Model Engineer Moan

[Uzzy]

I have just bought the latest ME No 4291 I know I have a choice BUT I bought the last few for the Ratchet Drill article but it would appear not to be in this issue in fact since the article started it has been missing in two issues. Is this a ploy be Magicalia Publishing for us to part with our hard earnt cash, I shall be sending an email to Post Bag asking the same question. Why can they not publish the articles in consecutive issues?

[Myford Matt]

It's probably the author being slow in supplying completed copy/artwork - at least that's my experience as an editor of magazines/journals.

MM

[bobpendleton]

uzzy said:

I have just bought the latest ME No 4291 I know I have a choice BUT I bought the last few for the Ratchet Drill article but it would appear not to be in this issue in fact since the article started it has been missing in two issues. Is this a ploy be Magicalia Publishing for us to part with our hard earnt cash, I shall be sending an email to Post Bag asking the same question. Why can they not publish the articles in consecutive issues?

I would almost say that this has been ME's custom from time immemorial. (My own collection gets thin from the early 30's back so I can't be certain about that).

There is some logic in keeping the articles in line with the writer's capability to get the text/drawings out or the readers' speed of construction. Having said that, though, it can be frustrating - unless you happen to be a subscriber who sees every copy! Failing that, it often pays to keep an eye on the "In the next issue" page.

Even the great Curly, with an entry in virtually every issue, didn't necessarily keep one project going through every issue. And sometimes he contributed bits of two or three designs in the same issue! There's no certainty about anything in publishing and we may need a bit of sympathy with the Editor's problems. BP

[houstonceng]

Over the years that I've subscribed to ME, articles were usually serialised in every other issue, however, now and again you'd get a "skipped issue". Plays havoc when you're trying to find all 28 sections of a loco building series.

In recent issues, series don't appear to be so regularly spaced.

[Peter W.]

If you're chasing up building series in back issues, just
work backwards from the end -- each entry after the
first says 'continued from page xxxx'.

[houstonceng]

peterw said:

If you're chasing up building series in back issues, just
work backwards from the end -- each entry after the
first says 'continued from page xxxx'.

Just my luck that I find something interesting in an old ME borrowed from the club librarian for another reason, so I have to work forward or gues the end issue and work backards.

On one occasion, I researched Bremme valve gear only to find Mr Liversage "stopped dead" half way through an explanation and there were no more following articles. Then in the next year, he had two consecutive issue (IIRC) with no mention of the previous missing conclusion.

Of course, with the ME & MEW Compiter indexes, life is so much bitter, sory butter, sorry better

[SteveW]

Uzzy,

Its the same with newspapers (or more accurately no-newspapers). You either choose to take one every day and take the hit if there's nothing there or cancel and do without. Buying the odd one because there is something good gets you where you are.

I've canceled my newspaper in favour of subscribing to ME. Yep! It's the Curate's Egg somethings but there is generally something to interest me. Looking at the bigger picture it sort of keeps the institution going for fellow ME types that maybe have a slightly different interest.

The other advantage for me of subscribing is the I find articles that interest me in older issues that didn't appeal when they were new.

[Myford Matt]

Uzzy - you can safely buy the next ME issue - ratchet included!

Matt