Scrollsaw Magazine

[edward]

Received my Winter issue of sswc magazine, and the last couple issues seem to have more Intarsia then scrolling, I do not do Intarsia, has anyone else feel that way, just curious.

[Sycamore67]

I always felt that they had too much fretwork.  I like the Intarsia. But to each their own likes and dislikes.

I let my subscription to for a number of reasons.  The biggest one was some folks got there magazine a month or more before I got mine.  I was always among the last.  I also did not think the projects were ones I wanted to do and they had too many that required painting.

I think it is only a matter of time before the magazine goes under.

[Karl S]

I have had a subscription for two years and I have not found anything in the magazine that I have cut. I guess I am a weird person, I don't like portraits or frilly fretwork, Like I said it's just how I am. I probably will not renew my subscription.

[meflick]

I have not yet received my most recent copy so I cannot say anything specific about this issue in particular yet. I will say that this is a conversation that is had regularly. If you don't do Intarsia, even one article is maybe too much for you. if you don’t do fretwork and prefer Intarsia, only one or two Intarsia patterns in an issue may not be enough. Some complain there is too many “easy” patterns having been scrolling for years. Newbies, think patterns are too difficult,  and want more easy patterns, I can only imagine how difficult it is to try to make everybody somewhat happy  most of the time when trying to put out a magazine for such a wide variety of areas in a hobby that covers so many types of work.  I am just happy that we have a magazine and always find something in most issues that I am willing to try, Sometimes we need to go outside our comfort zone and try something new.  When you consider how much a pattern can cost, I figure as long as I find one an issue, (and I usually find more than one), it has paid for its self. Do I always like everything in every issue, no but I don’t expect to. But I will say, thanks to the magazine, I have also tried things that I might not have otherwise. 

[new2woodwrk]

Yah, I have a sub and agree more Intarsia these days - I still like getting some of the patterns though - like the x-mas tree and the other puzzles in this mag. Also like the toy patterns

[Denny Knappen]

35 minutes ago, meflick said:

I have not yet received my most recent copy so I cannot say anything specific about this issue in particular yet. I will say that this is a conversation that is had regularly. If you don't do Intarsia, even one article is maybe too much for you. if you don’t do fretwork and prefer Intarsia, only one or two Intarsia patterns in an issue may not be enough. Some complain there is too many “easy” patterns having been scrolling for years. Newbies, think patterns are too difficult,  and want more easy patterns, I can only imagine how difficult it is to try to make everybody somewhat happy  most of the time when trying to put out a magazine for such a wide variety of areas in a hobby that covers so many types of work.  I am just happy that we have a magazine and always find something in most issues that I am willing to try, Sometimes we need to go outside our comfort zone and try something new.  When you consider how much a pattern can cost, I figure as long as I find one an issue, (and I usually find more than one), it has paid for its self. Do I always like everything in every issue, no but I don’t expect to. But I will say, thanks to the magazine, I have also tried things that I might not have otherwise. 

Thanks Melanie for the comments.  I couldn't agree more.  I also found that Fox Chapel is planning an open house next spring.

[OCtoolguy]

45 minutes ago, meflick said:

I have not yet received my most recent copy so I cannot say anything specific about this issue in particular yet. I will say that this is a conversation that is had regularly. If you don't do Intarsia, even one article is maybe too much for you. if you don’t do fretwork and prefer Intarsia, only one or two Intarsia patterns in an issue may not be enough. Some complain there is too many “easy” patterns having been scrolling for years. Newbies, think patterns are too difficult,  and want more easy patterns, I can only imagine how difficult it is to try to make everybody somewhat happy  most of the time when trying to put out a magazine for such a wide variety of areas in a hobby that covers so many types of work.  I am just happy that we have a magazine and always find something in most issues that I am willing to try, Sometimes we need to go outside our comfort zone and try something new.  When you consider how much a pattern can cost, I figure as long as I find one an issue, (and I usually find more than one), it has paid for its self. Do I always like everything in every issue, no but I don’t expect to. But I will say, thanks to the magazine, I have also tried things that I might not have otherwise. 

