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!

@josbd

I think perhaps if they were to allow Mel to wander about a bit more (so long as she doesn't break anything) it would be a tad more joyful.

Well, after she did break a bit off a bed in week 1 perhaps someone Had a Word.

I felt Billy was a bit robbed there. Charlie's didn't even look like a bottle would fit inside it and how Misti's monstrous thing beat Rhadha is behind me.

This isn't Billy's first foray into TV. He was on George Clarke amazing spaces at 16. He's very talented. If I close my eyes though I can hear Jon Richardson.

Just watching this now.
I don’t get the judges saying Billy’s was too big but misti’s 6 ft effort is ok?

Loved Rhada’s best then Billy’s
Mistis last.

@Rummikub

Just watching this now. I don’t get the judges saying Billy’s was too big but misti’s 6 ft effort is ok?

Loved Rhada’s best then Billy’s
Mistis last.

I don't think anyone understood the logic of "Billy''s cabinet is too big to fit well in a room but Misti''s (although twice the size)is just right to go in an apartment. I was

@Whinge

Really disappointed in tonight's results. I don't understand how they praised Misti's drinks cabinet which was 6ft tall, and said it would look good in an apartment. Where as Billy was told his was too big and would look out of place in a living room.

I think the point was that it could logically go against a wall and would look fine, whereas that big barrel that Billy made would take up an awful lot of space without much benefit and would constantly get in the way.

Yes, but who's got a huge free wall for a unit like that? It really didn't look like a drinks cabinet to me, more of a shelf unit or fitment for a bar. Misti is very talented but in my view lucky last week.

Enjoying this too. I'm not keen on Mel's fake jollyness or the sneery man but it works OK. Misti said at the beginning they'd had no practical skills which is really not true now is it. I loved the barrel drinks cabinet but it was more of a kitchen island or garden room bar/table maybe? Charlie's snail was the standout winner for me shame Billy's lion head failed so badly and once again Misti failed the brief but produced a lovely piece.

Going to search for Glow Up and the jewellery one I watched the pottery with the crying judge that's been my favourite so far. The will they won't they survive the kiln provides added tension and I genuinely falsely feel I could do pottery after watching it.

Isn’t misti a carpenter by trade?

My husband has done carpentry and he says Misti has obviously done an apprenticeship but in the first episode she said she only had design experience and no practical skills. Also said she'd never handled the tools but that chair was beautiful.

I think with Billy's Barrel it was the fact that it was too deep and wide. Misti's was tall but relatively shallow and would be less awkward in a room. I think all the houses I've lived in would have had space for it (not sure I would have wanted it though! At least not painted anyway.). Furniture that goes along a wall generally fits better into room I think.

I think Charlie's would also have been difficult to place within a room actually,

Misti said she hadn't used the "big tools" before. She might usually make smaller items I guess so maybe doesn't have the big electrical saws/planes etc.

I've found the biographies from the channel 4 site

Charlie
Occupation: Furniture maker
Location: Edinburgh
After working as a computer-aided designer and dog walker, Charlie began an apprenticeship at the age of 30 to retrain to work in the world of woodwork full time. Charlie’s specialisms are furniture-making and carving. Since filming, Charlie has set up her own woodworking studio and lives in the Calder valley.

Misti
Occupation: Sculptor
Location: Ludlow
Misti worked for over 30 years as a high-end, interior designer working in mansions and stately homes. A few years ago, Misti decided to leave it all behind and now works out of her woodland workshop, sculpting from stone, wood. Misti says her strength in the competition will be her eye for design and her knowledge of wood and what it can do.

Radha
Occupation: Junior cabinet maker
Location: Watford
Since graduating from his product design course, Radha worked briefly as a junior cabinet maker for a furniture company. His love of woodworking comes from spending time in his uncle’s workshop as a child and learning about tools and working on small projects. Radha describes his style as traditional and fine and he enjoys using as many hand tools as possible. Since filming, Radha has set up a bespoke furniture making business.

Billy
Occupation: Builder & novice carpenter
Location: Lancashire
Billy completed a campervan conversion when he was 15, won a carpentry award at 16 and rebuilt a narrow boat by himself at 17. He has completed a two-year carpentry course as well as learning skills from YouTube, trial and error and Hayne’s manuals. He is currently working on a barn conversion and says he’s a quick worker and isn’t afraid to take risks.

The rest are here www.channel4.com/press/news/handmade-britains-best-woodworker-meet-woodworkers

Basically, all the true hobbyists have gone and we're left with people with experience. Except maybe Misti, although it explains why her pieces are all very sculptural.

What does high end interior designer mean?

I like billy even more now I’ve read his bio. He did look pissed off though when misti got woodworker of the week.

It's like an ordinary interior designer only more expensive 😂

I don't know really - boutique hotels maybe? Rich clients? For some reason the phrase "boutique hotels" rings a faint bell though.

😂😂that was my thought too

@SoupDragon

Can't take to Charlie at all and really hope she doesn't win. I think she should have gone last week

Was last week the animals? I loved her snail.

I meant last week with the drinks cabinet. I really hated it.

Reading up Rhadha seems to have grown up in a Hare Krishna community as well, his Uncles workshop was in the commune. I do like him, he's always so happy.

Billy gave an interview where he details how his parents pulled him out of school at 14 because he was being severely bullied, he did a course at a local college IIRC and then was on George Clarkes Amazing Spaces with his camper van and narrow boat conversions.

Misti is trying to sell the Zebra sculpture on her website, POA.

I might have to watch that abating spaces with billy.

*It's like an ordinary interior designer only more expensive 😂
*

Yes, high end = expensive.

There is no way on earth I'd want Misti's monstrosity in my house. It was awful.

It wouldn't look right in my house but it would actually have fitted in really well in my 60s flat as a wall unit. Unpainted though!

Final just starting!

I have a funny feeling Misti is going to win. It seems like she's the judges favourite.

Hope Rhada wins