Most useful TV programs and magazines

[stonemason]

What do you find to be the most useful tv programs and magazines for woodworking? Also, are there any wodworking places/schools (northeast especially) that offer basic woodworking that are worth the cost? Thanks.

[dgale]

In regard to magazines, there is a recent thread that covers this subject and people's preferences fairly thoroughly:
https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=11543&highlight=magazine

Based on the above feedback, I ended up subscribing to "Wood" and recently received my first issue - I'd say that particular issue gets a "B" for content, but having looks at a handful of past issues, I'm sure I'll be totally pleased with my subscription. I will be interested to try building a few items out of this magazine and see how easily a relative novice can follow the instructions and come out successful at the other end.

I do hate the overwhelming amount of ads and having to wade through them for content...I realize they have to pay the bills and some of the ads are always of interest, so not a big deal. It does, however, still make me interested in a subscription to ShopNotes and/or Woodsmith, which are ad-free, as well as seeming to be rather thorough on plan details etc. I figured I'd start with Wood and add additional subscriptions as budget allows. As a long-time Fine Homebuilding subscriber, I am also intrigued by Fine Homebuilding, but it seems like most of the stuff covered is fairly high end (beautiful but fairly complex-looking to build for my current skills) and it doesn't seem like they really have the necessary details or plans to build most of the stuff they cover. It seems like a great magazine to browse through but is also the most expensive and rarely has a significant subscription sale price, so high price and my feeling like it won't lead to many plans or designs I'm comfortable building successfully, I'm holding off on that one.

As for TV shows, I don't watch much TV anymore and when I do, I rarely find WW shows on at the time I'm watching. I used to watch and enjoy the Old Yankee Workshop (I think that's what it's called?), which I believe was on PBS, but I'm not sure if it's even on anymore. I'm curious what other WW shows are out there and what folks enjoy and/or find useful/educational.

[garys]

The Woodwright's Shop with Roy Underhill. It is old fashioned hand work with hand tools, but he will teach you more woodworking basics than anyone else, and those old basics don't change just because you use some power tools.
http://www.pbs.org/woodwrightsshop/
You can watch his episoded online on your computer.

[fixit]

I used to watch the "New Yankee Workshop" because Norm is such a great screen personality and explains things in easy to understand terms. That show is still available in re-runs on some PBS stations.

These days the only woodworking show I watch is "The Woodsmith Shop". I really enjoy the projects they present. However, I do NOT enjoy the hokey scripts they use to present them. They have to get everyone involved in every project and split the script into one sentence segments - each spoken by a different person. In most cases one person could easily present a part of the project solo and it would be more enjoyable to watch - at least for me. End rant on this one.

Another show I used to watch was Roy Underhill's show although I've forgotten the name of it. If you want to see how to use hand tools exclusively, that is the show to watch.

And if you want to learn about what you can accomplish with a router the Router Workshop is a must see.

[beeg]

In my area we have on PBS, the following. "The Woodwrights Shop", "Rough Cut (norms replacement)", "American Woodshop" and "WoodSmith shop".

[wlhayesmfs]

The router work shop was great, have not seen it in years. The New Yankee work shop is off the air,Do like the WoodSmith show but that is about all that is on here anymore, Do not like the New Show that is Norm's replacement. Watched it once or twice not did not get into it.
I get Wood Mag and Shop Notes and do pretty well with them. For the price I like them.
Pick up a lot of others at garage sales and craigs list.

[heathicus]

I get 3 PBS stations and only get The Woodsmith Shop and Rough Cut With Tommy Macdonald. I share the criticism of the Woodsmith Shop. I enjoy the projects, but the production and cast annoy me. The fat guy doing the overview of the whole project at the beginning and end of the show and chuckling as if he's saying something funny, the guy who combs his hair forward to try to hide that he is balding, the way they all seem over rehearsed and move in slow motion, etc.

[1957jimp]

I like building picture frames, crafts and gifts. Woodworkers Journal has a good selection of such plans. My dad has subscribed for years so I have an almost full collection. I have also built things from Woodsmith and American Woodworker. EBAY is a great source of woodworking magazines. I also order quite a few plans from The Winfield Collection.

[heathicus]

When we had Dish, our local channels were out of Monroe and I got The Woodwrights Shop and American Woodworker. I really enjoyed Roy Underhill.

When we switched to DirecTV, our local channels started coming from Alexandria. I lost those two shows and gained the two I mentioned in my previous post. I'd gladly replace the Woodsmith Shop with the Woodwright Shop.

[transplanted]

New Yankee was the best. Still have several episodes recorded. I agree with the comments about Woodsmith Shop. I just can't get by the guy who combs his hair forward and down...Drives me nuts.
Another show I enjoy is American Woodshop with Scott Phillips on PBS. He does really nice work.
As far as magazine's go, Wood magazine for me.