I completely agree with you Melanie. I have always loved getting magazines that are on a topic I'm currently interested in. I just recently dropped my subscription to the Carving magazine that they publish. I have lost interest in carving. At least for now. I'm passionate about scrolling though. I find something in every issue that interests me and yes, some issues have no patterns that I want to cut but I just like having something to sit down with in the evening to read that is of interest. We sit out on our front deck a lot during the warm months and it's nice to have that magazine to page through. I just recently bought all the back issues that were still available that I didn't have. I started scrolling about the time issue 58 came out so that left 57 issues that I didn't have. I managed to get most of them. As for the content, I agree that it seems like they are printing more intarsia patterns but it might seem that way to a person who isn't interested in intarsia. I love to see what others are doing though. Myself, I hate sanding and the mess it makes so intarsia for me is a non-starter. I'm more into boxes, bowls and baskets. I like something that when finished is good for more that just looking at. It would be a very dull world if we all wanted the same thing and that was all we got. To sum up, I like the magazine and I'm thankful that we have it. I wish there were others.

 

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, meflick said:

I have not yet received my most recent copy so I cannot say anything specific about this issue in particular yet. I will say that this is a conversation that is had regularly. If you don't do Intarsia, even one article is maybe too much for you. if you don’t do fretwork and prefer Intarsia, only one or two Intarsia patterns in an issue may not be enough. Some complain there is too many “easy” patterns having been scrolling for years. Newbies, think patterns are too difficult,  and want more easy patterns, I can only imagine how difficult it is to try to make everybody somewhat happy  most of the time when trying to put out a magazine for such a wide variety of areas in a hobby that covers so many types of work.  I am just happy that we have a magazine and always find something in most issues that I am willing to try, Sometimes we need to go outside our comfort zone and try something new.  When you consider how much a pattern can cost, I figure as long as I find one an issue, (and I usually find more than one), it has paid for its self. Do I always like everything in every issue, no but I don’t expect to. But I will say, thanks to the magazine, I have also tried things that I might not have otherwise. 

Very well said.. It'd be real hard to put enough content into one magazine to cover every type of sawing.. not to mention types of medium to be scrolled.. Wood is generally the main topic with scroll saws.. but so much more could be discussed..  the magazine I dropped several years ago but have considered resubscribing.. Back then.. there seemed to be more adds in the book than actual topics..  I would really entertain the thought of a electronic version of the magazine.. everyone talks about going green.. Maybe too much for server and website cost? Not sure but they seem to be stuck on doing old fashion practices and I myself see the future of all magazines fazing out.. heck most of my car themed magazines are online.. I could see many more people subscribing to a online form of the magazine.. log in and print the patterns they want... Most everyone agrees about the patterns being a Pain to take out of the magazine to copy.. much more simple to find the wanted pattern online from the designer at hand and buy it for a instant download.. Maybe this for me because the nearest copyer to go to for me is 15-20 mile away..  

In todays busy world where people are on the go all the time.. it'd be much more convenient to look through the magazine while waiting at the Doctors office while on my phone.. or stuck in a traffic jam etc etc.. where one wouldn't normally be carrying the magazine. LOL It's been talked about many times and most everyone agrees that a digital version they'd pay extra for.. it's been brought up to the folks that put out the magazine.. SO.. not IF they go under but When they go under.. I personally wont feel sorry for them.. they've been asked and decline to offer.. So instead of having the magazine on my device to look at..I suffer through Facebook, Intagram, and TicTok  instead of reading though a magazine.. 

I'm glad that people have the magazine to go to.. I just see them hurting the future of the magazine by not being at all interested in a electronic version.. Just my opinion here but.. the best scroll sawing magazine out there failed long ago.. Mainly because they refused to sell people magazines full of ads during the hard times.. I guess this one was supported long enough by all those ads that they was able to stay afloat.. good for them.. but bad for those of us that paid several years of subscriptions for magazine ads.. Maybe this is part of my dis taste to them..  

