You crafty devil! More goosebump moments in the barn with Dom
With a degree in graphic design, a career history in set design, a passion for classic car restoration and a popular Youtube channel, The Repair Shop’s Dominic Chinea is a jack of all trades – and master of many, too.
Chinea, best known for his master metalwork on the BBC programme, is a self-confessed “car nut” who loves to tinker with machinery in his workshop.
He was over the moon when a rusting pedal car was brought into the barn for the first episode of The Repair Shop’s latest series.
For those unfamiliar with the set up, The Repair Shop sees members of the public bring battered, broken, neglected or forsaken items, usually with incredible sentimental value, into the Repair Shop barn – the Weald & Downland Living Museum in West Sussex – for the resident experts to mend and restore.
Series 10 of The Repair Shop features two of Chinea’s favourite repairs, some heart-warming stories of sentimental value and, of course, the same talented team of craftwork experts fans have come to know and love.
“The pedal car in this series is my all-time favourite item,” he said.“honestly, that was a dream.
“I am a bit of a car nut, I do like my classic cars, and I think that’s as close as we’d get to actually restoring a classic car at the barn.
“It was for such a worthy family, they were so over the moon. To see it on the race track, the two kids dressed up in their boiler suits, the chequered flag – it was just a goosebump moment. A really, really, really special thing.”
The Repair Shop’s surprise success is, according to Chinea, down to the more thoughtful way they treat objects.
“We used to always say that we’re in a bit of a throwaway culture, but I think lockdown helped a lot,” explained Chinea.“people are a lot more aware and conscious of trying not to throw stuff away, and repairing things. Not everyone is able to, but everyone is a lot more aware.
“We need that younger generation coming in, realising that these crafts are still relevant. There is still a need for old crafts in the modern world today – I feel strongly about that.
“I mean, I wasn’t very good at school, and I would have loved to have gone on an apprenticeship.
“I’m doing as much as I can with my Youtube channel and what I do personally to try and get as many people as possible inspired to do these old crafts, keep them alive.”
The Repair Shop, BBC1, Wednesday, 8pm