Have any of you ever joined the 'Handyman Club of America'

[deathwish2]

Over the years, I have received at least three solicitations from these folks (I know I've got at least that many because I have three of their plastic drill indexes that they throw in the mailer).

They only charge $12 a year 'dues' for their magazine/website.

They seem to lean more towards home repair than woodworking, which is fine with me, but my question is, are they worth it?

http://www.handymanclub.com/home.asp

--Deathwish

When it comes to
woodworking and buying
tools, I always think back to
my grandfathers advice on
golf . . . "it's not the arrows,
it's the indian.''

[Keystone]

They are also known as:

North American Fishing Club
North American Hunting Club

Looked at the mag once. Nothing new in it, just a bunch of articles on how to do simple repair type items around the house, and a ton of advertisments.

[Lazarus]

I joined, and enjoy the publication as well as some of the perks. I feel they are more spread through the whole gambit of woodworking than focused only on home repair. They have recently started publishing books for woodworking and are great for beginners and veterans alike.

All in all, I enjoy the membership and feel it is worth the money.

By the way, the minimum dues you can pay is for 2 years. You also have the opportunity to by a lifetime membership which is relatively cheap.

:)

[dmiller]

It really depends what you're interested in. I had it for three years and just recently did not renew it. There was way to many outdoor projects for me, and not enough WW articles. I'd prefer indoor shop stuff. If you like info on roofing, plumbing, making outdoor furn. and general fit-it-up then its a good mag. Give me good old `Shop Notes`

[TDHofstetter]

WOW!!! You got the DRILL INDEX??? Most of us got the SANDING SPONGE... :)

-- Tim --


Argue for your limitations,
and sure enough - they're yours.
- Richard Bach -

[WoodMangler]

I got a drill index AND a sanding sponge!

so, neener, neener, neener...

...and turn on your ICQ man!!

[deathwish2]

>I got a drill index AND a sanding sponge!
>
>so, neener, neener, neener...

Their latest mailer had the drill index AND a wire gauge finder.

If these chochkies (sp?) are any indication maybe I should take a pass on 'membership'

--Deathwish

When it comes to
woodworking and buying
tools, I always think back to
my grandfathers advice on
golf . . . "it's not the arrows,
it's the indian.''

[bluekey88]

My questionsi s, has anybody here actuelly ever got to demo tools for free like they say?

I dunno, their whole come on seemed a bit fishy to me...

Peace,
Erik

I put instant coffee in the microwave and I almost went back in time.
- S. Wright

[WoodMangler]

When I decided NOT to join, after previewing their magazine FREE WITH NO OBLIGATION they had a freekin cow! The letters even started getting kinda nasty, with crap like "you made a committment and we think you should honor that" or some such nonsense.

I sent the FREE magazine and the invoice AND their letter back with instructions to "Roll this magazine up into a tube, real tight, then bend over and...."

They're obviously a crock... better chance of winning the lottery that actually getting a real tool from them...

[Matt W]

>When I decided NOT to join, after previewing their magazine
>FREE WITH NO OBLIGATION they had a freekin cow! The letters
>even started getting kinda nasty, with crap like "you made a
>committment and we think you should honor that" or some such
>nonsense.
>
I too had this problem. Letters came pooring in when I didn't join. The magazine for lack of better terms sucks. How to build a planter? I mean come on. That's like saying here is how I make peanut butter and crackers. I wouldn't give them 6 bux lil alone 12.

[yellowjacket]

I am a member of both the Handyman Club and one of their other organization, the National Home Gardening Club. While I haven't ever received something like a tablesaw to demo, I have received a number of different items to demo between the two groups. Not always things of any real value to me, but I have received things. From the Handyman club I have demo'd a heated towel rack and numerous small items like those little rubber caps for the tips of caulk tubes, and a handle thingy to use on paint cans. From the Gardening Club, I have received a collapsable (sp?) trash can, "Knee Savers" (pads that strap to the back of your calfs to ease the strain on your knees while kneeling in the garden), various different types of seeds, some small gardening tools, Deer Off (to keep animals from eating bulbs), etc.

However, all that said, I don't really belong to either for any "free stuff" - I enjoy the magazines and for the equivalent of about $1/issue, they are pretty darn cheap.

Chris

[Big_Paul]

In MHO they are a ripoff. I joined the woodworking arm a few years back. They started sending me a book every other month or less. Nothing knew in the books and when I tried to severe my ties with them they still kept sending books. I finally got all legal with them and sent a registred letter which finally put a stop to it.

My advice. There are many great books and mags out there on what we all love to do. Buy them and not a membership and save yourself a headache and more than a few bucks. They never sent me anything to test even though I signed up for it at the start.

Big Paul
http://community.webshots.com/user/big_paul
(Updated 10 Jul 02)

[Lazarus]

I too have had the opurtunity to test some small items, but nothing of any major value. There is a catch to the testing deal, you have to sign up to be in the drawing for testing a tool, let's say like a belt sander, every month on the web-site.

Some people claim to have had problems, but I personally have not had problems. The books stopped comming when I requested it. I think that the real value in anything like this isn't the freebies, it is in the information. Information can seem non-consequential at the time of delivery, but when you do need it, it is invaluable. The trick is to take everything for what it is, just another source for information, that may or may not be useful at the time it is given.

Maybe the projects they give do not appeal to you, but you never know if it gives you an idea for something more up your alley.

All in all, I have spent more on woodworking mistakes than I have on this publication. If you want to try it, but don't want to spend the dough, just cut down on the soda or coffe in a day and you will recoup the loss in about a month.

Everyone here has the right to their oppinion, and so do you. Just don't base an oppinion on non-experience.

[Randall]

>However, all that said, I don't really belong to either for
>any "free stuff" - I enjoy the magazines and for the
>equivalent of about $1/issue, they are pretty darn cheap.
>
>Chris

Not bad at all, the" American Guild of Organists" magazine I get is $42 a year :( another one that comes out 6 times a year only is $32
I'd feel a lot worse if I paid $42 than $12 and decided the mag sux