Hi Tim.

The problem was noted quite some time ago when Model Boat magazine adopted the over glossy cover, quite a few subscribers were less than impressed. Stacking them has to be done carefully.

As a subscriber to both MEW and Model Boats i was hoping that the new owners would make the cover finishes the same by going for the less glossy/slippery version that MEW used. It looks like they've jumped the other way unfortunately.

Keith

Me, too.

It's too glossy, but will I get used to it? The internal pages have a different quality, too.

Bill

I haven't had a problem with any of the Mortons motorcycle magazines I have, which presumably come off the same press. But I buy them from the newsstand and they are a couple of months old by the time they get to the Deep North of Oz, so well aired out.

It may be that subscription copies are packed into their plastic wrapper as they come off the press, so the ink and glossy plastic paper surface are not properly dried out, creating the solvent smell and stickiness some seem to have found. Solution might be to unpack it on arrival and leave it lying around to air for a day or two before stacking etc. Standing them upright on a shelf etc for storage rather than lying down flat could help too I should imagine.

.

However; on reflection …

MichaelG.

First thoughts were, there we go again, since the ultra shiny covers were introduced several years ago. Such a fuss was made and the publisher at that time reverted to their previous semi gloss finish. Wonder why it is used? Surely not as another "buy me" gimmick on WH Smith's shelves?

Another of my subscriptions comes sealed (well and truly!) in a paper envelope, but it's always (every month) glued to the inside of the envelope! Grrrr!

John

I think that adhesion is the way the paper picks up the mag before the envelope is folded over.

Noticed the high gloss finish.

Won't know just how much more slippy until I start piling late issues on top of the pile.

If they slip, shall have to find some means of restraint.

(That's the least on my problems with Mortons, at the moment. Hopefully things will get sorted soon )

Howard

Edited By Howard Lewis on 20/05/2022 11:52:19

The Really Useful box company make a variety of boxes that are really useful for storing magazines and solve many storage problems.

Mike

I thought subscribers would have been happy with the new wipe clean suds proof cover

Surprised no one from the printing trade has replied. The use of the 'glossy' finish papers that have been used for many years means that the ink printed on them never 'drys'. I have mags going back to the sixties that the printed words can be smeared due to the print not being absorbed into the paper surface due to the paper surface pre treatments, unlike newsprint.

Why? cos it's easier to wash out in recycling and gives a 'cleaner' pulp for re-use.

Regards Ian.

Here's the other side of that:

my copy arrived earlier in the week, and I noticed that the cover and paper were slightly different paper. Then I read the magazine, which has the same mix of articles that it's had for ages – the reason I buy it.

I too have too have to change how I store the old copies, but that's because the space I keep them in is now full.

Edited By Nicholas Wheeler 1 on 21/05/2022 10:10:03

Being away from home at the moment, I cannot comment on the new covers, however, for magazine storage, I use two large cereal boxes, remove one end and either the top or bottom, of each, fill one of the boxes with magazines, and use the other as a cover over the top. A sticky label on the outside showing issue numbers enclosed, and the job is done. I also have a homemade database system containing a brief description of each article that may be of interest and the issue(s) in which it may be found. Thus I can easily and readily find any article of interest.

Of course, if the new covers are too slippery, there may be some as yet unknown complications. We shall see!

Cheers,

Peter G. Shaw