End of Subscription Pending

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

[KWILParticipant @kwil]

With a certain reluctance having subscribed from the near beginning and having a complete set of copies I find that the content no longer suits my interests.

It is no reflection on the present Editor however the "direction of travel", ever towards the beginner with simplistic tasks no longer provides even a reading interest each month.

I have donned my tin helmet in anticipation of the incoming rounds.

[mickypeeParticipant @mickypee]

I for one think it is an excellent magazine, lets face it, there isn't a similar publication that is anything close to what we have here. As for articles relating to the beginners, there is always something new to learn and perhaps a better way of completing a task in a different way that may be better. No one knows everything there is to know about the subject and I welcome these articles even though I have many years experience in engineering.

As for the direction the magazine is taking, I enjoy some of the tangential subjects in vehicle and electronic applications and long may it continue. We all have cars and many of us restore or rebuild automotive projects ranging from motorbikes to classic cars. Some of the topics that have been focussed on recently (removal of rust or paint for example) apply to many areas from restoring a lathe or the removal of corrosion on a machined surface all of which is entirely relevant to what we enjoy.

I would like to see more articles on workshop construction, be it wooden or bricks along with fitting out such buildings with electrics or may be air systems. My own workshops resemble more of a construction of a house with many elaborate wiring and electrical applications. I have ceiling mounted lifting gear, compressed air plumbing and computer systems such as internet cabling etc. These days we all live in a hi-tech world and we all rely on computers and the associated hardware that goes with them, so what about articles on installing Cap3 cables, routers, cnc applications etc. The list is endless but one thing is for sure, we all use it in some form. Many of us aspire to have DRO's on our machines, so what about installing and fitting out a lathe with one of the proprietary DRO units that are commercially available. Living with old fashioned methods that may have been around for years is fine, but things have moved on and we are all able to take advantage of all these exciting new products that are available.

It is true that cutting a piece of metal on a lathe or mill is the same process that it has always been but these days there are many electronic aids to help us do it more accurately, I can't remember the last time I used a micrometer or a vernier that wasn't digital, it's just the way these things have evolved.

So lets continue with the diversification and innovative ideas the magazine has to offer, I will be renewing my subscription at the end of the year along with a digital subscription so I can read all the articles on my computer.

Mr Editor, keep up the good work, you are producing one of the best magazines out there, I am very happy with what you are doing and look forward to the articles to come.

 

Edited By mickypee on 24/09/2014 11:18:11

Edited By mickypee on 24/09/2014 11:19:13

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I suppose this is one of the downsides of going for shorter articles, they can only scratch at the surface of a subject that really would need spreading over several issues to go into any depth. Many who have been involved in the hobby for a number of years would likely know the basics that a two page intro would cover so there is little to stimulate their interests.

Same with anything to make by the time the say 2 pages have been split into text and a couple of photos there is little space left for more than a sketch or general arrangement. Many of the subjects that have been in MEW over the years could never have been delt with in a short article.

I've nothing against including items aimed at the newcommer or "weekend projects" but this does need to be balanced against something for those that have advanced beyond a carrage stop and filing rest.

J

[Ady1Participant @ady1]

If you read a lot of the oldies like I do the magazine was always trying to embrace newer technology and ideas as they evolved

Nowadays there's solar digital and electronic stuff as opposed to diesels and fridges in the 1940s

The only limit is your imagination

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

What do other readers think?

I had a lot of feedback when I started that MEW was going to far down the ME route of being mostly long multi-part articles, and it should return to its original 'one part article' policy.

We've gone down to one ongoing series from three, which has freed up about 8-9 pages for shorter articles. That's enough to let me carry articles by 30-40 different authors at all levels of technical interest over a year.

The amount of content for mid-length articles has stayed about the same, in the last three issues we've had multi-part series on:

1. Fitting DROs to X3 mill,
2. Update of Universal Pillar Tool,
3. Live tailstock Spindle
4. Grinding 4-facet drills
5. Tap sharpening tool
6. Plastic Sheet Welder
7. Stepperhead Topslide

My feeling is that, whether or not these are of individual interest, none of these are at a 'beginner' level.

