How to make a skeletal Rib Cage cheaply……
Here’s one way to make a relatively cheap skeletal rib cage for some prop you may be building. It’s made from a Walmart plastic, oval trash can. It’s simply a matter of drawing a rib cage on the trash can and then cutting out the space between the ribs. The hard part is deciding how to finish or texture the rib cage once it is cut out. I decided to smear a two part polyurethane foam on the ribs mainly because I had some left over from another project. You have to mix the polyurethane foam in a lot of small batches and work quickly before it expands and becomes tacky. I’m sure there are other options for texturing the ribs that are worth trying. I toyed with the idea of wrapping the ribs with strips of burlap and then slapping on monster mud, but I haven’t tried that yet.
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18” high Walmart, oval trash can. A mere $5 bucks. Ignore the can of Great Stuff as I did not use it.
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Draw ribs, sternum and spine on the trash can. I ended up using ½” masking tape to delineate the ribs.
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Cut out the spaces between the ribs using tin snips or a jig saw. I used both. Leave the bottom of the trash can until last as it adds stability.
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Here’s half the spaces cut out.
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All the spaces cut out including the bottom of the trash and also the top rim.
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Back view of the spine and ribs
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Rib cage after being smeared with 2 part polyurethane foam.
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Rib cage after receiving a paint job. Reddish brown paint, then black paint, then lacquer. I use latex paint and then mist with water. That’s All Folks!
Here’s one way to make a relatively cheap skeletal rib cage for some prop you may be building. It’s made from a Walmart plastic, oval trash can. It’s simply a matter of drawing a rib cage on the trash can and then cutting out the space between the ribs. The hard part is deciding how to finish or texture the rib cage once it is cut out. I decided to smear a two part polyurethane foam on the ribs mainly because I had some left over from another project. You have to mix the polyurethane foam in a lot of small batches and work quickly before it expands and becomes tacky. I’m sure there are other options for texturing the ribs that are worth trying. I toyed with the idea of wrapping the ribs with strips of burlap and then slapping on monster mud, but I haven’t tried that yet.
18” high Walmart, oval trash can. A mere $5 bucks. Ignore the can of Great Stuff as I did not use it.
Draw ribs, sternum and spine on the trash can. I ended up using ½” masking tape to delineate the ribs.
Cut out the spaces between the ribs using tin snips or a jig saw. I used both. Leave the bottom of the trash can until last as it adds stability.
Here’s half the spaces cut out.
All the spaces cut out including the bottom of the trash and also the top rim.
Back view of the spine and ribs
Rib cage after being smeared with 2 part polyurethane foam.
Rib cage after receiving a paint job. Reddish brown paint, then black paint, then lacquer. I use latex paint and then mist with water. That’s All Folks!