Years ago the only way to get patterns was the magazines and books.. designers had to submit to the magazine and it was up to them to publish or not.. Now days a designer can get money and probably more of it by skipping the magazine and just start selling their designs on etsy or some other site.. It's only a matter of time where they'll have to conform to the new way of things or go under.. Just My Opinion.. 

[OCtoolguy]

33 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Very well said.. It'd be real hard to put enough content into one magazine to cover every type of sawing.. not to mention types of medium to be scrolled.. Wood is generally the main topic with scroll saws.. but so much more could be discussed..  the magazine I dropped several years ago but have considered resubscribing.. Back then.. there seemed to be more adds in the book than actual topics..  I would really entertain the thought of a electronic version of the magazine.. everyone talks about going green.. Maybe too much for server and website cost? Not sure but they seem to be stuck on doing old fashion practices and I myself see the future of all magazines fazing out.. heck most of my car themed magazines are online.. I could see many more people subscribing to a online form of the magazine.. log in and print the patterns they want... Most everyone agrees about the patterns being a Pain to take out of the magazine to copy.. much more simple to find the wanted pattern online from the designer at hand and buy it for a instant download.. Maybe this for me because the nearest copyer to go to for me is 15-20 mile away..  

In todays busy world where people are on the go all the time.. it'd be much more convenient to look through the magazine while waiting at the Doctors office while on my phone.. or stuck in a traffic jam etc etc.. where one wouldn't normally be carrying the magazine. LOL It's been talked about many times and most everyone agrees that a digital version they'd pay extra for.. it's been brought up to the folks that put out the magazine.. SO.. not IF they go under but When they go under.. I personally wont feel sorry for them.. they've been asked and decline to offer.. So instead of having the magazine on my device to look at..I suffer through Facebook, Intagram, and TicTok  instead of reading though a magazine.. 

I'm glad that people have the magazine to go to.. I just see them hurting the future of the magazine by not being at all interested in a electronic version.. Just my opinion here but.. the best scroll sawing magazine out there failed long ago.. Mainly because they refused to sell people magazines full of ads during the hard times.. I guess this one was supported long enough by all those ads that they was able to stay afloat.. good for them.. but bad for those of us that paid several years of subscriptions for magazine ads.. Maybe this is part of my dis taste to them..  

Years ago the only way to get patterns was the magazines and books.. designers had to submit to the magazine and it was up to them to publish or not.. Now days a designer can get money and probably more of it by skipping the magazine and just start selling their designs on etsy or some other site.. It's only a matter of time where they'll have to conform to the new way of things or go under.. Just My Opinion.. 

I agree to some extent with what you say. I see Woodcraft has gone digital. My problem with digital is reading online is very hard on my eyes and makes me sleepy very quickly. I can read my old Kindle for hours but if I read anything on my newer Kindle, same problem. But, there is absolutely no reason not to offer both formats and if it's more costly to publish, charge accordingly. It's no different than going to a restaurant and being able to order food the way you want it. 

[kmmcrafts]

35 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

I agree to some extent with what you say. I see Woodcraft has gone digital. My problem with digital is reading online is very hard on my eyes and makes me sleepy very quickly. I can read my old Kindle for hours but if I read anything on my newer Kindle, same problem. But, there is absolutely no reason not to offer both formats and if it's more costly to publish, charge accordingly. It's no different than going to a restaurant and being able to order food the way you want it. 

Yes the car magazines are both.. you get a print copy as well as a digital copy.. basically a login on a website.. I do agree with the digital sometimes being hard to read.. In this day and age though.. if you're not digital or online.. nobody knows who you are..  My brothers lumber mill.. as an example.. he's not online.. people don' t look for stuff very often in the actual phone books yellow pages anymore.. they go to their phone to look up stuff online.. Most of the younger folks don't even know what the yellow pages are.. 

The other thing with digital.. you can clip certain topics that peek your interest.. and save them to your clipped topics.. Sort of like cutting clips from magazines..

There is a place for physical copies.. but there is becoming a bigger place for digital copies.. having both to transition gradually would be best of both..     