There is an interesting side effect – long articles can usually be split at convenient page breaks, but the 'last' part of a series or a single part article often leaves a half-page to fill. With more articles 'ending' there's more space for very short fillers like saddle stops.

I'm very cautious of seeking more series more then a few parts long, but do readers feel that there is too little technical content? – And if so, what sort of topics would you like to see covered?

Neil

[Graham King 3Participant @grahamking3]

I am a total newcomer to this hobby, basic is of interest but I do aspire to greater heights. The one big beef I have is that is an open forum open to all and I have gained a lot from information I have found here eg. when making decisions about what machinery to get etc.

The MEW has also been a great source information about making tool that are not generally available, but the searchable index that I understood was set up by members for the use of other members, now appears to have been hijacked, in that you now have to pay to use it. Being that the only access to it is to buy both print + digital subscription, which is a bit rich considering that the magazines it refers to are not always available in digital format, have already been purchased and are owned.

It is a bit like being charged extra for yesterdays meal as the price today has gone up!!!

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

Its interesting to see that Mick and Ady seem to be hinting that Kwil is stuck in his ways and not embracing new technologies. I can assure you that Kwil is quite upto date with what he uses and knows about.

And before anyone says you only read what gets sent in he has had several articles published over the years and can also be found at MEX usually on the SMEE stand showing and talking about these items and more.

J

[John CoatesParticipant @johncoates48577]

I was updating my MEW index the other day and noted the multi part articles that I do not read

– Dave Clark's beginners series, I'm a bit on from beginner but this is going so slow I would have given up by now

– Marcus Bowman's CNC (up to part 14 IIRC), definitley not for beginners

– back gear on that little lathe (Unimat? sorry am at work and utilising the memory bank), up to part 7?

So that's a lot of print I've not bothered with. The two or three issue articles i find I enjoy but the Lord of the Rings ones have all gone cold for me. Seems that back in the early days of MEW they said an awful lot more in fewer pages but there were a lot less photos.

But I'm sticking with it as I look forward to it coming through the letter box and what might be inside. The annual subscription is cheap (and my outgoings are reduced now I cancelled my computer mag subs).

John

[Ian PParticipant @ianp]

I did unsubscribe from MEW several months ago when I was not happy with the content.. I missed a couple of issues but decided to resubscribe partly because the articles seemed to look more interesting (the free gift was a very minor incitement only). I'm glad I did. Without doubt in my opinion there has been a significant increase in the content of the magazine.

One of the articles I thought would be really interesting turned out to be a very damp squib, Brushless Motor Pillar Drill, very little meat on the brushless aspect, whereas the one on making a rotating tailstock centre was a revelation in terms of the author properly explaining the how and why to do something, other recent articles that I think are worth a mention are 'Building a Special' and of course the Stepperhead ones. I would mention some others but I don't have the magazines to hand to jog my memory.

All in all I would say that the MEW author has got it right. Kwil is obviously entitled to his own opinion but he did say that the content no longer suited his needs.

Ian P

[Cornish JackParticipant @cornishjack]

Not sure whether this is on-topic or not but, after a 10 day battle to arrange a mag + digital subscription recently, today I received the following email from MyTimeMedia …

"Dear Neil,

Thank you for your email.

My opolgies for the lack of response you have received, I can confirm your subscription has been cancelled.

Kind Regards,

Sarah Luker"

Apart from NOT being NEIL, what should I assume from this (apart, that is, from MTM admin being … how shall one say – slightly challenged??)

Rgds

Bill

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Hi Bill,

I've sent a copy of your post to subscriptions and asked them to respond.

Neil

[DMBParticipant @dmb]

Neil,

Near the end of your last post on this thread, you made a comment, effectively that a multi-part article often finishes in an inconvenient place, leaving 1/2 a page to fill with something else.

