Woodsmith Magazine

What Woodsmith Magazine does

Woodsmith Magazine is a US-based woodworking media brand established in 1976 and operated as a title within Active Interest Media's enthusiast publishing portfolio. It serves hobbyist woodworkers, professional woodworkers, and DIY home-improvement enthusiasts through a flagship print and digital magazine supplemented by downloadable project plans, a digital content library, a public-television show (Woodsmith Shop), short-form video tips, a podcast, structured online courses, and a niche CNC-focused sub-brand called CNC Basecamp. The company is headquartered at 2143 Grand Avenue in Des Moines, Iowa, with active customer service operations and a stated small direct headcount of 1-10.

The brand's technology stack centers on a Contentful-powered content management system that feeds the public website, newsletter infrastructure, and the Woodsmith Store e-commerce storefront, with affiliate links to Amazon and tool retailers embedded in product reviews. Distribution spans direct magazine subscriptions managed through Active Interest Media's account system, owned digital properties (woodsmithplans.com, woodsmithlibrary.com, woodsmithvideotips.com, woodsmithvideoedition.com, store.woodsmith.com), and public television distribution via Iowa PBS.

Woodsmith monetizes through four revenue streams: recurring magazine subscriptions, one-time sales of digital plans and physical products via the e-commerce store, advertising and underwriting from tool manufacturers (Kreg Tool, Titebond, Old Masters, Grizzly Industrial) supporting the TV show, and affiliate commissions on outbound product links. Its competitive positioning rests on a multi-decade editorial archive of shop-tested project plans, a multi-channel content footprint, and an engaged community of woodworking enthusiasts anchored by the WoodNet forums and recurring newsletter products.

Name

Woodsmith Magazine

Legal name

Woodsmith

Website

https://woodsmith.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Woodsmith Magazine is a US woodworking media brand under Active Interest Media, serving hobbyist woodworkers with a flagship magazine, downloadable project plans, digital library, public-television show, video tips, courses, podcast, and e-commerce store.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Woodworking Hobby Media

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Home, Garden & DIY Magazines (MPAJAEAG)

Keywords

• Woodworking magazine
• Project plans library
• Hobbyist craft content
• DIY woodworking videos
• Woodworking education

Headquarters

HQ city

Myers Flat

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Print and digital magazine subscription revenue from hobbyist and professional woodworkers seeking project plans, technique guides, and tool recommendations.
2. Digital Plans and Products: Sale of downloadable woodworking project plans, patterns, and woodworking supplies through the online store.
3. Advertising and Sponsorships: Revenue from tool manufacturers, hardware companies, and wood product brands advertising in the magazine, on the website, and during TV programming. Underwriters and partners provide financial support for the Woodsmith Shop TV show.
4. Affiliate Commissions: Commission revenue from product links to Amazon and other retailers for tools, hardware, and materials featured in articles and reviews.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Woodsmith Magazine publishes a flagship woodworking magazine and an integrated suite of digital content products, including a digital library of downloadable woodworking project plans, video tutorial series, a public television show (Woodsmith Shop), structured online courses, a podcast, and an e-commerce store selling plans and woodworking supplies. The brand targets hobbyist woodworkers, DIY enthusiasts, and professional woodworkers with shop-tested project plans, technique instruction, and tool reviews across print, web, video, and TV formats.

Product overview

Woodsmith Magazine is a comprehensive woodworking publication and resource platform offered as a unified brand with multiple complementary products and services. The core offering is the Woodsmith Magazine publication, supported by digital extensions including Woodsmith Plans (downloadable project plans), Woodsmith Library (digital archive), Woodsmith Shop TV (video content), Woodsmith Video Tips, Woodworking Essentials video editions, CNC Basecamp (CNC-specific education), Courses, Podcast, and the Store e-commerce platform. The products serve the woodworking hobbyist and enthusiast market with content ranging from beginner tutorials to advanced techniques.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Woodsmith Plans: Project plans and woodworking blueprints
• Woodsmith Library
• Woodsmith Shop
• Woodsmith Video Tips
• Woodworking Essentials
• CNC Basecamp

