Monty Don's craft show (woodworking) SPOILER

[Sheffield Tony]

I was disgusted at the wood show. It was disrespectful to the many amazing amateurs which grace our forum with their remarkable skills as shown in the many projects here. The three contestants were not woodworkers as they demonstrated with their box making skills.

I kind of agree, the strange thing about the wood programme was that (after the rather poor box making attempts) it was not really about the craft of woodworking at all, but more about design. But I guess that Benchmark were looking for eye-catching designs to have made competently elsewhere, not a potential supplier. It did illustrate to me the limitations of arty design without proper understanding of the materials or production processes - a three legged table that wobbled and another that would break if expected to support anything heavier than a glass of wine. Clearly they have been redesigned for the commercial versions on the Benchmark site.

BUT - regarding any disrespect to more talented amateurs on this site ... You were invited !

the-crafts-ricichet-tv-lookinbg-t72097.html

It could have been you on there. Put up or shut up, as they say.

 

[Fromey]

The program was made for entertainment value. Thus, the producers will be very skilful in choosing applicants who will provide the most "entertainment". Modern TV also seems to think we'll only watch something if it's a competition (be it with another person/people or time). For instance, look at Time Team; I know for a fact that they did a dig in Bath that took them over three months, but in the program they edited it and said they only had about a week. That's their "formula"; put in a time limit to add some extra tension because obviously we're all too stupid to keep our attention on the history/archaeology. Or look at any Grand Designs episode. There is *always* some sort of crisis, even if some of them are really minor and hammed up (in fact I suspect the producers actively introduce "conflict" into a project that's going too smoothly). Thus, for modern TV, there is a huge amount of manipulation going on from the very first stages and all the way through, in order to provide the most "tension", "plot", "conflict", etc. It's part of the overall dumbing down of our culture by the media in all its forms.

Have a look at this (US-centric, but it holds for the world in general); http://youtu.be/tJtEbvSOd_E

So the young guy who left had to be berated by Monty Don in order to extract the best value from him (the producers were faced with an unexpected hole in their format). I agree with Jacob, he probably had second thoughts about how this would look for his career; prostituted himself to TV and was by definition already labelled as an "amateur".

The box example showed that these people were way too early for such a challenge.

However, it was a nice tool-porn exposition for Matthew's Workshop Heaven. I hope he get to use the edited highlights of this for his own promotional purposes.

 

[mickthetree]

We are looking for the UK’s most talented amateur crafts people to hone their skills under the mentorship of some of the UK’s top crafts men and women - in an opportunity that could change their lives forever.

Really? They really sort out the UKs most talented amateur crafts people for these programmes?

I am so very very tired of this stale format of TV we are fed.

Even if it is nice to see some tool porn

 

[Sheffield Tony]

The selection is an interesting question, which presumably only someone at Ricochet really knows and is not likely to share. The series was advertised to members of the Association of Pole Lathe turners and Green Woodworkers (APTGW) both on their forum and by e-mail to the members list; I don't know where they went looking for cabinet makers, but I posted their flyer on here for comment and for the sake of anyone actually interested.

The wood episode (more so than the blacksmithing episode) clearly did not attract "the UK’s most talented amateur crafts people". Whether this is because the better woodworkers reacted with scepticism (as the flyer was largely greeted on here) and did not put themselves forward, or because the subsequent selection was aimed at entertainment value rather than talent, I don't know. These programmes, like the earlier (and almost identical) Mastercrafts do seem to enjoy focussing more on the personal ailments and weaknesses of the participants than "celebrat[ing] traditional and contemporary crafts" ! Mind you, if they made a straightforward didactic programme about the mechanics of woodworking, the viewing figures would not be large, I suspect.

 

[DTR]

...the "token" female chopped all the pieces to length before she had sized them. Surely even 1st year students know you have to "keep it as long as you can, for as long as you can".

May I ask what is the logic behind this? I have learnt (from certain experienced members of this forum no less) to saw pieces slightly oversize, then plane flat and square. Not the other way around. To me this is logical, so what am I missing?

edit: From page one of this very thread:

I would like to give that 'Craftsman' whoever he was, a 12 foot plank of rough-sawn oak, 12 x 2 inches, a jack plane, and say, 'Here brother, Knock yourself out!'

His advice not to reduce timber to manageable sizes before dimensioning was fine, for a small box such as they were asked to make, but sometimes it's best to reduce. The programme didn't make that very clear.

 

[Jacob]

Depends on what you are doing. As a rule larger stuff is reduced to near finished size from your cutting list, before planing etc. Say down to 2 or 3 ft. Smaller components may be easier together in one piece, perhaps not exceeding 2 or 3 ft.
This comes up a lot because you get beginners "prepping" their new sawn stock, under the illusion that it has to be reduced to finished size before you do anything else. Try "prepping" a 5.4 metre board - it may be impossible.

Surely even 1st year students know you have to "keep it as long as you can, for as long as you can"?
True of your stock e.g. you attempt to use up shortest pieces first, but could be misleading otherwise.

 

[DTR]

That makes sense, thanks

 

[AnLasair]

...the "token" female chopped all the pieces to length before she had sized them. Surely even 1st year students know you have to "keep it as long as you can, for as long as you can".

May I ask what is the logic behind this? I have learnt (from certain experienced members of this forum no less) to saw pieces slightly oversize, then plane flat and square. Not the other way around. To me this is logical, so what am I missing?

I have been wondering this too... but thought I was just being thick lol

at college we are taught to cut the wood slightly longer than needed and then plane, etc. as you describe. Not sure if that's just due to space limitations in a workshop of 20 students, but it's what we are taught...

 

[AnLasair]

ah, whoops. sorry missed a page before posting then

 

[ColeyS1]

The guy who dropped out ruined a chance for somebody else- Not to mention making it a two horse stroll instead of a 3 horse race. They should have found someone else to take his place. I don't think he would have risked his career staying on the show. I now remember him as the one who talked a good story but chickened out after the first sign of pressure.

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

 

[Tierney]

Overall I am glad it was on television if it inspires a single person to just become an amateur/hobbies craftsperson, or a single customer to think beyond some of the dreadful furniture sold on the high street. Similarly, if it helps more people see the point in spending £500 on a small wooden table, then surely that is better for woodworkers in general.

I do think that it should have explored a bit more the difference between designer, designer maker and maker. The chap who quit, also annoyed me; but, I think it was probably because he was more designer than maker.

The word 'Craft' sometimes has a bad reputation, so it is probably good for it's reputation that it was for a programme that you could say was contemporary design with traditional (i.e. woodworking) methods.

I probably had the strongest opinion about the up-turned router in a vice!

Definitely beats watching cops with cameras

DT