Handmade - C4 - Britain's Best Woodworker

[TheMadGardener]

Haven't seen a thread about this yet. Did anyone else watch it?
Mel Giedroyc playing same role she did in Bake Off - sympathetic to competitors and encouraging them.
Interesting mix of contestants.
Very wide skills range. Think the beds they made would have been better if they'd been given a bit longer and hadn't had to rush and bodge some of the woodworking.
Is there any limit to the skills which can be turned into a reality show? - baking, sewing, pottery, jewellery-making and now woodworking!

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Anybody else watching? Seems like about half the chairs they're making are likely to be excruciatingly uncomfortable.

[SoupDragon]

Ugh! I forgot it was on. I'll have to watch on catch up.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Can't argue with that decision. Next week looks good.

[Ellmau]

I do like that the judges take the practical elements, ie is it comfy to sit on, really seriously. You can't get away with looks good but doesn't work ;)

So bed, chair, what next? Table? Chest of drawers? I'd like to see them do a boat and they have to test it in a lake ;)

[TheMadGardener]

Next week appears to feature chain saw animal sculptures out of massive tree trunks. Should be interesting!

Felt that Billy was a bit hard-done-by on the spoons challenge. Were Charlie's spoons really spoons??

Some of the chairs looked very uncomfortable.

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

Table would be good. Maybe an occasional/coffee table. If so, I hope they check it doesn't wobble. I hate it in a cafe when you find your table wobbles every time somebody moves and your coffee spills.

The animal sculptures looked terrific. Carved from tree trunks with a chain saw?

[SierraJulietGolf]

Im really getting into it now and have got used to the judges. I was glad Joe had a much better week. I was surprised Charlie’s spoons were looked on so favourably but I suppose they did meet the requirements of a spoon as they scooped stuff up. Not sure what it would be like eating an icecream or yoghurt with one though.

[Ieatmarmite]

I'm really enjoying this program. It makes me think about getting DP's tools out and having go myself (lol).

[HollowTalk]

I really loved glow up.

I liked the jewellery one that was on a few months ago but the female judge's jewellery which she had designed herself was absolutely bloody horrible!

[Maireas]

Yes, I thought Charlie was lucky to get away with the spoons! Misti's was elegant, but she only did one. It's a shame about Jade, I really liked her.

[SierraJulietGolf]

I was sad to see Jade go but that chair looked a bit of a mess with all the black fabric tying the slats together .

[Maireas]

Yes, the most uncomfortable deck chair ever.
I liked Misti's - quite Art Deco. Joe did well because I thought his looked uncomfortable, but it turned out not to be.

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

I don’t think Jade really had the technical skill the others did and also none of her 3 objects seemed like they would really work as what they were supposed to be.
Misti’s things so far have all been beautiful.

[Ellmau]

Misti has been very impressive considering apparently she has not much experience in the actual making side.

She has a rather impressive website and is doing a blog on her Handmade experience, although nothing is up for ep 3 yet: misti-leitz.co.uk/tv

[Ellmau]

Some of the other contestants also have websites:

Charlie: www.charliewest.co.uk/products

Billy: billyarthurwalden.com/

Joe: www.averagejoesjoinery.com/ plus a youtube channel

[TheCountessofFitzdotterel]

The episode 2 blog does seem to suggest Misti had rather more practical experience than the tv intro implied. Possibly not with the big equipment but the programme makers do like to construct a narrative.

[SoupDragon]

Next week appears to feature chain saw animal sculptures out of massive tree trunks. Should be interesting!

That can not be safe!

[Gasp0deTheW0nderD0g]

That was fun! Semi-final next week. This series is whizzing past.

[TheMadGardener]

Think Billy dodged a bullet there. Didn't really love any of those animal sculptures. I felt that the really small ones weren't making the best use of an enormous log. I would like to have seen them doing something big like Billy did. And adding on bits of plywood seemed to defeat the object.
I loved the Viking lathe challenge, that was evil genius.

[Ellmau]

There was an awful lot of sawdust flying around, why weren't they all wearing masks?

A fun week.

With Billy vs Joe it was bad head but good body versus bad body but good head, but plus silly concept. I think that was what did for him in the end.

Charlie's was very cleverly done, but I wouldn't want it in my house or garden. Misti's was very artistic but didn't quite seem to meet the spirit of the challenge.

[TheMadGardener]

No, I didn't think Misti's was in the spirit of the challenge.
I actually really liked the giant snail. It would be good in a kids' woodland playground.

[Dancingonmoonlight]

I just caught up now.
It’s a fantastic programme.

I like the way Billy’s work seems to evolve and is instinctive although of course this makes it so difficult to time and look neat.
On the opposite scale, Misti’s pieces seem like sculptures and could be made from any material. The wood never comes through as being the best bit. Her precision is amazing.
Radha is either very good or not good at all. I liked his peacock. He made the wood look beautiful.
Joe was the right contestant to leave today but he seems so nice, it will be a shame not to see his work on tv next week.
Charlie is passionate and I thought her snail was the right mix of wood, natural but planned.

[Rummikub]

Hello
Just caught today’s

Loved the pole lathe - ingenious!

[BishyBarnyBee]

We're really enjoying it...took me a while to warm to the judges but they are relaxing into it now.
I thought Billy was a goner but I admired his ambition and his perseverance even though he was clearly really fed up. Hats off to him and Joe for having the courage to try something they'd never get the chance to do otherwise. The others stayed much more in their comfort zone.

[shrugitoff]

I thought the zebra was beautiful - something sculptural you'd see in a high end gallery.
The peacock's body was also beautiful- I wanted to touch it - feel its smoothness.

The snail was fun as was the dog and lion.

It's a good programme. to all involved.