Been asked to make an urn!

[Gasman]

Hi Folks
First a belated Happy new year to all!!!
I`ve just been asked by my daughter in law to make an urn for her recently departed dad`s ashes. I`m quite chuffed in one way that she asked me but daunted in another about how to go about it. Searches online seem to show square box like urns made out of wood but not the type turned on a lathe. Dimensions are another thing and questions like "How big are his ashes" don`t really seem appropriate. I have a nice piece of Laburnum put away for a rainy day which might do the job, should it be lined inside? will the wood react with the ashes? should the interior be coated with something?
Any advice appreciated
Cheers
Steve

[artme]

Steve, why don't you have a look at some commercially available urns to get an idea of dimensions?

I don't think the ashes will react with the timber but you might want to finish the whole urn with a coat of some protectant anyway.

[Calm]

To give you a few of the facts to help you out.

The "ashes" are the larger bones left after cremation. They are then crushed up into a powder that is off white, The Crematorium will deliver them to the family in a plastic box about the size of a normal brick.

They are a dry powder and i dont think they would react with wood at all. Some families may choose to keep them at home, until the partner passes away and they are then placed in the casket with them for their final journey. or they could be buried in a garden somewhere or even taken and scattered.

Here is a link t (http://www.fcmp.com.au/)o Fawkner and The Necropolis (http://www.necropolis.net.au/springvale/urns-keepsakes.html) in Melbourne they will give you some ideas. The large round ones fit into a peice of PVC tube, capped at both ends, when buried in the ground 150mm inside.

Hope that helps.

Cheers

[oldiephred]

I make urns and the rule of thumb is 1cu.inch per pound of live weight.

[swedenturner]

Hi Steve

This link "http://www.drechsler-forum.de/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=12632" is to the German woodturner forum and shows you a few urns. Maybe it can help you about some of your questions.

[Rum Pig]

I can not help you in your question apart from suggesting that you ring the funeral director for advice but I think most of your questions have been answered already.

I really just wanted to say that I wish you the best and I'm sure your DIL will love it no matter what shape or size you make it.

[Gasman]

Thanks chaps some much needed pointers there :2tsup:
Regards
Steve

[TTIT]

Thought I'd seen this topic come up before - check this out (http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com.au/showthread.php?t=33160&highlight=urn+ashes+turn) . I reckon I would be honoured to be asked to turn one also - maybe I should put one together just for a practice run :shrug:

[rsser]

An un-named individual cracked the rim of ern's-urn WIP.

Was in any case far too big for one person. Room for the missus, the cat and some camping gear for the afterlife. Said gear of asbestos of course.

[NeilS]

From the little experience I have had with this (just made a few for family and friends), I have found that the volume of 'ashes' provided by the crematorium varied and was not as proportional to the person as you might expect. Bone density decreases with age, and I found that my elderly mother in law who died in her 90s only needed half as big an urn as another relative of about the same size who died in his mid 50s.

A decent brick size applied to the elderly woman, more of a double brick size for the middle aged chap.

Unless you can make the lid dust tight, I suggest you simply use a firm plastic bag (a large one of those zip-lock bags works OK) inside the urn. This will avoid any difficult incidents with 'ashes' escaping when/where not expected.

I have attached a couple of examples. They are about 13" diam and 6-7" high. I usually personalise the urns (not obvious from the examples) with something from or about the person. eg use some significant wood from the person's life to make the urn or the lid (can be a challenge), and/or incorporate small personal items like wedding rings, badges, medals, etc., into the design.

I'm sure your D-in-L will be pleased with whatever you do.

Neil

[rsser]

Darn nice in conception and execution Neil.

[NeilS]

Darn nice in conception and execution Neil.

Ta, Ern.

N

[rsser]

Your work is a fine alternative to the depersonalised 'despatchs' that seem to be the norm.

I'd be priveleged to have my ashes in one.

But of course I'll do my own. The offspring have agreed to take the ashes and scatter them around one of my favorite spots in the Vic Alps, Mt Speculation.

Kinda appropriate for an agnostic ;-}

[NeilS]

....of course I'll do my own. The offspring have agreed to take the ashes and scatter them around one of my favorite spots in the Vic Alps, Mt Speculation.

Kinda appropriate for an agnostic ;-}

...... :D

Ditto. Got mine done already, but starting to have second thoughts about using up all that carbon to turn me into ashes. Might just opt for a bush burial to leave behind some nutrition for a tree or two.... it's the least I can do in return :).

But, if I do get cremated, I've got a few remote wilderness areas that I've hiked through that I wouldn't mind blowing around in for a bit when I'm through with the carcass...:D

Neil

[rsser]

Nice!

The missus wants her ashes in the veggie patch, to fertilise the herbs, tomatoes and such.

Have to confess to feeling a bit queasy about that.

[TTIT]

I want mine to go from the top of Blencoe Falls if the kids can be bothered finding their way there so I reckon a plastic ice-cream container should do the trick until then - no point wasting good wood:U

[NeilS]

Some good dispatch plans there and all of them more 'tasteful' than the Keith Richards story, which I definitely won't be recommending to my kids:

Rolling Stones guitarist said he had snorted his father’s ashes mixed with cocaine. :o
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17933669/

Hmmm, apologies to anyone who found this reference too black for the topic.

Neil

[rsser]

Some fathers get up their son's nose without trying ;-}

[NeilS]

Some fathers get up their son's nose without trying ;-}

:clap3:..... I've got a couple that would probabaly agree with that.


Neil

[Gra]

My old man wants his poured into the petrol tank of "The Mistress".

I have told him I'm not rebuilding the engine to get you out again....

[Grumpy John]

Some fathers get up their son's nose without trying ;-}

And Vice Versa.

[Ed Reiss]

This is one 'Grave" subject being bandied about:o

[rsser]

Boom tish!

FWIW one of the few arguments I've had with the missus was about what she'd do by way of funerary rites if I shuffled off before she did.

She was rightly concerned about what my Mum would think about an agnostic event, or no event at all. K, so Mum is 88 and also a lifelong believer. Sigh. So to keep the peace I asked if she'd be offended. Pragmatic as most Dutch are she said go with what you want. Onya Mum.

So a turned urn it is plus the rest.

I have to say that I really like Neil's approach, of doing an urn for another that reflected the life of that person in some way. For folk who love wood, what better way could there be of honouring a life?

[cagey59]

Here is an urn that I made a few years ago when I was getting started turning. It was for a dog. I did place the ashes in a plastic bag. They were inserted through a hole in the bottom. I made a recess for a cover that was screwed in place. The engraving was done by a local laser engraver.

I will be buried at sea by the US Navy. I tell my kids that I will be fishfood and they will have a taste of the old man in their fish

[alec.moseley]

take a look at some of the urns at this site:
http://www.cremationurn.biz/index.html

other beautiful urn samples visible onlline at other sites.

[masoth]

I believe in cardboard - Cardboard casket and a Cardboard "urn". Well, I've paid for it.

soth:cool:

[Bill Travel]

Any advice appreciated
Cheers
Steve


Bill Grumbine has an article on his website about a turned urn:

http://www.wonderfulwood.com/articles/urn.html