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AAW Journal Subscriber Survey

AAW Journal Subscriber Survey

  • Few ads with a lot of content

    Votes: 1 3.6%
  • About the right balance between # of ads and amount of content

    Votes: 27 96.4%
  • Too many ads and not enough meat.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    28
  • Poll closed .

Bill Boehme

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Compared to other magazines, the AAW journal is much heavier on content than adverting. Woodturning magazine and American Woodturner while both serving the same audience are also very different.
 

john lucas

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I've been a member and therefore subscriber for a very long time now. I still think it's the best magazine out there. Possibly a bit deep on philosophy and other things for the average turner. However when you join the AAW to get the subscription you also get the digital version of Woodturning fundamentals. That is an excellent magazine with lots of fun topics for newer turners and older ones as well. I'm told the November issue will be especially good so join soon. Linda is trying to really make it a good one. Josh does a wonderful job on the Journal. You do have to remember that it is a Journal about the AAW so it will never be simply a project oriented magazine. It covers all that the AAW involved in and at the same time still tries to have enough interest for the average turner. Not an easy task. I've worked with 4 editors now and they all have done a great job.
 
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I'm not as keen on the journal as John is, take this months listing. Box Lid Alignment Pin, Lidded Box a la Ed, Keeping the Lid on with Hidden Magnets, and Captive Rings on a Goblet Box. First four articles on boxes and two those with lid aids. The only two articles I took note of were written by Sharon Doughtie especially Umeke La'Au. Don't get me wrong it is a good magazine generally but it seems anymore its loaded with like articles that could be spread out and mixed in content. I do miss Betty's steering of the ship.
 
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I've been a member/subscriber for nearly a decade now. I've consistently found the journal to be a great source of both information and inspiration. Articles are well written and always informative. Over the years I've also read the other turning magazines that were on the market. While I often discovered something I didn't know, or found the ocasional project I wanted to try, there wasn't always a compelling reason to open them and read all the way through.
Today it seems there is only one print magazine and one on-line magazine available. I do subscribe to both, and find a nugget once in a while. I do like to see what others are doing and what new directions I may apply to my own humble work. The one I always look forward to seeing in the mail is the journal.
 

hockenbery

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Keep in mind there are 6 woodturning fundamentals published electronically each year in the months between the 6 Joirnal issues each year. The Fundamentals is almost all articalso on techniques and how to.

Also members have access to all e past journals. Most of the how to articles are timeless.
 

john lucas

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Also keep in mind that you can access all of the previous journals. There is just about any kind of article you could want in one issue or another. That is a fantastic deal that I don't think many people make use of. I just pick a an issue and thumb through it. I almost always find something useful even though I read most of them from way back since I joined
 
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I generally like the content and eagerly look forward to each new issue. Some issues are better than others (ie, the topics are more to my liking). I access back issues all the time. I also don't mind the advertising, all the adds are like window shopping. I suggest a topic for Woodturning Fundamentals: if someone could collect all the member-submitted tips going back decades, organize them into categories, and print large batches of them in monthly issues, I think that would be quite useful.
 
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I have received the Journal for 15 years and have read much of the early issues from cd.
I look forward to receiving it knowing that while all of the articles will not appeal to me there is always something for me.
The production values are top notch. The quality of photography and the design and layout have gotten better over the years.
I have also had a sub for Woodturning for many years and find it to be a very well made magazine. Well worth the dollars.
As far as the balance of ads and content go, I can live without ads in general. The AAW Journal keeps them fairly unobtrusive.
 

john lucas

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Micheal I thought about trying to organize the tips but it's just beyond me. I was tips editor for quite a few years. I know they have put some of the tips in the other publications that the AAW sells.
 
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It is a fine enough journal. And do not forget, that it is member driven and member written. If you want to see something specific in it, then write it and send it in for publication.

I made a submission about 17 years ago-- 15.3:36-37 about the dangers of turning to fast.
 
Last edited:

john lucas

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Yes the editors have always been open and willing to work with anyone wanting to write. Doesn't hurt if you can take good photos to go along with the article. I get turned down occasionally on articles that I propose but not that often.
 

Bill Boehme

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... Doesn't hurt if you can take good photos to go along with the article.

But, it does hurt if you don't have good photos. :D The quality of photos is a major factor. By quality I mean composition, exposure, sharpness, contrast. And reasonably accurate color.
 

john lucas

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The best thing to do if you want to write an article and I encourage everyone to consider writing, is to ask the editor what size and format they want the photos. Many people send images that are too small and simply can't be used by the editors.
 
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I'm not as keen on the journal as John is, take this months listing. Box Lid Alignment Pin, Lidded Box a la Ed, Keeping the Lid on with Hidden Magnets, and Captive Rings on a Goblet Box. First four articles on boxes and two those with lid aids. The only two articles I took note of were written by Sharon Doughtie especially Umeke La'Au. Don't get me wrong it is a good magazine generally but it seems anymore its loaded with like articles that could be spread out and mixed in content. I do miss Betty's steering of the ship.

It looks to me as if the editors found a bunch of inputs with similar themes and decided to use that as a focus for the issue. I was thrilled that they accepted my design for part of it. And you can blame Jimmy Clewes for encouraging me to share the idea with the Journal after critiquing it at our March meeting in Raleigh after his demonstration session.
 
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