Model Engineer Magazine: Future from February 2025.

[weary]

I know that few of you take Model Engineer Magazine and many of you do not frequent Model Engineer Website regularly. However the following, which doesn't appear to have been mentioned as-yet on this site, may still be of interest ->

Model Engineer and Model Engineers' Workshop magazines are to amalgamate commencing February 2025 into a single monthly publication.
Link to information on Model Engineer web-site.

The editor of the new monthly magazine, Neill Wyatt (Current editor Model Engineer's Workshop) is canvassing views as to future magazine content in this thread on Model Engineer web-site.

Some of you may wish to contribute on the Model Engineer web-site.

Phil

[dhamblin]

An interesting development and obviously as the only(?) regular print media promoting our hobby I wish Neil well in editing the new combined magazine. Hopefully a decent balance can be struck to keep existing subscribers on board and attract some back.

Regards,

Dan

[JonL]

I'm interested to see how this pans out. I take Model Engineer magazine, but sometimes it has felt like I'm only doing so to help keep it alive. I spoke to them once about if they struggle much to get articles, and ME said he has a large backlog. Bearing in mind one of the articles in the recent magazine was about Dad Dancing I wonder if they are valueing quantity over quality. That being said there are some real rising stars in the magazine of late (I think Luker is doing some fantastic things, its brilliant someone is still designing new locomotives) and I really hope it continues long into the future. I'll keep subscribing for sure.

[oldnorton]

I like it Jon 

I think that the editor (Martin Evans) might have been pulling a joke with all the moaners with his feature of 'dad dancing' on the cover. I have been waiting for the complaints on the ME forum but they haven't arrived yet   Lots of complaints about 'Butterside Down' though.

Norm

[Jo]

So they are going down from 3 printed magazines a month (2 ME & 1 MEW) to one combined one. I wonder how much they will think 1/3 of the magazine content is worth.


I see they used up one more page about "Dad Dancing" (Page 105, article 3 pages) in the ME magazine than they gave to remembering Cherry Hill. Maybe so as not to be seen as being sexist they could do 3 pages on Computer Aided quilting next month.

Jo

[jasonb]

16 more pages and I think the cost only goes up by 10p on the current MEW price.

I believe Neil also has a piece on Cherry, with some photos that have not been seen before unlike David Carpenters ones.

Plenty of comment on Butterside down series on the forum which was the one with the Dad dancing in it. www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/topic/discussion-on-the-future-direction-of-model-engineer-and-workshop/

[John Baguley]

I think I've had ME on subscription since the 70's. The main reason that I have carried on with it is because I spent a lot of time and a fair bit of money slowly collecting virtually a complete set from when it started and I wanted to carry on with that. It's also a lot cheaper on subscription than buying at a shop. However, I must have a pile of unopened magazines going back maybe three years as I just don't find much of interest in it anymore. I did open one a few months back because someone said I was on the front cover (which I knew nothing about) so I wanted to see what the photo was.

I'm not sure about the new format. I've never bought a copy of MEW because I'm not interested in making tools or that side of it. I'd sooner buy what I want if it's cheap enough and spend my time building models instead.

Although I build mainly locos I'm not particularly interested in reading articles about building them anymore. They tend to be just the same old thing regurgitated. I prefer to design my own now anyway rather than follow someone elses design. The exception is when I pick up an old loco and restore it as it was built. That's where the old issues come in handy.

I will give the new magazine a trial and see how it goes but if it doesn't suit me then I will just cancel my subscription and stick to watching stuff on YouTube.

John

[oldnorton]

Jan 4, 2025 17:02:35 GMT jasonb said:

Plenty of comment on Butterside down series on the forum which was the one with the Dad dancing in it. www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/topic/discussion-on-the-future-direction-of-model-engineer-and-workshop/

Nothing since 29 December on that link, nor mentioning the specific 'dancing' ME cover page. Or am I not seeing beyond page 7?

Go on, tell me that Martin did it to wind people up! You might know.

[Jo]

Jan 4, 2025 17:33:30 GMT oldnorton said:

Nothing since 29 December on that link, nor mentioning the specific 'dancing' ME cover page. Or am I not seeing beyond page 7?

Go on, tell me that Martin did it to wind people up! You might know.

I was concerned that the Editor thought it was so much of an interesting item in the mag that the readers would be drawn by that he put it on the front cover


While on irrelevant subjects: I was really impressed by the Computer controlled Quilting all the sorts of stuff we talk about in CAM: ball screws for accuracy on the X/Y control system. Using computer control to make pretty shapes (not with a milling cutter but with a sewing machine). The stitchy lot started with computer controlled embroidery and have now moved on to huge 3m+ sized embroidery/quilting designs. I can imagine if someone explained how other hobbies use the same technology as we implement then we could earn a few brownie points as we showed how to use our workshops to enable the Stitchy enthusiasts to do similar. 