I would like to suggest that as I find tiny photos often appear to contain interesting items other than the photo-subject, could you not check "background" of photos in the article for say, interesting shelf arrangements behind the featured mill/lathe/etc and enlarge this particular photo, thus "fiddling" the space down to zero at the end of said article?

This is meant as constructive criticism and no offence intended, after all, you are the Editor and I think you are doing a very good job.

I expect that there is one of LBSC`s "fly in the ointment" here, since it would result in another complete page for which the author will expect to be paid. Bean counters, hmmph, dont you just luvem!

Sometime ago I said I cant wait for the time to come around again and when MEW plops thro` letterbox, I`m like a pig in muck. Still applies as much today as issue no 1.

John

[NJHParticipant @njh]

HI "KWIL"

I can sympathise with your position and, to some extent, was "there" myself some while ago. I have a large quantity of back numbers of ME & MEW ( plus E I M and various photography mags!) and, despite living in quite a large house, it all had to stop sometime before we were buried in paper! (The digital versions hold no attraction at all for me) I stopped my subscription and now check out new issues as they arrive at my local newsagent then buy just those mags where I find sufficient items of interest. I've been in this "mode" for a year or so and it works for me. The only question remaining is WHAT am I to do with all those back copies cluttering up my study?

Regards

Norman

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

Hi John,

Another regular criticism is of articles being padded out with unnecessary photos…

I can't win

Neil

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

What about starting one article where another finishes? That way two articles of say 1 1/2 pages each can be fitted onto 3 pages.

Or there is the old way of hiding the last half page of an article somewhere else in the mag

[BazyleParticipant @bazyle]

I support DMB's comment on photos as I've seen so many photos fo a round thing being made smaller and still round that I'm more often interested in identifying the lathe or tools behind it. Same goes for youtube videos and TV foder where the decor is better than the content.

However you could also try the opposite – condensing the text to shorten the article. If the drawing clearly shows a flat plate with 4 holes in it no need for the LBSC style details of the bleedin' obvious. Make extra space for pictures of the awkward bits and nowadays more 3Dcad presentations of the awkward bits too.

NJH if you want to get rid of magazines please contact your local club (or me) as while we have 60 years of ME back issues we don't have EIM and MEW and I suspect other clubs are the same as they haven't been going long enough for somone with a full collection to have died. ME is more common in club archives in the UK but what about Oz? Visa versa too – anyone wanting to get shot of an archive of AME ?

[John CoatesParticipant @johncoates48577]

Posted by NJH on 24/09/2014 16:09:04:

I have a large quantity of back numbers of ME & MEW …… The only question remaining is WHAT am I to do with all those back copies cluttering up my study?

Norman

As I paid almost £25 for a single issue of MEW to complete my collection you could be sitting on a little gold mine which could fund a future purchase of something you need or want

regards

John

[John McNamaraParticipant @johnmcnamara74883]

Firstly Thank you Neil Wyatt for doing a first class job as editor.

Reading this thread made me reflect on change in Media channels

In 1956 (for Australian viewers anyway) Television was switched on. and for years we only had a few channels. At the same time Model engineer must have been about 50 years old.

Television was a watershed moment for the way information was shared and possibly more importantly our leisure time was taken. but now television is digital and a lot (More and more) of it is delivered by cable and the internet, it is likely that some time in the future it will be by wire or fibre and apart from the main channels not broadcast. The bandwidth is too valuable for TV alone, this is already happing to community TV in Australia, it is moving to the net and the bandwidth will be sold to Telco's,, The Telco / internet companies are clamouring for more to satisfy their expansion needs.

The main underling force that drove the changes in media was the demand by consumers for more and more choice in the material they view and the need to view it at a time of their choosing.

Getting back to MEW and ME and the digital versions. OK a step in the right direction but Oh…. They are the same material! to me a wrong decision…. The readers want more as attested to in this thread and many other threads that pop up from time to time on the forum.

