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I've seen a couple of episodes of The Repair Shop but the heart warming stories and time constraints always leaving me wanting more meat to the show.
I now spend so much time watching youtube repair and restoration videos it worries me.
Here's one from a channel I like a lot:
I wouldn’t worry - Plenty like me have been spending way too much time watching repair/restoration/build videos on YouTube since long before the repair shop came along. Welcome to the bandwagon, it’s a fine wagon to ride indeed - you might learn something useful.
TV Repair shows always leave me frustrated or irritated because they spend 1/3 of the show telling you how important this 'insert object here' because it reminds them of granddad who died fighting the Nazis.
They then spend about 1/3 talking to the experts about what are they going to do but in baby talk - What are you going to do? I am going to paint this? Is that difficult? Oh yes, I need to use the right coloured paint and a special brush. Well we will let you get on with that while we cut to shots of trees and bunny.
They then might give you 1/3 actually showing the craftsman actually doing something but again dumbed down so all tools are 'a special type of... specially made for this job' No explanation of why it is special, what is different or how it helps with the job.
Youtube repairs are a mix of the really good, engaging, informative and interesting or painfully amateur. I am not judging those who try, it is a lot harder than it first looks. Those who have watched my "Are you bored enough to watch" can see my efforts.
If you want to watch again or haven't seen them type "classic car clips" into YouTube search and you should find my channel. There are some car repair ones on there too. In fact it is quite a mix now I look at the list.
@WCA agree, was watching Repair Shop last night and some of the stories seemed forced.
"My mum gave me some money and I bought this pinball machine, my mum's dead"
Watching The Repair Shop for a restorer is like watching Jeremy Kyle for a therapist.
Don't get me wrong, I really like it, but it's a TV show for the masses not for those interested in restoration.
I can't really speak of what the other craftspeople do but what Will and the upholsterers do is often reasonably straightforward.
I mean, they rarely work on antiques so don't have to use materials and techniques that are appropriate to the piece or the time and they can use modern methods, machines and materials.
They also don't have to worry about the costs of materials and what they can afford to use to keep it in budget.
You don't get to see the finished pieces close up either so you can't really judge how good the work is.
Anyone who has tried doing such work knows it is a lot more difficult than it looks. It also takes far more time than it would appear to do on the show too.
I was at college with Will so I know he's only been working in the field for about 10 years which is nothing for that sort of work. I stopped doing it myself as I found it really hard on my body - breathing mostly - and it's not easy to make a living.
It's a great show though and I do enjoy watching it. I quite like the stories although some of them can be a bit lame, watching some of them, you wonder what pieces they turned down!
I like restoration vids but can do without the mawkish sentimentality of the Repair Shop. I do seem to be in a minority though!
does beg the question of how far you could push it..... my dad was trying to restore ta wwi bristol fighter in his shed, be lovely if the beeb could restore it now he's dead.
Just watch Salvage Hunters The Restorers. Restoration without the sob stories. Also very little Drew Pritchard in it these days
The video in the OP is great. I*feel* like that when I do up old bikes, but I'd love to have all those tools.