good enough quality.
Two months later same project, almost blow for blow as my submission was covered by regular contributor whose wife was a professional photographer.

Ply panels in the edge plane and clean up phase, currently on hold after this coffee break as I need the heavy generator here to sort out it's location details on the Base/Pallet before I complete the box cover.

And someone else just came round wanting a Base made from walnut for mounting an Oboe they are turning into a lamp so it's lathe time for an hour or so.

 

[Doug]

I think they are struggling to fill Mark Bakers shoes after his tragically young demise Chas, hopefully things will pick up.

 

[Dalboy]

I think they are struggling to fill Mark Bakers shoes after his tragically young demise Chas, hopefully things will pick up.

The thing is how does anyone fill Marks shoes he will be a hard act to follow for whoever takes on the job