Just as the television stations have learnt adapted and morphed with the internet to supply their customers needs. Print media has to change with the times as well: Think of the possibilities Larger articles can extend into the internet using as many photos as needed without a space restriction. If a hundred pages are needed? Backup reference material? CNC Program code? Article too esoteric? All not a problem.

I think a printed magazine augmented by the net is the way of the future. A (single) subscription should give the reader both "Channels" a Print Magazine and a log in.

Regards
John

Edited By John McNamara on 25/09/2014 15:13:17

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

> What about starting one article where another finishes? That way two articles of say 1 1/2 pages each can be fitted onto 3 pages.

I have asked about that – the publisher's house style demands that multi-page articles always start on a full page.

> Think of the possibilities Larger articles can extend into the internet using as many photos as needed without a space restriction. If a hundred pages are needed? Backup reference material? CNC Program code? Article too esoteric? All not a problem.

You have to think of the capacity a part-time editor has to edit material…

I am eager to put extra information on the website but I rarely get suitable information (I do have some planned).

There are places to go, I would love to include some quality video in the digital editions, but then print subscribers would only get a still… we've not quite quite caught up with the Daily Prophet yet. I think it will be a while before we have the specialist web support needed.

Neil

[JasonBModerator @jasonb]

I also subscribe to Medel Engine Builder Mag, they started putting extra video etc on their site and then about a year ago went over to totally digital (easily downloaded PDF) which also contains links to video, 3D images and animations and other items. Since the change I find I spend a lot less time looking at the mag than I did when it was a paper version, I just prefer to have the mag which is easy to pick up and read a paragraph or two when you have a spare moment, adverts are on TV etc.

The other thing to consider is that authors may well want paying for all this extra web content, I assume you are all happy to pay the increased subs

J

[SteambuffParticipant @steambuff]

I prefer Paper versions … you can read them anywhere.

One other point …. I have some paper issues of ME that are over 50 years old …

If we have digital only (or part digital) articles, will they still be available in 10/20 years time, let alone 50? …. I very much doubt it, so the archives will be full of partial articles! or worse still, nothing at all.

(We are seeing the same with family photographs … when the owner dies they just get deleted and are lost forever)

Dave

[Neil WyattModerator @neilwyatt]

I agree the magazine has to be the 'core product', but if an author has the capability to export a 3D model of a complex part to an interactive PDF, than I can see that would be great additional information. It would also be good to see video of some of the models in ME in action.

Most authors appear happy that supporting material that would otherwise go unused (e.g. materials lists, spreadsheets) go online gratis. Obviously if we went for something more ambitious I would have to negotiate this with the author.

I do have a small budget for online-only articles, but little used so far.

Neil

[chris stephensParticipant @chrisstephens63393]

The main underling force that drove the changes in media was the demand by consumers for more and more choice in the material they view and the need to view it at a time of their choosing.

Hi John, don't you mean the advertisers were clamouring for more channels to increase their revenue, I have never heard a viewer say anything other than there are too many, with the concomitant result of lack of quality as any quality there maybe is now spread too thin. Jaundiced view, I think not.

Thank goodness we now have Youtube and the likes of Tom Lipton(oxtoolco) James Kilroy, Keith Fenner , April Wilkerson et al.

chriStephens

[John McNamaraParticipant @johnmcnamara74883]

Hi Chris

The consumer always on the lookout for the new. is a very fickle animal indeed I do believe that ultimately the consumer is the driver of the market. For example the computer, then the birth of the internet both, were very disruptive technology, to coin a modern phrase. They attracted consumers away form the traditional print and media companies, many did not foresee the effect they would have on their business models in just a few years, they have been trying to play catch up ever since. Consumers embraced the internet and advertisers have had to follow them.

Magazine publishing has similar hurdles to overcome. It has to integrate completely, joining printed paper and the net as one continuum.

Regards
John

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