Britain's Best Woodworker

[Cooper]

Second show much better than the first. The scale and imagination of the designs much better than the beds. I would have liked to have seen the contestants own drawings. Also what a shame that they didn't show how skillful marking out and cutting the compound angles was, they only said how difficult it would be. And a better appreciation of the details of the finished designs, rather than so much time given to silly comments from the presenter.
It would have been good to see the judges demonstrate the dovetails, and I wonder how good the instructions they had to follow were.
Do you think the producers read our comments?

 

[paulrbarnard]

I think Joe was exceptionally luck to dodge the bullet this week. He really is a bit of a bodger and basher. And I don’t use bodger in the traditional sense. His attitude seems to be to make a bad job of it then hit it with a mallet.
Isn’t he supposed to be one of the experienced YouTube woodworkers?

 

[hlvd]

This reminds of Game of Thrones season 4...I keep watching but I don't know why.

I think Joe was exceptionally luck to dodge the bullet this week. He really is a bit of a bodger and basher. And I don’t use bodger in the traditional sense. His attitude seems to be to make a bad job of it then hit it with a mallet.
Isn’t he supposed to be one of the experienced YouTube woodworkers?

I was expecting a lot more considering he's got a YouTube channel, that was school woodwork class ability on that joint, if not worse.

 

[Jameshow]

I was expecting a lot more considering he's got a YouTube channel, that was school woodwork class ability on that joint, if not worse.

He is average Joe....

Was it him who said I've never done a dovetail joint before? My 7 year old daughter laughed at that one! She made a box last summer!

Cheers James

 

[AJB Temple]

The lighthouse lady showed good skills with the compound angles. Jade's arches were an innovative design and she clearly has more to give.

The hidden dovetail joint set them up for failure. And used the wrong benches.

The male contestants are being outshone by the women. Mel as a presenter is superfluous and neither of the judges is at all credible. However, it was overall a great deal better this week.

 

[Ian down london way]

….."traditional" type but perhaps may have done better with power tools, where is the Woodrat when you need one!

Note to self. Must sell my wood rat (or give it away) - it’s been unused on the wall for 20 years

 

[cisamcgu]

. . . at least they sent right person home this week. For my money they ought to send the judges home too, and get a couple of new ones . . . and while they're at it change the presenter with the pathetic, unfunny attempts at humour.

Not sure it is Mel's fault. The judges are such humourless souls that any attempt at humour is sucked into their morass of depression.

 

[harry the b]

Bring back the original handmade..no talking just pure craft all the way.

 

[Lonsdale73]

Isn't that the thing about Average Joe, though? That he doesn't claim to be an expert, just an enthusiast who enjoys pottering about with wood. I guess there's a world of difference between doing a little bit as and when in your own workshop compared to working flat out over two days, competing not just against the clock but the others in there. Certainly more pressure than he'll be used to.

Thought Charlie was a deserving winner, especially for her quip in response to Mel's offer to help: "Not after last week, mate!"

Another fitting quote came from Tim: "I have no idea."

 

[MuddyFunster]

I watched my first episode last night, being as my wife "encourages" me to watch bake off, I thought it would be nice for her to watch this alternative

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Mel as a presenter is superfluous ...

Could have been worse - it could have been Katherine Ryan.

 

[recipio]

I don't think I saw one of them use a square to mark up. BTW is it me or are there no windows in that workshop ?

 

[MichaelAD]

Ah...bl@@dy amateurs...all of us pros know that you never force a joint...you just use a bigger hammer

 

[Richard_C]

Just watched the first episode on catch up, no mention of the cost of a seemingly unlimited amount of hardwood. Easy to do adventurous designs (well, clearly not easy for some of them) if you don't have to think about the £££. I missed a bit at the beginning, did they have free choice of what they could use or were they given a list each?

Title all wrong - I doubt anyone is even close to "Britain's Best" - maybe "Least hopeless of a random bunch" would be more accurate. Some are good, some are worse than me and I'm a fixer rather than a fine craftsman. But even I flinch at randomly installed decking screws to build a bed.

Much like the bake off Kitchen Aid mixers, Festool have some prominent product placement.

I wonder - bake off does good because it encourages people at home to have a go. Baking badly does little harm, maybe the odd burn. But what if people get inspired and go out to buy power tools and sharp things thinking it all looks easy ..... it's going to be a tough enough winter for A&E as it is, without TV inspired beginner woodworkers bringing in bits of their anatomy in sandwich bags.

 

[akirk]

I wouldn't worry about it inspiring hoardes of people to take up playing with sharp blades - Bake Off inspires because people already cook and it inspires them to think that someone normal can do well - but unless you already play with wood, I suspect that most viewers will continue to buy their beds from DreamWorld (where they may well be worse quality than the ones we see on the show!). My wife (hand surgeon) hasn't seen a sudden rise in accidents coming her way as a result of the show - and due to my interest in woodworking she does question her patients as to exactly how they injure themselves, and then tells me that it is clearly dangerous to use a sharpened pencil in the workshop - if you were to summarise the accidents she sees I wouldn't say that being an amateur / inexperienced is a common thread - instead it is taking short-cuts / losing attention / being an utter idiot! - and all those things seem to be more common amongst the experienced than those new to it

 

[Wildman]

Note to self. Must sell my wood rat (or give it away) - it’s been unused on the wall for 20 years

you could give it to me I'd love one, ha ha but way beyond my price range.

 

[Sandyn]

I watched the first episode, but won't be watching any more. Same old formula. Just another entertainment program which happens to be woodwork based this time. There's been baking, sewing, painting, gardening and pottery programs. What next music? bricklaying? Has there been a metalwork one? If everyone was an expert, there would be no drama, they need some to be less talented than others. I think I enjoy the programs about subjects where I have little ability so I am less critical of the techniques used and just enjoy it as entertainment.

 

[scooby]

Much like the bake off Kitchen Aid mixers, Festool have some prominent product placement.

I noticed on the Axminster site, they're rather proud of the fact they supplied most of the tools/machines.

 

[Tuna808]

Ok to produce a program for entertainment but don’t call it Britains best……it’s an insult to a multitude of craftsmen and craft woman who could showcase the craft at its best……90 minutes to make a dovetail joint and they were all crap!

 

[Stigmorgan]

I watched the first episode, but won't be watching any more. Same old formula. Just another entertainment program which happens to be woodwork based this time. There's been baking, sewing, painting, gardening and pottery programs. What next music? bricklaying? Has there been a metalwork one? If everyone was an expert, there would be no drama, they need some to be less talented than others. I think I enjoy the programs about subjects where I have little ability so I am less critical of the techniques used and just enjoy it as entertainment.

Forged in Fire