How I Made My Tool
I don't actually make these...I collect them. Close to every time I go out to a restaurant or food drive-through, I keep the straws.
My Tool or Piece of Potting Furniture or Equipment
Those ubiquitous drinking and stirring straws make absolutely wonderful hole punches for clay. By collecting them from all over, I end up with a wide variety of sizes that I can then match to the job at hand.
How I Came Up With My Tool
Disclaimer: Food and drink do not belong in the clay studio!
One day, I had a cup of a soft drink in my studio as I was handbuilding. I needed a hole in the piece I was making, but didn't want the ragged edges or unsymmetrical look of punching through the clay with a pencil or needle.
As I considered the problem, I took a sip of pop...and the answer occurred to me. The straw I was drinking through was the perfect solution.
Tips and Tricks
- Use clean straws
- Collect them from all over for the best variety in sizes
- Allow the clay to dry inside. As it shrinks, it becomes much easier to remove from a long straw.
- When a straw gets clogged or too bent up, throw it out and use a new one