Pop Wood article on Woodworker Guilds

[Charlie Kocourek]

Has anyone read the article in this month's Pop Wood Magazine about "The Boys in the Guild"?

It describes Woodworker Guild members as "a bunch of wackos" and then goes on to describe several people who they say you can expect to meet at your local Guild meeting.

They start the article with a few positive comments about how Guilds are a great place, but I found the bulk of their article really quite offensive.

I have found the people at my local guild to be friendly, educated, intelligent, hardworking, and very talented. Sure most Guilds are filled with hobbyists. But, who do they think buy all the woodworking magazines? Not to mention the fact that it is also the hobbyist who supports their advertisers, without which there would be no Pop Woodworking.

I know that they will say that it was not meant to offend and that I should understand bla bla bla. I don't care what they claim to have meant. The fact is that it was a slam on hobbyists and I am no longer interested in them or their magazine.

[Gary Keedwell]

Has anyone read the article in this month's Pop Wood Magazine about "The Boys in the Guild"?

It describes Woodworker Guild members as "a bunch of wackos" and then goes on to describe several people who they say you can expect to meet at your local Guild meeting.

They start the article with a few positive comments about how Guilds are a great place, but I found the bulk of their article really quite offensive.

I have found the people at my local guild to be friendly, educated, intelligent, hardworking, and very talented. Sure most Guilds are filled with hobbyists. But, who do they think buy all the woodworking magazines? Not to mention the fact that it is also the hobbyist who supports their advertisers, without which there would be no Pop Woodworking.

I know that they will say that it was not meant to offend and that I should understand bla bla bla. I don't care what they claim to have meant. The fact is that it was a slam on hobbyists and I am no longer interested in them or their magazine.

No offense...but I never heard of Pop Wood Magazine nor have I seen it on the newsstands.
Gary

[Charlie Kocourek]

Sorry Gary, I should have written it out.

[Gary Keedwell]

Sorry Gary, I should have written it out.

LOL I was going nuts google-ing Pop Wood. Now I feel stupid
Gary

[Gary Keedwell]

I remember reading that article a few weeks ago and thought it seemed odd and out of place. He made it seem like woodworkers are eccentric and oddballs out of some TV sit-com or something.
Most woodworkers that I have meet are down to earth and humble. Although I have to admit that since I started "talking" online a few short years ago, my perception of woodworkers has changed a little.

Gary

[Don Stutsman]

Have you told Popular Woodworking how you feel? Magazines often use 'freelance' writers and may not have adequately proofed the article. I, for one, am quick to point out things I disagree with - my elected representatives would like my email access rendered mute. Send PW an email, yes maybe they will wiggle and weasel but at least you'll have had your say.

[Randy Klein]

I thought it was funny and didn't take it as a serious editorial.

[Mike Henderson]

That article is available here. Maybe the writer was just trying to be funny.

Mike

[Don Stutsman]

Having just read the article, I also believe it to be an attempt at humor. Just think about it for a while and you will be able to place a face with each personality described. If we can't occasionally step back and laugh at ourselves - we may be taking things way to seriously.

[Dennis Peacock]

Funny or not, I still don't subscribe....even today. Now I have another reason why I should not be a subscriber.

[Walt Nicholson]

I thought it was all written in fun. Just about any guild (or forum) has people just like he described (your's is nice but mine is nicer, my tools are more expensive", etc. as well as the regular guys. Somebody famous once said "If you are going to laugh at someone, laugh at yourself first, it's a lot more fun." I think that was what he was doing. Just my 2 cents worth again.

[Christopher Pine]

You probably won't find anybody with more of an attitude of "I will not subscribe to thet magaziine" than I. I think it was just a humorous article about guilds. I know being in a guild for a long time now (guessing 15 years) that the people metined in the article are certainly present in our guild.
I found this magazine to not be worth much honestly. There are probably exceptions from time to time but I stopped subscribign in the early ninties. The final straw was whe they had plans to build a ladder, A LADDER!
While some may find that interesting I found it ridiculous! SO to each his own.

[Randy Klein]

I found this magazine to not be worth much honestly. There are probably exceptions from time to time but I stopped subscribign in the early ninties.

I didn't read this mag in the early nineties, but I really like the direction Chris Schwarz has taken the mag in the past few years. It seems to be more of a blend of hand tool/power tool approach to woodworking that resonates with me. You may want to check them out again...

[Matt Meiser]

Gee, I just thought it was a humourous article. That column is almost always poking fun at someone--its kind of the point of the column. Have you honestly never met people like the ones "named" in the column?

And I agree with Randy that Chris Schwarz has really turned the magazine around from where it was say 5 years ago.

Now if he had mentioned the geeky programmer guy, THEN I'd be ticked.

[Gary Keedwell]

I'll also agree that the magazine is alot better the last couple of years. I had stopped subscribing but have been on mailing lists again.
Gary