Keith Gotschall has been involved in working with wood since a very early age, even before leaving high school. Over the years he has worked as a cabinet maker, furniture designer/maker, carpenter, graphic artist, stone sculptor and wood turner. He has demonstrated at national symposiums, internationally, and at scores of clubs around the US. He is noted for clear descriptions of his traditional turning technique.
With his background in fine art, and a love of the truly utilitarian, Keith’s work can be noted for it’s clean lines, smooth curves and tight detail. Sometimes whimsical, often classical, Keith enjoys working in a broad oeuvre and is hard to pigeonhole
Tortilla Warmer
First, what is a tortilla warmer? Well it’s nothing you plug in, it is a simple container to hold pre-warmed tortillas, crepes, pancakes etc. so that they retain some of their heat and delectability!
It is in essence a large lidded bowl.
This is a great intermediate project for anyone to tackle.
I will go through the entire project from start to finish, with all the steps clearly shown and explained. Starting with a quick shop tour, the demo moves on to planning the project, wood selection, the tools used and how I sharpen them, basic steps to start off and roughing in the basic form of the top. Making the rest of the project is the bulk of the demo, but along the way there are lots of tips and close up video of how the tools are being used. 3 different tools and methods of work are shown during the hollowing out of the interior, and the spindle gouge is used to great effect in making the fine details of the knob. With all that finished, I go into a method of decoration that is so simple and easy to do that anyone who is hesitant about trying will be convinced that it is worth giving it a shot. I don’t hesitate to show mistakes so we all learn from them, and in the end a short look at the end product will allow some critique of design and overall shape.
Off Center Platter
In this demo the basics of platter making will be shown, as well as the special considerations for going off center. Safety, of course, will be a primary factor in making this project. By using the 4 jaw chuck as a screw chuck and in the expansion mode, an easy way to make this platter with an uneven rim will be shown. Design considerations will be discussed with the audience, and feedback will be encouraged. This is a fun demo that should spark some new ideas of your own.
In the demo, different possibilities will be discussed, what slight changes will produce in the end result. Difficulties in turning off center will be explained, and how correct technique can minimize these aspects. Also, along the way, how to cut clean beads in a cross grain orientation will be shown, and what details work, and which don’t work as well. Decorating the off center rim will be shown and other possibilities discussed.
Three Leg Stool
In this demo I lay out the basic stool seat and show how to drill at the appropriate angles. I then turn the seat using a 4 jaw chuck. I then show how to lay out a leg using the minimum of measuring tools and explain how I go about replication. Demonstrating beads, coves and straight cuts to make a simple pattern, I then show how easily it can be replicated quickly and accurately.
The audience will learn elements of design that will make replicating the legs of the stool very easy. Discussion of design will also show how to avoid common pitfalls, and ways around possible flaws. Techniques shown are simple, but effective in both spindle turning and bowl turning. Discussion with the audience will cover critique, furniture styles, possible options for further exploration and wood selection.
