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Post by baggo on Jan 5, 2009 1:16:29 GMT
I guess it's a personal thing in the end It is indeed a personal thing. What suits one is not going to suit another. The problem is that some people think that a magazine should only cover what THEY are interested in. I'm a loco man and have little interest in stationary engines, clocks, ic engines, etc. but I don't expect ME to cover nothing but loco construction as I appreciate that others have different interests. As to ME having too much bias towards locos, go down to your nearest club and see what the majority are running/building. Guess what, locos! It's not the magazine that's biased, it's what most model engineers are biased towards. Having read ME for many years now (and intend to carry on reading it), I would argue that even this criticism is unjustified. Other topics have their fair share of exposure as well. John |
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Post by crashedagain on Jan 5, 2009 5:08:36 GMT
I agree fully....the people, the shops, the models, interviews with fellow model engineers and how they work are very interesting but the results of a club competition or the opening ceremonies at a new track are not.
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S.D.L.
Seasoned Member
Posts: 107
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Post by S.D.L. on Jan 5, 2009 12:48:27 GMT
I agree fully....the people, the shops, the models, interviews with fellow model engineers and how they work are very interesting but the results of a club competition or the opening ceremonies at a new track are not. I enjoy the efficency trials reports and dont mind the occasional big club event. I would prefer more Traction Engine series but accept it depends on someone writing one. More of our club ( www.banburymodelengineers.co.uk/ ) are building Traction engines than Locos currently probably as we only have a portable track, but i guess many who are not members of clubs also buil;d traction engines as the no track problem is solved. |
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Post by peterseager on Jan 5, 2009 19:38:01 GMT
I also enjoy the efficency trials reports. The best reports include technical details of the locos such as weight on each wheel. This can be a very useful resource.
Peter
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Post by crashedagain on Jan 5, 2009 22:56:32 GMT
....go down to your nearest club and see what the majority are running/building. Guess what, locos! It's not the magazine that's biased, it's what most model engineers are biased towards. John This is not universally true. Only 10-15% of our club are locomotive enthusiasts. From the contact that I have had with other clubs I believe that less than half of the model engineers in western Canada are primarily locomotive enthusiasts. There are only two or three regularly operating tracks in all of Western Canada, however there are small groups of model engineers everywhere. |
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Post by Workshopshed on Jan 9, 2009 17:40:33 GMT
I'd happily paypal a quid to download complete articles from old editions that are otherwise no longer available.
I read both MEW and Model Engineer, I probably won't be getting many more of the Model Engineers but am contemplating a subscription to MEW.
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Ansty
Involved Member
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Post by Ansty on Jan 9, 2009 18:21:54 GMT
I do hope that not too many give up taking Model Engineer as eventually it will not be printed at all if there are fewer and fewer readers.
I subscribe to both ME and MEW and will continue to do so in future.
Lets hope that David can bring about a revival in it's fortunes and that each issue will have something that someone can enjoy. As others have said no-one can produce a magazine that includes the readers pet subject only.
Brian
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Post by bobpendleton on Jan 9, 2009 18:53:52 GMT
I'd happily paypal a quid to download complete articles from old editions that are otherwise no longer available. It is surely worth paying something for copies of old articles. However, it may not be as simple as that. Take the case of a construction series. That would involve someone looking out several issues and scanning or copying the required pages. Allowing for the detached paragraphs involved in 'continued on page xxx', that could be a long job for someone. Assuming, that is, that a complete set is actually available - I recall that the former Editor advertised for a complete set and, given present realities, his successors may well find themselves in the same boat. A possibly more practical solution is to buy the required article(s) from eBay. Currently a search for 'Model Engineer' has been producing in excess of 800 entries. Not all of these are for the magazine itself but those that are are often for complete volumes, or even more. Sadly, though, sometimes there is a crucial copy that is missing and hard to find. In those circumstances perhaps it might be legitimate for members of this List to help each other out on a strictly once off, 'for private study only' basis. Whatever, let us be grateful that we now have an Editor who is so clearly willing to listen and eager to keep both magazines in the forefront of our reading. It's rather tough on him, though, that there is so much good reading in the old issues. When the workshop is uninviting, what better than to browse a few copies from one's private archive! Bob |
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Post by davidmew on Jan 9, 2009 22:04:48 GMT
Hi There
I try to answer emails as soon as I get them. Sometimes I miss them. This is because some people do not keep their PC clock up to date and my email is sorted by time and date. On many occasions I have had to sort through messages to find the one that has just arrived. I did not always find the messages.
