Make Your Own Custom Rib
DIY ribs from reclaimed materials
Ever wondered how we come up with the designs for our ribs? We wanted to share with you one approach that you can try at home to make a custom rib for your next project.
With Earth Month in mind, we present you a quick tutorial on making a rib from an old gift card, credit card, or hotel key.
Between 4/22/21- 4/29/21 you can share with us your DIY rib idea on social media for a chance to win a prize package filled with tools and merch. Just post a photo of a rib you’ve made following this tutorial and tag @garritytools to enter!
step 1:
Gather your materials!
You will need:
- A plastic card like a membership card, hotel key, or old credit card
- Scissors
- Paper
- Permanent marker
step 2:
Sketch out the profile of the vessel you want to throw on the wheel. The negative space of the drawing will act as the template for your rib.
step 3:
Carefully cut out the drawing. Pay close attention to lines making sure you are cutting the exact profile you want to see on your vessel.
step 4:
Place the plastic card underneath the cutout. Using a permanent marker, trace the edge of the cutout transferring this line onto the plastic card.
Make sure that the majority of the card is not covered by the paper cutout. The portion of the card expose will be the rib you will use on the wheel.
step 5:
Use your scissors to cut along the line you have traced. Cut slowly and carefully to achieve a smooth line. You can always come back after your first cut to clean up any rough spots. A craft knife could also be used to shave the edges and clean them up after the initial cut.
step 6:
Check your work. Place the cut card next to your original drawing. Do they match? If so, you’re ready to throw!
step 7:
Use it on the wheel! After throwing a cylinder and pulling it up to about the height you’d like your final piece, place the rib against the clay and pull the walls up while gently pushing into your rib. The exterior wall of your vessel should shape to the rib.