I’ve received this question about 20 times since June 15 – including from my wife – so I suppose I should deal with it head-on instead of simply demurring.
Is Lost Art Press going to start a hand-tool magazine, whether printed or digital?
The answer? Not right now, at least.
The primary reason I left Popular Woodworking Magazine was because I had so many projects piling up here at Lost Art Press that I estimated it would take me five years of working nights and weekends to tackle them. And that’s just too long a gestation period for books that I consider to be essential to the growth of handwork in the 21st century.
I’m not just talking about the Roubo translation. That itself is a mountain of a publishing project, but that’s only one mountain in an entire range of monumental peaks.
Why have I been quiet on these? Because we are still inking contracts. But you can expect that we will have at least three new products before the end of the year – a DVD I’ll announce next week and two or three books that are unlike anything in print today.
The DVD is from me (sorry!) and is part of “The Anarchist’s Tool Chest.” The other titles are from other authors, people who should have written books long ago.
As we get these projects underway, you’ll hear more about them here. Promise.
Now about that hand-tool magazine: I’ve been in media – and media alone – since 8th grade. I’ve worked in almost every department except advertising, which I would stink at, and circulation, which is a tricky business.
I’ve launched two start-ups in my career – The Kentucky Gazette newspaper and Woodworking Magazine. Both of which are now shuttered. Those failures taught me a lot about what it takes to make a magazine that makes money and makes me want to read it.
1. All your waking hours.
2. A lot of money. And a willingness to lose money for a few years as you pull the magazine onto its feet.
3. A willingness to deal with unethical distribution schemes.
4. A willingness to throw away about 60 to 70 percent of your newsstand copies that don’t sell.
5. A certain level of optimism mixed with stupidity — I call it stupidimism. This trait helps overcome Nos. 2-4.
At this point in my life, I want to spend all my hours producing a hand-tool canon of high-quality books — a foundation that I or others can build upon. I want to get us beyond sharpening, basic plane use and hand joinery.
What’s beyond that? An entire world.
So I guess I’m asking for some patience. After I get this corpus of work complete and the technology catches up with my ideas, I think I’ll be ready to dive into the world of periodicals again. Or there’s always that llama farm.
— Christopher Schwarz
As much as I enjoy a good magazine, there is nothing like the detail of a great book. Love The Anarchist’s Tool Chest and can’t wait to see what’s next from the Lost Art Press.
OK – enough is enough. A hand tool focused magazine, whether in print, or on line, would be welcome by many. I look at Popular Woodworking magazine today and see a 50/50 split between 110/220V and the Thi Chi of woodworking. I have dropped my subscriptions to many of the power tool orientated publications and look to the future of artisan woodworking publications. I truly hope you will the first.
Cheers!
Gary Shaw
4glshaw@gmail.com
Truth be told, you’re already doing a magazine of sorts, right here.
When you’re ready for it, why not jump onto the world of Zinio and forgo all of the paper distribution, etc.?
I did not think that Woodworking Magazine was a (financial) failure. I thought I read that it was in good financial health and that it was merged with PopWood for other reasons. Alas, I could be dead wrong on this being but an observer from afar. Either way, you produce such high quality woodworking prose that whatever comes out of your journey will be well worthy reading, studying and relating to the young-uns.
Good Luck and Best Wishes!
JP,
Woodworking Magazine was not a financial failure. Promise. I have no reason to obfuscate on that. There was not a willingness to invest in it during difficult economic times to make it grow to the point where it had a separate staff.
Long story. Boring story. Ask me about it over a beer sometime.
Chris –
I’m starting to think that at WIA you should forgo one of your typical classes, and have a session where everyone brings a beer, and you can start answering some of these “over a beer sometime” questions.
Jonathan
====================================
Jonathan,
We will be selling the rough-spun truth at the Lost Art Press booth at WIA.
Price: One beer.
Chris,
While on the surface “Woodworking” magazine might be considered a financial disappointment, it is in no way a failure. It taught a multitude of woodworkers of all ages and experience to explore and question what they thought they new, and had been told for years by those armchair experts who really did not have a clue.
Your magazine encouraged many, including me, to learn much more about the various aspects of woodworking and hand tool use. I used to be primarily a power tool guy, but you started me on the long (and yes, sometimes expensive) road to understanding hand tools and being able to use them properly. I have learned so much more than I ever thought possible and I thank you and your magazine for that, as well as your books.
Good luck with all you want to do, I am still reading the Anarchists Tool Chest and am finding it a thoroughly enjoyably read. I am sure it would convince non woodworkers to try to make something for themselves.
Regards,
Michael Redmond.
I thought about starting a (non-woodworking) magazine once. As I delved into it and realized what was involved, I kind of soured on magazines. It sort of ruined me to the point I still don’t like reading them.
A journal that doesn’t take advertising is one thing, but when you have to sell it twice, once to readers and once to advertisers, there tends strongly to be a conflict of interest. Of course, some publications handle it better than others.
