🌲Step 1: Sourcing & Processing
Every piece begins with a deep respect for the Irish landscape. I source my timber locally within County Meath and surrounding counties, working exclusively with storm-fallen trees, rescued orchard clearings, and local arborists. By focusing on salvaged and sustainable wood, no healthy trees are ever cut down for my craft. Instead, logs of native Irish Yew, Ash, Oak, Beech, and Cherry that would otherwise be lost or turned into firewood, are brought back to my workshop to be given a second, enduring life as functional art.
🪓 Step 2: From log to Raw Blank
Once a log arrives at the workshop, the physical journey begins. Using a chainsaw, I carefully map out the grain patterns hidden beneath the bark, cutting the massive timber down into circular blocks called “blanks.” I mount these heavy, wet pieces of green wood onto the lathe for their very first rough turning. At this stage, the bowl is thick and rugged, but its initial shape is born amid a spectacular spray of wet wood shavings.
⏳ Step 3: The Patience of Seasoning
Wood is a living, breathing material full of natural moisture. If I were to turn a bowl to its final thickness straight away, it would warp, twist, and split as it dried. To prevent this, the rough-turned bowls are packed away onto my workshop shelves to cure. This requires immense patience; the timber must stabilise for months—and often up to two years—drying slowly at its own natural pace. It is a slow process that cannot be rushed. However the curing time can be shortened slightly by placing the rough turned bowls into my homemade kiln, which makes it possible to get the bowls dried within a few months.
🪵 Step 4: Precision & Polishing
When a seasoned bowl is finally stable and perfectly dry, it returns to the lathe for its most critical transformation. Using razor-sharp gouges and a steady hand, I turn away the warped outer layers, refining the walls into elegant, balanced curves. Once the final shape is sculpted, the meticulous process of sanding begins. I sand the piece through multiple progressively finer grits until the surface feels completely seamless and glass-like to the touch.
✨ Step 5: Revealing the Grain & Going Home
The final step is pure magic. I apply premium, 100% natural, and food-safe oils to the bare wood. The moment the oil hits the timber, the grain instantly wakes up—revealing the vibrant golden hues of Yew, the bold ripples of Ash, or the smoky chocolate depths of Walnut. This protective finish locks in the wood’s natural beauty and ensures it is entirely safe for your kitchen or dining table, ready to be used, loved, and passed down as a true Irish heirloom.