So it's back: Britain's Best Woodworker

[clive griffiths]

I think this is the last series that they film at and all the future one,s will be filmed at Margam.

 

[--Tom--]

It’s a shame they don’t have competent people showing what can be done in the time. The jewellery and bakery ones do at least have competent people on.
Britain’s best jeweller with someone who’d never soldered, used precious metals, formed a jump ring wouldn’t fly- so why is that the case with woodwork?

A table In the time limits would be a fairly utilitarian piece by nature

 

[Morag Jones]

Are we grumbling because we (you, dear reader probably far more than I) know a bit about it and spot the errors. Aviation, train and motor enthusiasts are ever ready to spot and comment on the wrong type, wrong engine noise or wrong locomotive for a given portrayal!

If all the contestants from the start were truly brilliant it might not have the “entertainment” aspect.

But thanks for the reminder, will take a look. I imagine the new series of SCD starting tonight will also nclude some no-hopers.

Oops, sorry if that sets off another rant!

 

[robgul]

I don't think I can tolerate any more of the dreadful Mel the presenter - and the woodwork "ideas & projects" aren't a lot better. It's NO from me.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

They don't deny they are in the trade, but it is surely a broad area. They seem to come from the artisan end, I'm sure they can make a good living saying "I only work silver" or "I do necklaces and earrings".

Last episode I watched they were asked to cast work, I'm sure you can in practice go a whole career without even trying. But it wasn't just casting, it had to be either sand-cast or in a cuttlefish shell. If you know e.g. lost wax then you're plain out of luck.

Certainly, but some "mistakes" are the very, very basic ones you learn not to make
in a couple of once a week ten week evening classes. They all started somewhere.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I don't think I can tolerate any more of the dreadful Mel the presenter - and the woodwork "ideas & projects" aren't a lot better. It's NO from me.

Katherine Ryan spoils All That Glitters for me - I quite like her, but not in that role.

 

[Stevekane]

I was astounded that they could make anything in two days,,,takes me a few days just stareing at it before I start! The program was okay but I found it irritating that it never really showed me anything, it was a glimpse here and a glimpse there, gone before you could grasp what I was looking at, but the reality is that its not aimed at me, its entertainment that will amuse the person switching from the sewing program and hopfully get a few more people intrested in making things for themselves, what a boring program it would have been to watch somone setting up a router and the like,,,,which reminds me I must get back on Utube and watch more videos about rusty spanners!!
Steve

 

[robgul]

Katherine Ryan spoils All That Glitters for me - I quite like her, but not in that role.

It's the misquote in the title that annoys me - It's GLISTERS not Glitters - it's from Shakespeare

 

[ian33a]

A step improvement in contestant quality in this series compared to the last one (on average) and still decent enough to watch for entertainment value.

I get the impression that Festool wanted less association this time. Either that or Makita made a higher sponsorship offer.

What fun would it be for mass television viewing if everybody was an expert? Television thrives on people making a mess. You can get away with top notch results in Masterchef Professionals because almost anybody can aspire to reach that level with a fairly basic set of tools and by gaining experience. What an enthusiastic home cook sees in the week on MS could be translated to something broadly similar by the weekend.

The average DIY viewer couldn't afford or justify the cost of purchasing a tenth of the power tools or the wood in the woodworking show - let alone have the space to keep them or the skills to safely and effectively create something beautiful with them - so, really, it has to primarily be an entertainment vehicle.

 

[TheUnicorn]

The average DIY viewer couldn't afford or justify the cost of purchasing a tenth of the power tools or the wood in the woodworking show - let alone have the space to keep them or the skills to safely and effectively create something beautiful with them

I assume that is behind any reduction in Festool's presence, hardly anyone watching will ever consider Festool, Makita might easily see a few sales as a result of the show

 

[seanf]

Noticed that in the voiceover at the start Mel says they are competing to be named “Best new woodworker”. I thought I noticed that in the last episode, but forgot to go back and check when I had finished watching. So they are pitching it differently and can only presume they probably regret the show title now!

Sean

 

[akirk]

I thought it was now being pitched as ‘Handmade’ - subtitled Britain’s Best Woodworker…
Seems to be the way it is shown in listings

 

[Jameshow]

When you look at many of these programs they seem to include an silly person or oddball as part of the lineup, someone who really delivers nothing to the program except the odd stuupid comment or daft routine. Noel Fielding / Matt Lucas in the bakeoff, Joe Lycett in the sewing program and there must be others,

Mel.....

 

[djellworth]

Mel.....

Early in the series but the two new judges are a big step up in terms of personality, positivity and general niceness. Last series' judges managed to suck all the joy out of making things from wood.

The thing that I think is sadly missing - due to the crazy speed they have to work at - is the immense pleasure of "losing yourself" in the moment of hand tool woodwork. I'm not trying to get all hippy, but there is something quite intoxicating about carefully chiselling or planing a piece of wood in a quiet space.

 

[seanf]

Seems to be the way it is shown in listings

Yes, the show is still called that but in the opening scenes they say they are looking for best new woodworker, whereas in the last series it was best woodworker full stop

Sean

 

[NFav]

Only just discovered this show thanks to this thread.
So I've gone back and I am now half through watching the first series, it does make pleasant viewing. I would never want to be under that sort of time pressure, it would take a lot of the pleasure out of it for me, but understand the need to make it entertaining to as wide an audience base as possible.

 

[treeturner123]

Apparently most tools supplied by Axminster

https://knowledge.axminstertools.com/handmade-britains-best-woodworker/?&undefined
Also, there is a guaranteed 3rd series already commissioned so those of a very professional persuasion need to avoid it next year as well!

It does however appear to have good ratings which is where television really counts.

Phil

 

[mark w]

I watched the second episode last night, the part where they had to make rose's from shavings, looked and sounded like their planes were blunt, some of them had never used a plane before, highlights the state of our education system I suppose.

 

[tsb]

I always find it funny when I look at the "experts" company and see what they do! But then if you can get £150 for a piece of wood with a hole in it, good luck to her

 

[Fireburst]

I just want to see more joinery. For the love of god, please, fewer screws and more joints.