Jo

[jasonb]

Try my comment about that particular installment and the few posts that follow also commenting on that one

www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/topic/discussion-on-the-future-direction-of-model-engineer-and-workshop/page/5/#post-772379

[oldnorton]

I am an ME supporter, and pleased that it is taking a new direction to cope with the realities of published magazines, rather than just winding up.

I think that there is a lot to be said about the new world of model engineering. The recent thread here on stainless parts printing shows just how we can radically reform our ability to build a true to life model (locomotive for me) providing we have the 3D drawings to send to a metal printer.

I have just struggled with a couple of defective lost wax castings and wish I could have drawn and ordered new ones. I need to know more.

Norm

[oldnorton]

Jan 4, 2025 18:43:31 GMT jasonb said:

Try my comment about that particular installment and the few posts that follow also commenting on that one

www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/topic/discussion-on-the-future-direction-of-model-engineer-and-workshop/page/5/#post-772379

Thank you, that takes me to a different link from your previous one (I think).

Well you have thrown the dagger into Mr Goodbody and the editor! I don't blame you. I could read his stuff and laugh along, but it probably went too far for an engineering magazine.

[jasonb]

It's the same thread but just takes you to a specific post.

The thread has died a bit but expect it will pick up again once the notices go out in ME and MEW as there are a lot who subscrobe but don't really use the forum.

I'd also encourage anyone here who subscribes to post their thoughts. The forum membership is probably not that inclined towards Locos so most posts have been against the large proportion of that content so as you like locos here have your say or don't get the content you want.

I'm really not sure if we will see any more loco builds on there due to their length, if we do it's going to have to be in some other format.

Mention was made of LukeR, He has done like I do and added content to a thread related to his previous build articles which may be one way to go though I see he is now providing drawings etc by Patreon via Youtube which is another option as at least he will get some income for his efforts in producing a set of drawings or writing up build notes which would make up for not getting paid for page content.

[dhamblin]

Shorter articles describing a subject to make and then a couple of follow up ones for any new / novel / difficult details might be a better fit for the modern era, backed up by the forum and Youtube videos as required. As mentioned above, new techniques such as 3D metal printing need to start coming into play, with 'how to' articles explaining the options and design requirements etc.

Some of the criticisms levelled by those who take MEW instead of ME are that there are too many builds of older designs, but it needs people to start modelling modern day designs and to write up about them in an engaging manner.

Regards,

Dan

[jasonb]

Neil has an article from me about modern methods such as CAD, CAM, CNC, 3D Printing (inc metal) Scanning etc. Not sure when it will be published. Nothing too in depth more to show what is out there and available to use and examples of them all being used already.

[steamer5]

My MEW subscription renewal turned up a few days back, no mention of the combining of MEW & ME. Then 2 days back an email about taking out a ME subscription, also no mention of combining the publications

Cheers Kerrin

[jasonb]

I've got them to turn off new ME subs and stop sending out emails.

Details of how current subscriptions will change to suit the new single title

www.model-engineer.co.uk/forums/topic/subscriptions-going-forward/

[SteveW]

Guys,

The only way to keep these magazines going is put your hand in your pocket and start buying them.

The thing is, certainly from my perspective, to widen the topics covered. If one looks at the very old ME mags the topics ranged way beyond bloody steam locomotives. Remember, the mag title is "Model Engineer" not "Model Trains".

Clearly any deviation from what ME has been for the last thirty odd years might just hack off the purist but actually attract more customers which could just keep things going.

Modern houses don't now include the space for the kit needed to even consider making holes and joining metal which maybe why this type of magazine has struggled to date.

[JonL]

Not just buy them, but also submit articles to them. You need a transmitter and a receiver.

[jasonb]

Jan 4, 2025 15:05:59 GMT Jo said:

I see they used up one more page about "Dad Dancing" (Page 105, article 3 pages) in the ME magazine than they gave to remembering Cherry Hill. Maybe so as not to be seen as being sexist they could do 3 pages on Computer Aided quilting next month.

Jo

As I mentioned in a post above Neil has given over 10 pages to Cherry in the last MEW which is now out digitally and landing on subscribers doormats, which I think is a fair amount of coverage.

He will also have something on Harold Hall who has also passed in the first ME&W