Perhaps there is a way to make it work, but in my opinion, a magazine would have a strong pull against “anarchy” and towards the status quo. And we already have plenty of that.
I, for one, was deeply disappointed by the demise of Woodworking Magazine. It was far superior to anything still being published out there today. In fact, I’ve never read a woodworking magazine to compare it to except for the very early issues of Fine Woodworking; the early black and white issues for those who remember them. Though I’d love to see a hand tool magazine from Chris, it’s easy to understand a reluctance given his penchant for quality. There’s already enough tripe being produced. What I would suggest for consideration would be something along the lines of a monthly electronic publication with articles from Chris and related authors. Reasonable and relevant advertising would be fine. I’d be very happy to pay for a subscription like that. In the meantime, I intend to take the abundant lessons Chris has already offered and hone my skills so I don’t have to feel self conscious when someone asks to see how a dovetail is cut.
+1
I loved the thematic approach to each issue, with several articles relating to some aspect of the “main” article. Beautiful. Willing to pay to get that back again! But, really interested in seeing what comes out of LAP…
JP
Pop wood is about to lose my business. Routers, tablesaws, and motisers are f’ing boring. Any monkey can run a machine and I’m not going to spend my wood money reading about them. I want hardcore ancient ways of working wood. Truth be told pretty much everything has gone to shit since ww2 anyway. Give me pre-war material and I will give you quality workmanship.
Kevin,
PW has lots of good articles coming up from Adam Cherubini, Roy Underhill, Peter Follansbee, Dean Jansa, et al. And me! I wouldn’t drop it. It might be better without me…. Seriously.
Is there a replacement editor yet? I was angst full when I renewed last week, I upped for two years and thought if it goes downhill then I will cancel and get a refund. In the schwarz we trust!
Can’t wait for three new projects!
BTW what is up with the popwood handsaw sharpening DVD that we were promised?
I am out of the loop at PW right now. As I understand it, Steve Shanesy is acting editor until they hire a new publisher — and that person will decide who will be the permanent editor.
They will always refund your money if you are dissatisfied. That has been their guarantee since before I started there.
But I don’t think you’ll need it.
Chris,
Chris is right – if you’re not happy, let me know. But I promise – we have lots of hand-tool articles on the horizon, and we’re keeping Chris S busy with upcoming stories. (And the saw sharpening DVD is now in the store. If I get my act together, there will be blog entry about it tonight.)
Megan
I can see Chris producing a “magazine” with a format similar to ShopNotes or Woodsmith.
Thanks for setting the record straight. To paraphrase some movie, “if you print it, they will subscribe”…..
Since you didn’t ask, I think the best way to resolve your “unethical distribution scheme” is to engage Adam Cherubini to go door to door in his period attire.
I’m also seeing some sort of ringing bell and many overflowing beer steins….
Somehow getting a horse involved would be fun, but try not to be too unrealistic.
Jim
You know… late in the afternoon when the sun is high, and Adam’s been well in the bag for a few hours, and he’s still staggering from door to door with a tankard in hand, and pushing magazine subscriptions like a drunken, dressed up, Boy Scout from Hell…
I think I’d sign up for that magazine.
But I’d make him come back again for the money.
Please, please, please start a llama farm…or no…a hand-tool magazine…yes, yes a hand-tool magazine!
But seriously, I will probably buy most of what you publish. I’m not interested in the moldings book but I am sure there will be alot more that I do like. And definitely take you time with making the magazine. I, and I assume the rest of us, would rather you get the magazine right rather than right now.
As much as I like a good magazine I really like the foundational book route. With mags you are doomed to more shallow repeats of the same material. There are just not enough pages for depth. I am thankful that you woke me up to older books anyway. I just bought several “out of print” books from RW and CH and I am eating them up. Wow, all this woodworking stuff really was figured out before Delta and PBS came along, who knew? Thanks for the wakeup!
Oh, one more thing. If you do a digital mag thru your website I think you take care of most of the stated problems. Just don’t advertise, only release one issue per quarter, and constantly reference your books for the “how to” finer points. Just a thought.
That sounds more like a three month long run of a commercial ad campaign. Think Woodcraft magazine…which I generally like, but you damn well know what brand of bread is getting buttered (and the brand of butter, knife, table cloth, table, chair, flooring, furniture polish…).
Chris check out http://www.thisiscarpentry.com/
This is Gary Katz website, who is very well respected and regarded in his own rights in the world of finish carpentry. This site is a good hybrid of online blog / magazine.
R
I loved Woodworking Magazine and was very disapointed when it went away. Someone else (I forgot who) said it best; being a subscriber to the magazine was like taking a home woodworking course. I liked the technique articles the best, especially when the writers analyzed various options (including power tool options!) to come up with the best answer. I loved the open and honest methodolgy of choosing the best approach to a problem.
