About Eoghan Leadbetter

My name is Eoghan Leadbetter, I am a woodturner and furniture maker. From my studio in Stoneyford, Co. Kilkenny, Ireland, I design and create a range of handcrafted sustainable wooden products which focus on form, finish and function. Designed with everyday use in mind Each piece is hand–turned on the lathe which sees naturally felled, locally sourced wood become the sleek and beautiful finished design. Smoothed and sanded by hand and finished with food safe oil, each piece is as unique as a fingerprint. 

Having grown up in the family–run Jerpoint Glass Studio, one of Ireland’s iconic designer–makers, you could say that craftsmanship is in my blood. However woodturning is where I found my passion

All of the wood I use is sourced locally from wind felled trees or from tree surgeons that have removed dangerous trees due to storm damage. I utilize every bit of the tree and nothing goes to waste. Starting with cutting the tree into large slabs of wood to make bowls and using the off cuts to make coffee scoops, salad spoons and butter knives. Even the wood shavings get used to make compost for the vegetable garden.

Each bowl is roughly turned on the lathe when the wood is still wet and unseasoned. It then goes into a drying kiln for a number of weeks where the roughly turned bowls will dry very slowly and carefully to prevent cracking. When dry the bowls are mounted back onto the lathe for the final turning and sanding. I use a food safe oil mixed with beeswax to finish the bowls making them ideal for salads, fruits or nuts. This food safe oil and beeswax mixture conditions and protects  the wood and can be reapplied occasionally to keep the wood looking its best.