Products and services

• Woodsmith Magazine Flagship woodworking publication featuring projects, tips, techniques, and tool reviews delivered in print and digital formats for hobbyist and professional woodworkers.
• Woodsmith Plans Downloadable woodworking project plans with detailed step-by-step instructions and illustrations, available for individual purchase or subscription access.
• Woodsmith Library Digital content library providing access to archived woodworking projects, plans, and reference resources for subscribers.
• Woodsmith Shop TV Television show featuring woodworking projects, techniques, and tool demonstrations, distributed through public television stations and sponsored by tool manufacturers.
• Woodsmith Video Tips Short-form video tips and tutorials demonstrating woodworking techniques, jigs, tool usage, and project builds.
• Woodworking Essentials Video edition content focused on essential woodworking skills and techniques, delivered as a video-format publication.
• CNC Basecamp Specialized CNC (Computer Numerical Control) woodworking content and educational resources covering CNC-based woodworking techniques and projects.
• Woodsmith Courses Structured online courses teaching woodworking skills and techniques across various project types and skill levels.
• Woodsmith Podcast Audio podcast covering woodworking topics, technique tips, tool discussions, and industry interviews for woodworking enthusiasts.
• Woodsmith Store E-commerce storefront selling woodworking tools, accessories, project plans, and related products to hobbyist and professional woodworkers.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kreg Tool CompanycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerKreg Tool Company is an underwriter for the Woodsmith Shop TV show, providing financial support in exchange for brand visibility and association with woodworking content. Kreg is known for pocket hole jigs and workshop equipment.
• Titebond (Franklin International)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerTitebond is an underwriter for the Woodsmith Shop TV show, sponsoring the program in exchange for brand exposure. Titebond manufactures wood glues and adhesives.
• Old MastersminorGTM or Marketing PartnerOld Masters is an underwriter for the Woodsmith Shop TV show, providing financial sponsorship for woodworking content production.
• Grizzly IndustrialcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGrizzly Industrial is an underwriter for the Woodsmith Shop TV show. Grizzly manufactures woodworking machinery including saws, jointers, and planers.
• Iowa PBScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIowa PBS serves as the sponsoring television station for the Woodsmith Shop TV show, distributing programming through public television broadcast.
• Tools for OpportunityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerTools for Opportunity is listed as a valued partner of the Woodsmith Shop TV show, supporting the program's mission of woodworking education.

Scale indicators2 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Popular Woodworking: Long-running woodworking enthusiast magazine and digital platform covering projects, techniques, and tool reviews. Direct head-to-head competitor in the hobbyist/professional woodworking content space with similar subscription, advertising, and digital revenue model.
• Fine Woodworking: Taunton Press title focused on fine woodworking projects, technique, and tool reviews for serious hobbyists and professionals. Closely comparable to Woodsmith in audience, editorial depth, and subscription/print-plus-digital model.
• Wood Magazine: Major consumer woodworking publication covering projects, tools, and shop techniques. Directly competes for the same DIY/hobbyist woodworker audience with overlapping content categories and subscription offerings.
• American Woodworker: Woodworking magazine and digital platform serving hobbyists and professionals with project plans, tool reviews, and shop-tested techniques. Direct competitor in the woodworking enthusiast publishing niche.
• Woodcraft Magazine: Woodcraft's editorial publication paired with its retail stores offers project plans, technique articles, and tool content. Competes with Woodsmith in both content and downstream commerce, though augmented by a retail channel.

Broad incumbents

• Family Handyman: Larger DIY home improvement publication covering woodworking among many other project categories. Broader scope than Woodsmith but overlaps in furniture-building and home workshop content for DIY audiences.
• This Old House: Iconic home improvement media brand spanning TV show, magazine, and digital platforms. Comparable multi-platform media strategy and DIY/home improvement audience overlap with Woodsmith's TV-plus-magazine-plus-digital model.
• Bob Vila: Established home improvement brand with website content, video programming, and product reviews. Overlaps with Woodsmith on DIY tool reviews, home workshop projects, and affiliate-driven commerce.

Others

• Rockler Woodworking and Hardware: Woodworking specialty retailer that publishes how-to content, project plans, and educational videos tied to its product catalog. Not a direct publishing peer but functions as a content-plus-commerce competitor targeting the same woodworking enthusiast audience.
• Taunton Press: Specialty enthusiast publisher of Fine Woodworking, Fine Homebuilding, and Threads. Sister brand to a direct peer and comparable multi-title enthusiast media operator within Woodsmith's category.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/WoodsmithMag
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/woodsmith-limited

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Woodsmith Magazine