I will find it quite funny if you put out a digital only format of a hand tools magazine. Even though I think thats the way to go. Still kind of ironic (I think, the definition of ironic is like advanced calculus to me)
I’m going to go ahead and pretend I didn’t read that part so I can daydream about a WWM-esque magazine release in the future.
Here’s hoping one of those books is the complete collection of John Browns’ Anarchist Woodworker articles.
Hey Chris, should I let it out that several years ago, you copied all of the John Brown articles onto a disk and mailed it to me…just because you are a nice guy and we both enjoyed talking “radical” stuff like John Brown did. After he passed away, I asked you who would take up his cause…could it be you perhaps? You threw out a few other names, but I still think that it is you.
Thanks for all you have done and for all that you will still do.
Kevin Adams
I look forward to your ongoing products whether in long form or short form. I find everything you produce to be very well thought out, researched, written and presented. I can’t wait for more.
A little handtool humor: Yesterday I was getting wood for my toolchest. I pulled down 16′ of 5/4 Poplar and asked the owner to cut it in half for me. This was the conversation:
Him: Do you have a planer?
Me: Yup
Him: What brand?
Me: #5 Bailey
Him: Never heard of it
Me: Figures
you can eliminate points 2,3, and 4 if you go 100% electronic edition. I do prefer a paper magazine copy, but with ipad type devices maybe I would change my mind entirely, especially if there’s and easy way to print out patterns, etc where applicable.
for an example, I refer you to “Powerfibers” – do a search and check it out – its a 100% online magazine/newsletter about the building of and fishing with bamboo fly rods. They have advertising and a layout just like a real paper magazine. Its usally about 30+ pages – the current issue is 68 pages I think. “Powerfibers” is a free download, however, I would pay for a handtool focused woodworking on-line magazine of the quality of work that you are capable of.
Chris
I agree with your request for patience by “us” while you, for lack of a better expression, get a grip on those projects. I would disagree with your statement that Woodworking Magazine was a failure. It may have been just too far ahead of it’s time (and perhaps too late in coming) but definitely not a failure. Thanks for all the hard work.
Cheers,
John
Chris, I’m excited to see what you have coming down the pike. The further I go down this hand-tool/traditional methods rabbit hole, the more excited I become about woodworking. I devour all the solid information I can get my hands on- forget a magazine subscription, I want a whole book subscription. If you offered some form of loyalty membership to Lost Art Press where subscribers pay a certain annual fee in exchange for discounts on books and DVDs as well as going to the top of the shipping list I know that I for one would sign right up and I’d be willing to be that a lot of others would as well.
Hello Chris,Count me in as one of those deeply disappointed with the ending of Woodworking Magazine.As each new issue became purer and closer to what i believed woodworking is all about,I started to fear loosing such a fine magazine (and yourself as well).It is no small secret what your talent as a writer and zeal for exploring a traditional craft has done for those of us who love the history and execution of hand tool woodworking.I count “Woodworking Magazine” as one of the few things i would look forward to receiving in my mail box,The other used to be Woodwork and you all know what happened there.I will continue to support you in any effort you undertake be it by the purchase of more of your wonderfully written books and any form of Magazine you may undertake in the future.Really,What else does another fellow Anarchist look forward to these days! Regards,Hank Tetreault
Chris,
I am greatly looking forward to what happens in this next chapter of your life. You have been an inspiration to countless woodworkers and have helped many to begin new journeys of their own. (including me). I hope you can/will continue to develop media on advanced techniques but also on the ideas surrounding design philosophy, creativity and “craftsmanship”, I hope to catch up with you at the Port Townsend Wooden Boat Show and of course, WIA. Best Regards, Dave Jeske
Chris,
I personally don’t care for print magazines since they seem to pile up and aren’t efficiently searchable(like a website). I imagine you must be getting a decent amount of page views a month. Have you considered:
1) getting your own wordpress server and displaying whatever ads or ad services you want.
2) get a wordpress premium account and splitting ad revenue 50/50 with them.
Or do you plan to keep this blog ad free while maintaining the PopWood blog that has ads.
I wouldn’t mind reasonable amount of ads on the side if you started posting more full length articles here.
If you are serious about taking the long walk off the short pier and starting another magazine, I’ll be standing somewhere in the line with a million other guys waiting to sign up. If you launch this as an online magazine, I’ll be the guy standing at the front of it.
While my opinion and a buck might get you a cup of coffee, I have to say that while online start-ups cost a tad more than giving birth to hard copy publications, in your position you would be crazy not to do it. Your name is known world-wide, but you won’t be able to take advantage of that with print. Going the online route, however, will give you instant access to workshops in every corner of the world.
Also, in the woodworking world, where one picture replaces a thousand words, you won’t be able to match the quality of an online magazine with print.
Whatever way you refer to Woodworking Magazine, the word failure should never be included. It was the best ever woodworking magazine. Now may not be the time to resurrect it Chris, but someday…someday. The absence of advertising allowed the reader to focus on learning woodworking instead of yearning for more tools.