Magazines

[jimbo]

Verses books??, I have come to the conclusion that it is wiser to buy a couple of books a year in preference to magazines, reasons buying books you can choose what you want out of what you are paying for, types of patterns, style of patterns and size.
With magazines you have  bits and pieces of everything, the 3 mags. I have received of a subscription  I have only seen some in the last edition that I may use, and it came late so will not use them until next year.
What are your thoughts on this?
Jimbo

[MadHatter]

i just buy mine if its something i like. perhaps since you have a subscription maybe you could trade the magazines that you dont use or need with local woodworkers club in your area or donate them.

[Merlin]

Yeh I'm with you on this one Jimbo.
Been looking at some books, but again you can't sea what's inside the book either.
Unless you go to a book store and as you probably know there aren't many scroll Saw books in NZ stores.

***Merlin***

[julief]

I do both.  I am an information junkie.  It's funny that I won't see something I want to cut in a magazine but a year or two later I'm in that same magazine and using patterns I didn't think I would.  I order most of my books from Fox Chapel Publishing because they periodically offer a free new released book if you order something else.  There is a new puzzle book coming out in December that will automatically be sent to me for free because I ordered something else.  Barnes and Noble will order the books for you and you are not obligated to buy them.  You can look at the store and if it is not what you are looking for - don't buy it.  I think hastings will do the same.

[Russ C]

I have some of both but I buy them from the book store. I go about once a month and look throught the selections. 

[Kepy]

I have 16 yrs worth of magazines and find I seldom use them.  If I make a copy of the pattern and put it in my binders, then sometimes I can find it.  I have binders with patterns divided by category. 

[sciesaw]

I subscribe to the 2 scrolling mags and generally find something to make from each. I also buy the occasional book but have cut back on that. I have some books that I have only liked one project from. Not very cost effective in my mind.

Sciesaw Brian

[GWhit]

I like the mags to keep up with the latest ideas and then buy books based on those ideas. There are a lot of people designing things I would have never have thought of even looking for.  In other words, I need a lot of leadership and guidance, my meager mind just won't do it anymore.

Gordon

[kp91]

I flip through the magazines at the newsstand, and buy them if they look interesting.  I used to subscribe to a bunch of magazines, but now I am down to two.  I hate having to read through 50 pages of ads for 2 or 3 articles, especially after paying for the magazine.  The schools usually have magazine subscription fundraisers, so I subscribe through them and rotate from time to time.

I did buy the big back issue set of SSWC from the fox chapel website, because it was such a great deal. 

I also pick up a handful of used books on half.com when my paypal account starts to fill up. 

There are so many plans  you can buy directly from the authors, and the prices are pretty reasonable, and you're getting just what  you want!

Our library has a surpising amount of books on woodworking, I don't know who donated them all, but they are a great resource as well.  I probably should send a couple of ones I no longer need that way....  but I hate getting rid of books!

[yyyyyguy]

Just to confuse the issue(no pun intended) I received an e-mail from American Woodworker today,  I can get 25 yrs on a dvd nicely categorized for $90., sure saves space since I have 20 yrs. of Workbench and another 5 yrs of American Woodworker, that should give me enough room for another tool.   

[jimbo]

I got some DVD's from AWT and haven't bothered with then as, unfortunately in NZ you can not get scroll mags. or I have not seen them and if you could they would be about $18 each this why I have had to take subscriptions, the mag. I have had one subscription for is 4 a year and costs around NZ$48 for that I can buy 2 books of what I want
Jimbo

[yyyyyguy]

ouch...

[mrsn]

I like getting magazines from time to time. I like the variety of patterns. Sometimes I will go back and try something new months after I got the magazine.

[kalipbean]

I check out both magazines each month and if theres something in there I like, I'll buy it.

[Rightarm]

    I have both. I'll keep the Mags for awhile. Then they go to recycle. Dave