I monitor a few news groups and they generate about 300 to 400 emails per day.
I also try to phone letter writers where possible. It is quicker and cheaper than writing a letter.
I can think of only two articles that did not warrant publication. One was using a car seat in the workshop, which I believe I inherited unpublished from Dave Fenner. This was a 3 page article that was cut down to, I think 1 page, and published in Engineering in Miniature. There was another article I thought did not warrant publication and again Engineering in Miniature published it.
I have had a few articles from David Piddington two of which were turned down by Engineering In Miniature, which I published.
I do have several articles that have been hanging around that have problems with them. One arrived on CD with no text, sometimes the photos are not up to scratch and one or two potential contributors insist on doctoring photos.
Unfortunately I have devoted my time to publishable articles rather than non publishable ones.
I also put some into a mailbox called articles and forgot about them. I am know working through them and using them.
I am getting plenty of offers of articles and have sent out 25 new contributor agreements in the last month.
Internal combustion engine articles are coming through, stationary steam engines are beginning to appear, steam locomotive construction series are promised, a traction engine series is on the cards for next year, later this year, a portable engine series will be running, no castings required.
Model Engineers' Workshop has been running a series on a CNC cutter grinder. This finishes with the next issue and a series by John Rutter on a CNC router will be starting. Following this series, a series on the Gold Medal winning Stepperhead manual, CNC lathe will be running.
The next issue of MEW sees a new series on manual milling.
Everything seems to be going OK. Plenty to read and good quality articles.
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Post by Workshopshed on Jan 9, 2009 22:57:17 GMT
I'd happily paypal a quid to download complete articles from old editions that are otherwise no longer available. It is surely worth paying something for copies of old articles. However, it may not be as simple as that. I'd hope that at least for the last 5 years or so the articles have already been kept on a computer? I'm not expecting to get an article from 1970 so cheaply. |
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Post by ramdango on Jan 20, 2009 0:45:22 GMT
A few comments if I may to the editor of ME from a Canadian. I had been taking ME from the 1960's until delivery two years ago became erratic at best. I enjoy the magazine but missing four to six issues per year many of which ME couldn't (wouldn't?) replace is annoying. Especially as they have been paid for. The killer for me was ME not allowing Canadians to subscribe directly but have to go thru an American distributor (!) The metal web-boards in North America indictated this distributor was even worse. I get the rest of my mail from all over the world without a problem so I have to assume this is ME's fault. I have also emailed my concerns to the organization directly without reply. No surprise then that I have dropped this mag. Many of my Canadian friends have done the same.
Please improve the delivery and you will keep and probably get back your Canadian subscribers.
Stan.
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Post by crashedagain on Jan 20, 2009 15:56:23 GMT
More comments from a fellow Canadian....
I also have had considerable trouble with the subscription service, including at one time having my Postal Money Order returned claiming they could not accept a "cheque in a foreign currency" (this was when ME had a direct subscription service available).
As of January 1 the only book shop in the city who carried ME has lost out to the big US chains and closed up so now there is no way to purchase ME over the counter here. Not many new customers will be willing to take out a subscription without first getting a trial copy from a newsstand.
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Post by davidmew on Jan 21, 2009 16:15:43 GMT
Hi There
Subscription problems are fairly rare.
I usually sort any out when told about them.
