Gnarly Oak

Gnarly Oak Gnarlyoak is open for business, making bespoke wooden items in my Suffolk workshop, where possible using timber grown in the local area.

It's easy to post the big stuff and forget the small stuff that are just as pretty. This is what happens to all the off ...
04/06/2026

It's easy to post the big stuff and forget the small stuff that are just as pretty.
This is what happens to all the off cuts that are just too good to throw away. Light pulls are always a winner, who wants an ugly piece of plastic when you can have one of these!



Today Gnarly Oak has been supporting St Elizabeth Hospice with The Great Garden Trail event at Crows Hall Debenham.Lo...
24/05/2026

Today Gnarly Oak has been supporting St Elizabeth Hospice with The Great Garden Trail event at Crows Hall Debenham.
Lovely event, raising money for a great cause, on a wonderful day. 🌞🌞

The eroded bowl. This piece of Elm burl has loads of character but also had loads of bark inclusions and holes, so why ...
05/05/2026

The eroded bowl. This piece of Elm burl has loads of character but also had loads of bark inclusions and holes, so why not make the most of them!

Some of the burl is turned for the patterns, some just has the bark removed with an abrasive wheel to keep the texture.

A one off item, I love it, I hope you do to!

May the 4th at The Stables Coffee Shop & Sandwich Bar. I'm here until 16:00. Come and get coffee, cake and other goodies...
04/05/2026

May the 4th at The Stables Coffee Shop & Sandwich Bar. I'm here until 16:00. Come and get coffee, cake and other goodies in the Cafe and see what Gnarlyoak and the other crafters have to offer!

Elm burl centerpiece platter.Once in a while nature gives you something special!This piece had a flat surface but the un...
31/03/2026

Elm burl centerpiece platter.
Once in a while nature gives you something special!

This piece had a flat surface but the underside was full of lumps and bumps, fairly thin in places with several bark inclusions. I nearly made it smaller to get a fully clean surface but so glad I went with the full size blank and shaped to accommodate the inclusions.

When the oil went on, wow, the colours exploded out, I wish I'd have filmed that.

I think this is a bit special, one of a kind, I hope you agree! Coming to craft fairs in April and May and my now online shop (hopefully) soon.





Pippy oak platter centerpiece.It's a big'un, finished at 18" x 2", with a food safe oil - and a little big for my pop up...
17/03/2026

Pippy oak platter centerpiece.
It's a big'un, finished at 18" x 2", with a food safe oil - and a little big for my pop up photo studio! I had to attach the lathe bed extension in the lower position to clear the bed.

Another galley piece I've been working on over winter.
This was hiding on the shelf at Treecyclinguk , turned out to be a stunning platter with plenty of character.

Coming to my new online shop or a gallery in the near future.

Mulberry live edge bowl. Video in the comments.A bit of a challenge this one, the irregular shape and holes meant a long...
03/02/2026

Mulberry live edge bowl. Video in the comments.

A bit of a challenge this one, the irregular shape and holes meant a long hollowing at only 350rpm.

I wanted to do something a little different and this piece of mulberry with its cracks, holes, burr, live edge and stunning colours certainly ticked the artistic boxes. Maybe save this one for a gallery later in the year?
23cm/9" diameter, up to 19cm/7.5" high.

Local Mulberry from Witnesham. Jenny Hatfield House Suffolk you know this tree!

Oak burr winged bowl. This is a first for me. I picked this piece up from Treecyclinguk last year but never sure how t...
27/01/2026

Oak burr winged bowl. This is a first for me. I picked this piece up from Treecyclinguk last year but never sure how to use it. I've been watching some videos by Mike Holton - hand made crafts where the focus is looking at the shape of the piece and making the best use of it rather than making a circle so gave it a go. The shape with one corner is as I received it, I couldn't figure how to shape it differently without looking weird so accepted the feature.

So here it is, and I'll open it up for opinions:
A) a piece of wood art?
B) not a fan of winged bowls but at least it provides a handle as a snack bowl.
C) put it back on the lathe and lose the wings.

American back walnut on a Suffolk walnut desk.After spotting a previous American black walnut post, I was asked by one o...
07/01/2026

American back walnut on a Suffolk walnut desk.

After spotting a previous American black walnut post, I was asked by one of my followers if I could make a deep American black walnut bowl as a Christmas present to complement the stunning Suffolk walnut desk made by Treecyclinguk

I had a 10"x3" blank and the bowl was delivered in time to go under the tree.

Local makers making quality products.

Pictures provided and shared with kind permission of the new owner. Thank you.

26/12/2025

I'm often asked where I buy the eyes for my snow people and robins? I don't, I make every single one of them, even the 3mm eyes for my cake decoration snowman.

I usually use panga panga. It's dark, fairly stable and turns well without chipping.

It can be a long day in the workshop when you are working through a batch of thirty robins!

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Ipswich
Ipswich

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