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Hands On!

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 12:21 pm
by polycarp
After the discussions about the demise of "American Woodworker", I wondered if there would be any interest for a Shopsmith specific (more or less) magazine like the old "Hands On!" magazine that Shopsmith published in the past. So here is a poll to see what forum members think!

Would you subscribe to a paper copy of a new Hands On! magazine?
Would you subscribe to an electronic version of a new Hands On! magazine (e-zine)?
Would subscription price be the deciding factor?
Would format (paper or electronic) be the deciding factor?
No. I would have no interest in paying money for a Shopsmith specific magazine regardless of price or format.

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 12:36 pm
by wrmnfzy
polycarp wrote:After the discussions about the demise of "American Woodworker", I wondered if there would be any interest for a Shopsmith specific (more or less) magazine like the old "Hands On!" magazine that Shopsmith published in the past. So here is a poll to see what forum members think!

Would you subscribe to a paper copy of a new Hands On! magazine?
Would you subscribe to an electronic version of a new Hands On! magazine (e-zine)?
Would subscription price be the deciding factor?
Would format (paper or electronic) be the deciding factor?
No. I would have no interest in paying money for a Shopsmith specific magazine regardless of price or format.
Yes a paper copy depending on price.

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 12:54 pm
by Ed in Tampa
Yes I would. I prefer paper but I could live with electronic form.

Price and content would be my deciding factor.

For me to purchase it would require it to contain information that added the subscription price in value to me. Thinking of the old Hands On some I would subscribe to, but most I would not. That said it was a great disappointment to me when Shopsmith stopped publishing them.

If it were free I would be a loyal reader in paper or electronic form.

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 1:05 pm
by dusty
Ed in Tampa wrote:Yes I would. I prefer paper but I could live with electronic form.

Price and content would be my deciding factor.

For me to purchase it would require it to contain information that added the subscription price in value to me. Thinking of the old Hands On some I would subscribe to, but most I would not. That said it was a great disappointment to me when Shopsmith stopped publishing them.

If it were free I would be a loyal reader in paper or electronic form.

Price and content would be my deciding factor. That is just intelligent purchasing. If it has no value to you why pay for it. Why pay more than it is worth to you.


If it is free - I'll take it, otherwise, I don't want it.

That sounds like what this whole entitlement society is coming to.

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 1:12 pm
by dusty
I voted yes, in the poll but that would be a conditional yes. If I am going to pay for a Shopsmith specific magazine, it better have some worthwhile information in it. If not, there will be no renewal.

There is a great deal of valuable Shopsmith specific information that is not readily available to the user community. This forum fills some of that gap for some of the users but it could be a lot better.

If it was published by Shopsmith, I would expect that the engineering staff would have a hand in validation. That is one weakness of the forum. Too many times, someones opinion stands out as an authority but is never "validated" by Shopsmith.

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:37 pm
by idcook
I’d love a Shopsmith specific magazine.

Price would be the determining factor of course. I’d prefer paper but wouldn’t mind an online set-up so long as it had an option to print (pdf or whatever).

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:51 pm
by moggymatt
I usually get a subscription of one magazine or another each year. It seems like if I keep to one, they just keep recycling the same projects or theme over and over so I switch it up from time to time. I liked American Woodworker when I had it last year but the renewal price got to be too much. If a new Hands On were to come out, I’d give it a year or two at least. Lately, I've had a lot of luck finding piles of old mags in yard sales and thrift stores. It’s to the point I keep a list on my phones’ note app of missing volumes. I really get a kick out of finding old Delta-Grams.

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 10:35 pm
by rcplaneguy
When I look at older issues in the "heyday" of SS, there was not much of interest to me. Content in this forum far exceeds anything in those old issues. How to break down the SS, replace bearings, how to convert the bandsaw to double bearing guides, etc. The internet has changed publishing for the better. No lawyers are needed when posting repair photos and techniques! I never saw plans in the old issues that I wanted to build.

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 10:51 pm
by ryanbp01
idcook wrote:I’d love a Shopsmith specific magazine.

Price would be the determining factor of course. I’d prefer paper but wouldn’t mind an online set-up so long as it had an option to print (pdf or whatever).
Me Too!!
BPR

Posted: Tue Jun 24, 2014 11:37 pm
by BuckeyeDennis
Beats me! I have yet to consume all the Shopsmith info that is already published and freely available on the web.

For example, I just learned that a Shopsmith itself can serve as a dandy panel glue-up press! This gleaned from Shop Notes #3.

Same issue, I learned that a Shopsmith makes a handy-dandy heavy-duty food mixer. Very cool. :cool: Guy to wife, neighbors, etc.: "Mine is bigger than yours!!!" :D Milkshake, anyone?

Oh yea. Need a 15" pulley for really low spindle speeds on your 10ER? No problem, just make one out of plywood. On your 10ER. Expensive speed changers are for sissies! ;)

It does seem that the most clever, quirky ideas were the ones submitted by Shopsmith owners. So fire up those propeller-beanie thinking caps, guys!

Would I pay extra to have someone separate the wheat from the chaff? Yea, probably. But I'd still want it online, for anywhere access, hyperlinks, etc.