[OCtoolguy]

28 minutes ago, kmmcrafts said:

Yes the car magazines are both.. you get a print copy as well as a digital copy.. basically a login on a website.. I do agree with the digital sometimes being hard to read.. In this day and age though.. if you're not digital or online.. nobody knows who you are..  My brothers lumber mill.. as an example.. he's not online.. people don' t look for stuff very often in the actual phone books yellow pages anymore.. they go to their phone to look up stuff online.. Most of the younger folks don't even know what the yellow pages are.. 

The other thing with digital.. you can clip certain topics that peek your interest.. and save them to your clipped topics.. Sort of like cutting clips from magazines..

There is a place for physical copies.. but there is becoming a bigger place for digital copies.. having both to transition gradually would be best of both..     

Not sure what you mean about clipping/saving topics.

[kmmcrafts]

23 minutes ago, octoolguy said:

Not sure what you mean about clipping/saving topics.

a lot of people like to "save " articles from magazines for a later day or for reference.. Much like bookmarking a topic here.. My parents used to cut out or rip out pages in magazines that they wanted to save.. before tossing the magazine out.. kinda the same concept.. but in a online world it's more like a bookmark.. than clipping to me.. 

[Bill WIlson]

6 hours ago, meflick said:

I have not yet received my most recent copy so I cannot say anything specific about this issue in particular yet. I will say that this is a conversation that is had regularly. If you don't do Intarsia, even one article is maybe too much for you. if you don’t do fretwork and prefer Intarsia, only one or two Intarsia patterns in an issue may not be enough. Some complain there is too many “easy” patterns having been scrolling for years. Newbies, think patterns are too difficult,  and want more easy patterns, I can only imagine how difficult it is to try to make everybody somewhat happy  most of the time when trying to put out a magazine for such a wide variety of areas in a hobby that covers so many types of work.  I am just happy that we have a magazine and always find something in most issues that I am willing to try, Sometimes we need to go outside our comfort zone and try something new.  When you consider how much a pattern can cost, I figure as long as I find one an issue, (and I usually find more than one), it has paid for its self. Do I always like everything in every issue, no but I don’t expect to. But I will say, thanks to the magazine, I have also tried things that I might not have otherwise. 

Couldn't have said it better, myself. 

[fredfret]

I often see or am asked for a pattern/project and have to find it in an old copy. 

[Fab4]

Just look at the great patterns we have here at the Village
Not for everyone - just like the magazines
Only difference, here you can pick and choose what you want
When you buy a book/magazine, you are at their mercy with what they think people will like
Melanie said it best,  @meflick
Fab4

 

Edited September 21, 2019 by Fab4
added tag

[OCtoolguy]

I will say, I just went through the newest magazine and didn't find one thing of interest. Not to say that I won't come back later and find something. 

[JimErn]

12 hours ago, octoolguy said:

I will say, I just went through the newest magazine and didn't find one thing of interest. Not to say that I won't come back later and find something. 

That happened to me a year or so ago, two issues in a row and nothing, not even the ads changed - I let the subscription lapse and have not seen one since.

[tgiro]

Firstly - there are 20 articles - 10 are patterns and 7 are projects. Only two of them are intarsia projects. The rest being fretwork, toys, and an automation project. So, I'm not sure I'd say intarsia is taking over the magazine.

I agree with Melanie. I don't do every project in the magazine and I am a dedicated intarsia crafter. But I always find ideas and neat gadgets or tricks I can use.

Many of us have found a niche in the scrollsaw media and have dedicated ourselves to becoming very proficient in that niche. I do intarsia, Scott does the animal puzzles, Jim does inlays, some folks do only some form of fretwork. A magazine will never have everything we are dedicated to. A magazine must try to touch all aspects of the crafts. 

SSWC is the only surviving American scroll saw magazine. Fox Chapel has a good woodcraft book and magazine publishing business going. Their authors, contributors and artists are top of the line. I doubt that they will be folding anytime in the near future.

[barb.j.enders]

Received my magazine on Friday.  Looking forward to trying the Charles Hand puzzle. Also the reindeer/sled pattern.  I don't do Intarsia because I also hate sanding!  

