New woodworking show starting soon :)

[Charley]

Just been reading this months GoodWoodworking mag and there’s a advert for a new show starting on Discovery Home & Leisure (133 on Sky).

It's called Smith & Sweetman Workshop starts on April 23rd at 10.30PM. There’s 15 episodes and is presented by a 30 year old carpenter (James) and a 73 year old retired woodworking lecturer.

Quote from GW:-
James loves his power tools and Dennis his chisel. Denis is a perfectionist, passionate about recreating the exact details of period furniture. James is the irreverent modern man, keen to make his mark on theses pieces with his 21st Century stamp. Using state of the art woodworking techniques and traditional joinery methods.

Although theres no mention of it this could be the result of the presenter competition H&L had.

 

[Anonymous]

Charley,
I noticed that too. I also noticed it said they'd be going to museums, taking measurements and then building the piece (or words to that effect). Sounds awfully familiar... :wink:

Cheers, Jester

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Jester

Sounds awfully familiar...

Indeed, but there's the tantalising prospect of seeing someone cut dados without using a table saw, using metric measurements, using commonly available materials and so on.

If it matches up to its billing, then I for one will be an avid viewer and forgive H&L for "John's Workshop".

Yours

Gill

 

[Anonymous]

nothing on the website about it yet :?

 

[kityuser]

"johns workshop" ..... um i could`nt agree more.

at least norm does all his own work, not
" and over to Mr x our `routing expert` ....... "
or

"and not over to Mr y our `sharpening expert` ....... "




nice big workshop, agreed, expensive tools..... yes, but poor show in my opinion

lets hope the new one is far better.

I`m sure we could have a better show than Mr newyankee (although I`ll still avidly watch it, dangerous or not)

 

[GrahamC]

Norm isn't particularly dangerous, he just practices techniques that have been phased out over the years.

In my opinion we are beaten to submission by the safety message all too often.

I agree that safety is the first priority, however we take things too far.

The problem is through the advent of shows like Norm's and the increasing availabilty of specialsit tools, more and more unskilled people are exposing themsleves to risks.

In the past, trained joiners and carpenters were all that would have used a table saw and these guys were trained to know the risks. When you can buy a table saw for a £100 quid and watch Norm discard guards and carry out advance table saw techniques it is no wonder so many witless fools lose fingers, hence the need for regulation.

In saying that, I know there are a fair few timeserved craftsmen out there who are minus digits too.

All too often people substitute no talent for technology and accidents and poor quality output ensue!!

OK, sorry for the rant, I agree a quality UK show to compete with Norm would be good, demonstrating techniques more familiar to these shores (safer or otherwise). That nonsense with Craig Philips and John's workshop were very poor quality. Craig Philips has no talent what-so-ever and John Revel has a fantstic workshop but doesn't do anything himself.

 

[sawdustalley]

Wouldn't be surprised if H&L have been watching the forums. Alot of people have in the passed mentioned how they would like a show like norms.

I'll ask Rod Butler see if he knows anything about the show.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for letting us know that Charley, I hope its going to be better than "John's Workshop", a workshop full of nice gear and a bloke who don't know how to use them and build some nice stuuf with it.

All we can do is hope that H&L have finally got the message and going to put a good British WW program, that will at least go some way into providing what Norm has been doing. I like watching Norm and will continue to do so, I just hope that this new program will show some projects that we can make with the machines and timber we have over here. Instead of being jelous of Norm all the time and the stuff the Yanks have.
Well, time will tell as they say, we wait with batted breath.

 

[Drew]

Hi all.
As this is my first post I'll keep it short and sweet.
Good on H&L for a home grown quality idea if it pans out. But they've had more turkeys than Bernard Mathews. John's workshop and Shedheads to mention but two. Does anybody know why they all try to be comedians as well.

Drew

 

[kityuser]

yes i think i know....

its obviously far easier to be a comedian than it is to be a good woodworker

 

[Anonymous]

I agree with you Steven, it is easier to be a comedien than show how the job should be done properly.
I watched one espisode of "shedheads" oh dear, the size of the concrete base was way over the size of the shed, no footings. The size of the base was so big that it was at least a foot or more bigger all around than the size of the shed. To my mind, this means that water will collect on the base and will rot the barriers out, even if they are treated timber, eventually.
I would have thought the base would be the same size or a bit smaller than the shed to be put on it, so water would not sit on the base, as they have done it, as I have discribed above, it could well cause damp problems. No wonder a lot of people doing DIY get in a muddle, watching stuff like this, thinking they are doing it right, it most certainly is not the way I would do it and not how I built my own workshop. It will be interesting to see how this new program shapes up, but with H&L's other programs they have made, I,m not holding my breath.