Christmas discounts, deals and inspiration. Shop & save today!
Earn Points & Save Pounds
Handmade: Britain's Best Woodworker
Here at Axminster Tools, we’re passionate about woodworking. We do all we can to help build a sustainable future for an industry we take great pride in being a part of. So when Plimsoll Productions, the company behind the new Channel 4 Show Handmade: Britain’s Best Woodworker, approached us to be one of the main tool and machinery suppliers, we jumped at the chance.
What is Handmade?
In this new and exciting primetime series, ambitious woodworkers went head to head on projects. Filmed in a stunning woodland setting, each episode centred around a ‘Big Build’. In short, the contestants were challenged to create “large and imaginative wooden structures” for the show’s expert judges to examine. After various rounds, the competing woodworkers were whittled down until only three finalists remained.
The Host
Comedian Mel Giedroyc presented the show -
I simply loved the entire concept of it! Sure, it’s a contest present – and there are a number of them about – however, this simply had the vibe, the vibe was sturdy!
The woodworkers were pleasantly un-bedazzled by the entire TV factor. I think they were more excited about the tools in the workshop, all the incredible timber and meeting a community of woodworkers.
Mel Giedroyc
The Judges
Helen Welch has been working with wood and building furniture for over 35 years. In 2013 she founded The London School of Furniture in South Tottenham, running regular courses for amateur furniture makers.
Alex Di Rijke is an architect, timber architecture advocate, educationalist and architectural photographer, who co-founded the architecture practice, dRMM, in 1995.
They're both brilliant. Helen runs The London School of Furniture Making. She's obsessed with technique and how things fit together and she's remarkable, actually. And then Alex comes from the architecture side. He’s obsessed with wood. He says wood has a soul and now I kind of know what he means.
Mel Giedroyc
The Tools
Axminster Tools supplied a large number of tools and machines for the show. Included are some of our favourite Axminster own brands, some of which are made on-site at our Devon headquarters. Let us know if the comments below if you spotted any of your favourites.
Leila featuring on Handmade: Britain’s Best Woodworker (C4, series one)
As seen on Handmade
-
Christmas Gift
Axminster APF 10 Evolution® Powered Respirator with Impact VisorSpecial Price £289.98 £289.98 was £299.98 £299.98 Save £10.00 £10.00 -
Axminster Professional Parallel Jaw Clamp 600 x 80mmFrom £19.78 £16.48
A Sustainable Future
As part of helping to build a sustainable future for the woodworking industry, we work with a number of organisations who are all doing their bit to bridge the education skills gap. They include educational establishments, The Furniture Makers’ Company, The Institute of Carpenters, The Worshipful Company of Turners and many more. In order to achieve our goals, we must inspire new talent to join the wonderful world of woodworking.
We share our customers’ passion for great craftsmanship and we want to help ensure valuable skills live on through future generations. When we were asked to supply tools for Handmade we saw it as a great opportunity to help inspire new talent. Furthermore, it highlights the wonderful work that already exists in our industry. As a company, we’re proud and fortunate to be in a position to support organisations who are all working together to ensure the future prosperity of woodworkers and the industry.
The show was very entertaining. I enjoyed watching to spot some of my personal favourite tools and machines in action.
Darran McLeod, Sales Director for Axminster Tools
When can I watch Handmade?
The series has now finished but you can catch up at channel4.com.
If you're interested in taking part in the next series, go to channel4.com/4viewers/take-part/handmade-woodworker.
Britain's Best Woodworker? A good idea badly executed. If this program encompasses the best of woodworkers in Britain, then we have a serious problem. We have seen the occasional instance of design inspiration, but that said, the quality of workmanship and wood working skill is lamentable. Even the small screen is capable of revealing joints through which you can see daylight! And why do all these 'contest style' programs believe they need inane comments from a third rate comedienne every few minutes. Mel Giedroyc is so irritating. Thank goodness for the judges who obviously know what they are about, but even they are politely having to find something positive to say. Axminster may have "jumped at the chance" to be the machinery and tool supplier. If this program ever sees a second episode, I advise them to distance themselves from it.
I agree 100% it’s all about the presenters and their waffle I gave up watching after 15 minutes and decide to watch some paint dry
Have to agree100% with the post. Have never seen such poor workmanship.
I agree a great deal with the previous comment. The male judge is very poor at times - notably with his comments on chairmaking. There is no such thing as a chair that is good for all to sit. He is obviously quite tall and I am 5'4" so are needs re very different. I also felt that the chainsaw carving was a waste of space as it is a very separate skill and not generally included by most woodworkers. I felt that Misty's horse head was good but not carved as it was just sawn out and assembled.
A very annoying series in so many ways.
I agree with many of the comments made. However, I did feel Misty's work was imaginative and innovative. Several of the competitors were unable to estimate how long their 2 day project would take and produced unfinished work. Some were far too ambitious in the time allowed. It is important to remember that the design of most of the projects was under their control as was their selection of wood - so no excuses.
Generally the standard of workmanship was poor. I agree with others that Mel Giedroyc and her comments were an irritant. Of the judges I found Helen Welch's comments the most helpful. However, neither judge commented on the fact that the chainsaw lion had no ears!!!
For me it would be much more fun to have the competitors to all be professionals. It would be a real incentive to produce finer work.I am glad Axminster Tools provided so much of the equipment and hope they will receive more sales as a result. Doubtless it was some of Axminster's employees that helped with providing knowledge and demos to assist the competitors with the use of equipment available.
The thing to remember is that these shows are put on purely for entertainment, so are very frustrating to watch for anyone who is looking for a factual "documentary" type presentation. Also, the rules by which the contestants are chosen probably means means that "entertaining" characters will be chosen. I suspect tha the producers can almost predict who is going to win before the filming starts!
I can't understand why these sort of programmes (Bake off, Pottery etc) need to be presentd in the way they are, especially by people who have little, if any, knowledge of or interest in the subject.
Totally agree with Robert. The focus is more on design and art rather than woodwork, looks good rather than well made. Why do Britain's best woodworkers require a team of experts to explain the use of basic tools, the Sewing Bee expects them all to be aware of how to use an Overlocker safely.
I couldn't agree more with the comments by Robert Knight. Yes, we have seen some lovely work pieces by Misti, but these are the exception. Mel Giedroyc obviously knows so little about the subject, she is an annoying embarrassment.
A shame, as this could have been so, so much better...
Britains best woodworker! some have never done woodwork before and contestants selected by appearance or quirkiness- not ability. I watch it to see the workshop and your tools and notice the range of experts lined up to babysit them through. Most annoying is the total lack of dust-!, I can never get my workshop so clean!
It's so obvious that Missy is going to win this even though she is far from the best of this bunch. If you can win a challenge without doing it then she is on her way to winning. She won the best carver without carving anything. Cutting inch thick material with a jigsaw is not carving. I wonder if the judges are being fair to the others?
After pottery throwdown and all that glitters I was really looking forward to seeing a display of skills to aspire to.......what a shame.
Why could this not be about the skills rather than channel 4s personal agenda?