[RabidAlien]

My medium of cutting is Lowes "whiteboard" (cheaper than pine, if you don't mind knots all over the place) or scrap from nearby construction sites, so I don't have the different flavors of wood to try out intarsia.  Still, I love looking at what is possible, and think "maybe I'll come back sometime and give that intarsia dragon a try".  Even if I don't find a pattern I will cut, I still find some nifty tricks in the articles.

 

That said, I got my first subscription earlier this year, after finding both Spring and Summer issues at Barnes-n-Nobels.  I haven't gotten the winter issue yet, just a Holiday scroll sawing pattern collection that came with the Autumn edition.  I figure they sorta have to hedge their bets...there's so many different things one can do with a scroll saw, and only so much space inside a magazine, that there's no real way to "center" a magazine like this.  Topics will slosh heavily towards one style one month, then swing back to a different style the next month, etc etc.  At least, that's what'll happen if the editors are smart, which it seems like they are from my limited exposure so far.

 

Keep sloshing, FoxPublishing! 

[OCtoolguy]

Well, after reading through all the posts above, I think I'm in the group of folks who appreciate that there is still a "print" edition of the magazine and I will continue to support them as long as my interest in scroll sawing continues. I'm not a Christmas person, and I'm not into making toys or stuff for my grandkids since they are all grown. I look for something that is challenging and might have a useful purpose after it's completed. But, that doesn't mean that I'm not interested in seeing how others do things and what others have created. It must be very hard for the publishers to come up with enough differing content each issue so I give them credit for doing it. I also look for books on things that I can make. I'm not imaginative in the least so I depend on others to come up with ideas. I have only made a few different items but I have changed plans and deviated from the original just to change size, shape and woods. Anyway, it's the same reason that Baskin Robbins has been so successful over the years. There is a flavor for everybody. 

 

[Gonzo]

I too, agree with Melanie. 

[bcdennis]

I have to say I was disappointed with the "Winter Edition".  I think one would expect a ton of Christmas type projects but with this edition I didn't care for the small amount of what they had.  The ornaments were not very appealing (to me) and very limited as far as design.  I think the feather (bird) article and a few others were out of place for a Winter Edition.  I also feel that fret work has been lacking in the magazine but as others have stated each group (Fret or Intarsia) have their own opinions.  I know the Angel fret they show says that the fine lines can be done by saw or wood burning but it just didn't interest me either way.  Guess I will go to Sue Mey's site and download some ornaments. 

I will have to seriously contemplate renewing my subscription. 

[kmmcrafts]

Well, I wife and daughter wanted to go to the mall ( Bath & Bodyworks ) and the Barns & Nobel is in there so I went up check out the magazine.. Probably not a pattern in it that'd I'd cut anytime soon but I did buy the magazine. Also was quite disappointed that there wasn't more holiday stuff in it.. didn't seem like their holiday issue that I remember getting.. But that said I think I may subscribe to them again.. There are usually $40 worth of patterns a year in the thing and also some good reading.. I never used to use the patterns in them anyway is was more about the stories.. After thinking about it more I also support the designers and many other jobs along the way by subscribing.. Might see if I can get the back issues from when I stopped subscribing.. Biggest reason I stopped was just cutting un-necessary bills at the time.. Sure wish that other magazine was still around.. 

What changed my mind was a few weeks back I was asked about cutting some angels ( I'll post finished pieces in bragging section in a few weeks ) ornaments that i did way back when.. maybe 2008-9? anyway I had to hunt down the magazine that the patterns was in. I ran across a lot of things that I'd cut now but didn't interest me at all back then..  I also had a great time looking through them in my search..  Sure do wish they offered a yearly digital format one though.. Magazines take up a lot of space when you have several years worth of them, LOL     

[OCtoolguy]

It is strange in this digital world that tgey don't offer it way. Since they send digital media to the printer why not sell it that way. And I know if they offered all the patterns that way, many of us would pay for them. I did email them with the suggest a year or so ago and they wrote back that they just weren't set up to do it. I'd love to know why. Heck, hire me and I'll do it from my home.