I know this may seem like a morbid project but I am looking to this group
for help on building an urn for my father.
He is very ill and my mother has asked me to start looking at what will be
inevitable. I would like to build him an urn for his final resting place as
he will be cremated when he passes on. This will be my first serious project
in many years and I need help. If any of you have plans, could help me out
with locating some, or would even like to draw some up for me or talk to me
about how to start this I will be very grateful.
I lurk here a lot and listen and sometimes post. I have done work with
renovations and built a bench but no real woodworking projects since I was
15. I respect the advice of a lot of you guys and hope that you can help me
out.
Thank you for your consideration.
John Van Schaik
John V
John,
first let me offer my condolences and wishes that his remaining time is
comfortable and peaceful. If you haven't done so already, you may want to
contact your local Hospice organization.
A few years ago, I built a box for the ashes of a friend of mine, who was a
regular poster here on the Wreck. I've got a picture on the web at:
http://groups.msn.com/StuffbyDaveWife/recentprojects.msnw
It's labelled "Paul's Box".
Basically, I came up with a box design that was large enough to hold the
cylindrical box that came from the funeral home with the ashes. Like another
poster, the opening for this box was in the bottom, so that it could be sealed
tight, and the fasteners wouldn't be seen.
This box was made with mortise and tenon joints. It could probably be made
with pocket screws, which would make it easier if you are not comfortable doing
m&t's. I made a fairly fancy top, but a simpler one could be done. If this
interests you, or any of the other box designs on the page, you can email me at
[email protected].
David
remove the key to email me.
John
I went through the same stage you are. I lost my Dad one year ago. I built
something that was a combination of ideas that I had, but no specific plan. I
wil post a few pics in ABPF of what evolved.
I did not draw plans, but built to the dimensions that would accept the
container that we received from the Mortuary. The top is fixed and access is
from a bottom panel that I placed the container inside then fastened with figure
eights.
HTH
Joe
On Wed, 11 Feb 2004 07:15:19 GMT, "JohnV" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>I know this may seem like a morbid project but I am looking to this group
>for help on building an urn for my father.
>
>He is very ill and my mother has asked me to start looking at what will be
>inevitable. I would like to build him an urn for his final resting place as
>he will be cremated when he passes on. This will be my first serious project
>in many years and I need help. If any of you have plans, could help me out
>with locating some, or would even like to draw some up for me or talk to me
>about how to start this I will be very grateful.
>
>I lurk here a lot and listen and sometimes post. I have done work with
>renovations and built a bench but no real woodworking projects since I was
>15. I respect the advice of a lot of you guys and hope that you can help me
>out.
>
>Thank you for your consideration.
>
>
>
>John Van Schaik
>
>John V
>
Building a container for a loved ones remains is not a morbid project.
Death is as much a part of life as birth....However, dealing with the
passing of a loved one is a deeply personal experience, and depends on many
things. Last fall, my mother passed away, without much warning, although
she had been in declining health for some time. I learned then, from my
father, that she wished to be cremated.
At the mortuary, my father, my wife and I discussed some of the
requirements for the process to continue. We decided to build the
container which would hold my mother's body for the cremation process, and
also to make a container which would function as an urn, for the cremated
remains.
For a number of reasons, we had several days to make, and then deliver, the
large box, as it came to be called, and then several more days to complete
the small box. I can tell you that having those projects to do, at that
point on our experience, was a very valuable means of dealing with our
emotions. Having my sisters there, and my father, helping to make
decisions, helping to move stock through the machines, helping sand and pad
shellac, gave us an opportunity to talk, cry, laugh, tell stories, and
generally deal with telling our mother goodbye. It gave our hands
something to do while we arranged travel, accomodations, services, took a
few of the many telephone calls from special friends, and tried slowly to
move forward. A really good thing for all concerned, under the
circumstances.
Now regarding plans: One aspect of the design which may escape some
discussion has to do with what is to eventually become of the cremated
remains. In our case, when my father passes, and is cremated, both of the
'small boxes' will be taken out to the coast, and scattered in the Pacific
Ocean. We do not desire to destroy either box in that process, so the
design was to have the small box screwed shut, from underneath, with waxed
and shellaced brass screws. Enough to preclude inadvertant opening, but
not really industrial strength.
Since you have a little time, perhaps, consider the wood you will use. In
our case, I built the small box for my mother from California Black Oak,
which is native to the county in which she grew up. The inside bottom and
top were lined with curly Claro walnut, harvested from the county from
which her step-father's family had lived for several generations. The
design was really simple, mechanically - a mitered oak box, with black
walnut corner keys, and a book matched top and bottom. More coats of
padded blone shellac than I counted. Clear wax, rubbed out with 0000
synthetic (white) steel wool.
What I'm saying is that you may have an opportunity to make the wood part
of the story...
5 months later, I talk to my Dad almost every day. We work in my garage-
shop-studio together almost every weekend, on some project or another.
After their 55+ years together, I worry most about him being lonely. Oh,
and I really enjoy the time with him, too. There won't be too many more
years together on this side of the veil....
God bless you in your service to your father and mother and family.
Patriarch
Thank you for your responses and sentiment. I will look them over tonight.
Sincerely,
John V
"JohnV" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:bEkWb.457271$JQ1.323803@pd7tw1no...
> I know this may seem like a morbid project but I am looking to this group
> for help on building an urn for my father.
>
> He is very ill and my mother has asked me to start looking at what will be
> inevitable. I would like to build him an urn for his final resting place
as
> he will be cremated when he passes on. This will be my first serious
project
> in many years and I need help. If any of you have plans, could help me out
> with locating some, or would even like to draw some up for me or talk to
me
> about how to start this I will be very grateful.
>
> I lurk here a lot and listen and sometimes post. I have done work with
> renovations and built a bench but no real woodworking projects since I was
> 15. I respect the advice of a lot of you guys and hope that you can help
me
> out.
>
> Thank you for your consideration.
>
>
>
> John Van Schaik
>
> John V
>
>
I am very sorry to hear of your father's illness...
I have made, turned actually, several urns for cremains for family and
friends. The standard containers used by crematoriums can hold 250-300
cubic inches (a rectangular volume 8"x8"x4-8" is a good starting point, as
is a 6-7" diameter by 9" high cylinder, and remember that these are inside
dimensions), and these suffice for the vast majority of cases, however
individuals can use two or even sometimes three containers. You can, as
pointed out here, build a box to hold the containers you will be given, or
you can transfer the cremains into your urn (there will be a plastic bag
inside the container with identifying tags, etc, that should be transferred
intact). It is important that the urn not leak or open once closed, so you
are looking to securely close it with glue or fasteners.
Good luck with this project. This will be among the most rewarding things
you ever do, and it will be among the slowest to work on and finish....
Michael Latcha - at home in Redford, MI
"JohnV" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:bEkWb.457271$JQ1.323803@pd7tw1no...
> I know this may seem like a morbid project but I am looking to this group
> for help on building an urn for my father.
>
> He is very ill and my mother has asked me to start looking at what will be
> inevitable. I would like to build him an urn for his final resting place
as
> he will be cremated when he passes on. This will be my first serious
project
> in many years and I need help. If any of you have plans, could help me out
> with locating some, or would even like to draw some up for me or talk to
me
> about how to start this I will be very grateful.
>
> I lurk here a lot and listen and sometimes post. I have done work with
> renovations and built a bench but no real woodworking projects since I was
> 15. I respect the advice of a lot of you guys and hope that you can help
me
> out.
>
> Thank you for your consideration.
>
>
>
> John Van Schaik
>
> John V
>
>