Most subscription problems in the US and Canada where caused by Wise Owl.
EWA magazines seem to be coping ok.
Perhaps now it is time to subscribe again?
I have lots of good articles arriving almost daily.
Several long running series are also promised and one will be starting within a couple of issues about making a horse drawn steam powered fire engine.
A series on a GWR Dean single and Armstrong 4-4-0 will be started shortly.
regardsDavid
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Post by modeng2000 on Jan 24, 2009 18:55:35 GMT
David, you seem to be working miracles but I for one am concerned that you do not burn yourself out as a consequence of all your efforts.
Take care.
John
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Post by davidmew on Jan 25, 2009 11:33:31 GMT
Hi John
Long hours at the moment especially with 2 editors on holiday and 2 specials to do but it will get easier. Most important is to get the magazines out on time.
I expect subscribers have noticed ME arriving early.
I do have to sort trophies but this won't be till late February.
I know it has to be done but I don't have time to do it straight away much as I would like to.
regards David
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Post by engineer2801 on Jan 25, 2009 12:15:53 GMT
As someone who has been a subscriber to M.E. for many years and a model engineer since my teens I have taken an interest in this forum for a while and particularly the stuff on the magazine over the last few years turbulent times.
One thing that does concern me and has prompted this reply is that a lot of the current decisions about the magazine appear to be taken as a result of comments in this forum. I find this worrying because this seems to imply that the magazine content is being driven by a small (20ish) group who are active in the forum, many of whom have admitted that they don't buy the magazine regularly.
I feel very strongly that those who subscribe or buy every issue should be the main influence on content because they are the ones who support the magazine and also it is a much larger group which will provide a more balanced view.
Many of my club colleagues (who do not use the internet) are also not happy with this situation because they have seen sudden unannounced changes to the magazine with no apparent warning.
Perhaps the new editor could comment.
William
PS. What happened to Club News in the latest issue?
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Post by engineernut on Jan 25, 2009 16:14:35 GMT
I too am a subscriber of both magazines and have been for quite some time, as well as a reader of this forum.
Unless I have misread either ME or MEW I am sure that the suggestions posted on this forum have been mentioned in these magazines also.
So surely David would have received e-mails or letters from readers giving their views?
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Post by engineer2801 on Jan 25, 2009 17:20:12 GMT
Some have but not all.
An example is the moving of the letters to the back of the magazine which I think was announced on the forum before it was done without any warning in the magazine.
I suspect that generated a lot of letters which is why it has moved back.
William
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Post by engineernut on Jan 25, 2009 18:39:16 GMT
Some have but not all. An example is the moving of the letters to the back of the magazine which I think was announced on the forum before it was done without any warning in the magazine. I suspect that generated a lot of letters which is why it has moved back. William Actually I have just remembered, as I received my latest edition of ME via subscription last Saturday and David has mentioned about "Postbag" in there. I am not defending David as such, but as far as I am concerned he is doing a very difficult job and so far doing very well. From a very happy ME & MEW subscriber. ;D |
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Post by davidmew on Jan 25, 2009 20:59:31 GMT
Hi There
I try to keep people informed on this web site.
It does not dictate content of the magazine.
I made a few changes to improve ME, the main one being decent articles. I had no input into the first ME under my editorship.
As Mike Jones and co. had put it together, I left it alone. That is why there was no forewarning.
I was asked by several readers if post bag could be returned to the front. I have always listened to readers and they know what they want. I had about 5 emails.
4345 will have a reader's survey in it.
It is very comprehensive and will help me to decide what readers want.
Club news was cut because of lack of space.
At the last moment I was asked to include an advert for the Garden railway special. If Post Bag had been at the back, I could have cut a page of Post bag and included the news.
With Post bag at the front, there is no flexible buffer.
Therefore News had to go.
The Model Engineer web site should be up and running within about 6 weeks. This will give instant feedback on ME and MEW.
regards David
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