Tri-Rod Pot Rings
Purpose
When the standard size die-cut rings aren’t the right size or aren’t available, make your own custom size rings with Tri-rod® polyethylene foam and hot-melt glue. These rings are so easy, they can be constructed on the spot, as needed.
Author(s)
National Museum of the American Indian
Smithsonian Institution
Research Branch Move Project Team
Photo Credits: Angela Yvarra McGrew & T. Ashley McGrew
Publication: 2014
Description
This technique (in contrast to the Backer Rod Pot Rings) creates an angular ring-shape using Tri-Rod foam.
Materials, Tools & Supplies
- Tri-rod® polyethylene foam
- Foam knife
- Glue gun
- Polyethylene stretch wrap
Construction
1. Cut a length of Tri-rod foam based on the desired diameter of the ring.
Step 1.
2. With a foam knife cut out triangular wedges, evenly spaced. Cut almost to the edge, but not all the way through.
Step 2.
3. Press the hot glue gun tip into one end of the foam to create a small pocket and the fill the pocket with glue with enough on the surface to adhere the wedges together.
Step 3.
4. Bind with stretch wrap to hold the ends together while they set.
Step 4.
Adapted From
Watch members of the NMAI Move Team construct pot rings
Arenstein, R. P., C. Brady, N. Carroll, J. French, E. Kaplan, A. Y. McGrew, A. McGrew, S. Merritt, L. Williamson. 2003. NMAI Living: Moving a la Martha. Tips from the National Museum of the American Indian collections move . Objects Specialty Group Postprints. 10. American Institute for Conservation 31st Annual Meeting. Arlington. Washington DC: AIC. 92–106.
Arenstein, R. P., N. Carroll, J. French, E. Kaplan, A. Y. McGrew, A. McGrew, L. Williamson. 2003. NMAI good tips: applications and bulking of cyclododecane, and mass production of supports . Objects Specialty Group Postprints. 10. American Institute for Conservation 31st Annual Meeting. Arlington. Washington DC: AIC. 176–187.