Britain's Best Woodworker

UKworkshop.co.uk

Help Support UKworkshop.co.uk:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
I thought last night's programme was a lot better.
Billy has a lot of talent considering he's self taught, but is a very long way from accepted standards. I feel if he were to go to college or serve an apprenticeship he'd be exceptional, but until then he'll always be in the winging it bracket.
Misti has exceptional designs but let down by her inexperience in woodworking, given more time I'm sure she'd come on a lot.
Last night's project was perfect for Radha's skillset, thoroughly deservef to go through.
I don't rate Charlie at all and was lucky to stay in, I'd have much preferred to see Billie stay.

I still think the skills challenge should be something like preparing a board by hand.

Finally, my bugbear is that they all have their wood dimensioned. While Radha's was easily the best cabinet, those doors don't come easy when you start with non dimensioned wood.
 
I still think the skills challenge should be something like preparing a board by hand.

Finally, my bugbear is that they all have their wood dimensioned. While Radha's was easily the best cabinet, those doors don't come easy when you start with non dimensioned wood.
The thing is, being able to machine all that wood up is a skill in itself, and having it ready made is just diluting the required skills.

I doubt any of those except maybe Radha could dimension a board by hand, I doubt some of the earlier contestants could even operate a plane.
 
I don't think I saw anybody use a table saw . :LOL: How did Misti cut all those non 45 degree mitre joints !
 
I don't think I saw anybody use a table saw . :LOL: How did Misti cut all those non 45 degree mitre joints !
There was a short clip of her trying to use a track saw, ive never used one but in the clip it seemed to me like the saw was grabbing the track rather than sliding smoothly which caused her cut to come out very wavy.
 
There was a short clip of her trying to use a track saw, ive never used one but in the clip it seemed to me like the saw was grabbing the track rather than sliding smoothly which caused her cut to come out very wavy.

Yep - it seemed that the length of the rail and the narrower width of the plywood, therefore overhang, made it tricky (you need to pad the rail ends with some same thickness material)
 
I don't think I saw anybody use a table saw . :LOL: How did Misti cut all those non 45 degree mitre joints !
That was a bit weird actually, the way the track saw was all jerky and it was like it couldnt slide down the track.

Personally I'd have thought that would be a job for a sawbench sliding table. Or panel saw as they had board material to work with.
 
Charlie forgo to take account of the saw kerf, she should have cut the door in 2 first than current the circle. Misty appears to be relying on knowledge of designed items that use really simple methods of making. Radha is the only real woodworker there.
 
Radha tambour door should it not have had wood both sides of the fabric?
if it did, the inside wood would have to compress into a smaller space on the inside of any curve / corner… the outside copes with expansion by separating on the backing
 
Charlie forgo to take account of the saw kerf, she should have cut the door in 2 first than current the circle. Misty appears to be relying on knowledge of designed items that use really simple methods of making. Radha is the only real woodworker there.
We have many joiners out there. Designers is something different, and not everyone who can design has the skill or interest in making what they design. As explained in my previous post.
 
The truth is that the shows name does not tally with what they're actually judging. It should be "Britains Best Wood Maker". They focus a LOT on design rather than quality of workmanship.

Of course, they're trying to cater to as wide an audience as Bake Off does, and I applaud them for that. I would love to be watching a hardcore woodworking version, but the audience would be tiny and I'd rather see more people getting interested in the subject.
 
Overall- a good series, enough woodworking was shown. The big builds and skill builder tasks were varied and interesting. The design work was really nice and some of the joinery was good.
Still think Rhada should’ve won! Overall good show.
 
I think Radha lost it spending all that time laminating those chunky frames and not having enough time to finish the project whereas the other two did complete theirs. Made we want to design and build something unique for the garden!
Regards Keith
 
It was a good pilot and I hope it makes it to a second series. If it does I think the participants will be better prepared and the there will be a step change in the technical quality of the projects. It is always going to be a mix of design and execution skills and those that excel in both will progress. I hope we will meet some really exciting makers that can inspire new generations of skilled woodworkers.
 
Back
Top