Replies

1. 
   mytthor | Mar 03, 2007 02:24am | #1

   You might try googling cremation urns. I know ther are several sites out there tha have pictures of wooden urns.

1. 
   Billgiblin | Mar 03, 2007 04:24am | #2

   thanks. I got a few ideas. But I wouldnt mind some more ideas either. Still nervous.

1. 
   tom77 | Mar 03, 2007 05:38am | #3

   I have built two using the same design.  I'll try to find a photo, but the box was a simple dovetailed box with a panel bottom and solid top.  I added two small brass screws to hold the top on the second one.  The ashes are typically in plastic bags, so the box doesn't have to be tight.  You could get the volume requirements from your local mortician if I don't find the photos.  (my recollection is that it was about ten inches max on each side)

   Good luck, Tom.

2. 
   gspman | Mar 03, 2007 05:43am | #4

   Hi there.  I made a box for my grandmother's ashes a while back.  I made a simple rectangular dovetailed box similar to a shaker candlebox out of 1/2" pine.  Probably 5" x 10" and 4 " high or so.  For the lid, I beveled a thicker (maybe 1 & 1/2") piece on all 4 sides - it looked like a raised panel - I guess it was, technically.  Then I rabbetted the bottom to make a snug drop-in fit into the box.  After we placed the ashes in, I put a finish nail on each end at the top edge of the box to hold everything tight.  We buried the box, but it would be fine wherever you put it.  Some people who saw the box have had me make ones for them since - kind of weird, because I work with them every day still!  Can't beat the personal touch, though.

   Steve

2. 
   tom77 | Mar 03, 2007 05:59pm | #5

   Hello, again,

   I found two photos of the first box.  The max dimension is about ten inches.

   Cheers, Tom.

    

   
1. 
   fgnoel | Mar 03, 2007 06:44pm | #6

   I made one for my nephew a year ago.  Used cherry and mitered corners.  The top was a burl veneer inset.  You do not need a lid.  I used a bottom base that screwed to the box.  The screws were on the bottom, counterbored, then felt pad over that. To place the cremains in the box they the mortuary simply unscrewed the bottom.  There is a small groove around the top perimeter of the box that looks like a lid but it is just a design feature. I used a typical ogee profile on the base.  The volume of the box needs to be a minimum 200 to 210 cubic inches.  If its going to be placed in a niche then you will need to get the dimensions of the niche since some of them are very small and the fit will be tight.  Every one seemed to be pleased with it.  I will send a couple of photos if you like.  I am in a hurry right now to get to a grandson's wrestling match and it will take a little time to resize the photos.

   Frank

1. 
   Billgiblin | Mar 03, 2007 08:57pm | #7

   cool. send some pics please.

1. 
   fgnoel | Mar 04, 2007 02:16am | #8

   Here's a couple of photos.  I got a new laptop and don't have the program to adequately resize right now so the image may be fairly large.  I will keep trying to figure out how to get it resized.

   Frank

   
1. 
   forestgirl | Mar 04, 2007 10:47pm | #10

   Here ya go....

    forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

   
2. 
   fgnoel | Mar 05, 2007 08:20am | #12

   Thanks. What program do you use to resize the photos?

   Frank

3. 
   forestgirl | Mar 05, 2007 10:00am | #13

   I happen to use Jasc Paint Shop Photo Album, but you can download InfranView for free.  I've used it, and it's easy, and not a "heavy" program, might be a good choice for your laptop.  Several people here at Knots use it regularly, I don't think there've been any complaints.

   You can also use the Microsoft Paint program that comes with all MS computers, but I don't think it keeps the aspect ratio automatically, so you have to enter the numbers for width and height both, rather than just one.  The option is found under Image-->Attributes.  You'll see width and height in boxes.  I also find cropping and a few other tasks rather tedious with Paint.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

   Edited 3/5/2007 2:01 am by forestgirl

3. 
   glasswd | Mar 04, 2007 08:31pm | #9

   You might try going back to November (06) Someone had posted photos of what he had made for I believe it was his sister-in-laws ashes. To just discribe or refer to it as a box would do NO justice whatsoever. It was a real work of art. It generated a load of raves. Does anyone in this forum remember who it was?.

4. 
   jigsawjohn | Mar 05, 2007 01:56am | #11

   My wife passed some 20 years ago. She wanted to be cremated, and since she was my most valued possession I built her a treasure chest to rest in, It looked much like a treasure chest of the pirate days.

   Lined in red satin finished in Brazilian rose wood vernier with brass bands and brass nails, small leather strap handles on both ends.

   Hope this stirs your imagination.

   sorry for the tears I still Love her always will.

   JigSawJohn
5. 
   Pondfish | Mar 05, 2007 02:52pm | #14

   Made one for my Mom's ashes; like others, I first got the size of the plastic bin the funeral home provides, then built my box to those dimensions.  The bottom screws on to close it all up.

   My corners were mitered, though I inserted a piece of veneer to give the miter a look that matched the string inlay I did.

   Photo attached.  Woods are bubinga and birds eye maple; the panels were treated with potassium dichromate to give them a little aged look.

   Recommending the use of "Hide Signatures" option under "My Preferences" since 2005

   
6. 
   Cincinnati | Mar 05, 2007 03:48pm | #15

   Two ideas come to mind: ( I certainly don't want this to sound morbid or disrespectful) :

   The first is to shape it after a wooden coffin, in miniature.

   The other, was to pattern it after the ark of the covenant, probably without the cheribum on top unless they have the budget for it and either you or someone you know could carve them.
   You can google "Ark of the Covenant" and find conceptual drawings.

   I hope this gives you some other ideas of where you can go with this project.

7. 
   Anon | Mar 05, 2007 07:57pm | #16

   My father just made one in January for my late grandmother's remains. He made it in Iowa; she was cremated in Arizona and interred in Kansas. I add those details because cremains get put in a very specialized container for transit across state lines by the mortuary that does the cremation. It is a small plastic box, totally sealed shut but that can go through airport security. My father got quite lucky that his guesses at dimensions resulted in a perfect fit for the box when my aunt arrived in Kansas with the remains, otherwise he would have had to OPEN the plastic container to put them in the box he made. Before you start, I'd check with the family or mortuary to see if you might run into something similar that establishes minimum dimensions for you.

8. 
   Brewgonia | Mar 16, 2007 07:39pm | #17

   I did one for my Dad - who was a woodworker. I actually used a fairly large box he built for me (about 18" square) to hold muskrat furs! It was a nice piece, walnut and maple, dovetailed - and of his creation. I stripped out the cedar lining and sealed it. Then I laminated felt on the interior for a nice look since the crematory was supplying his ashes in another container. This also allowed us to place smaller momentoes and pictures in with the remains.

9. 
   highfigh | Mar 16, 2007 11:19pm | #18

   Find out if the cremains will be placed in a crypt or not. If they will be, get the internal dimensions. When we placed my mom's, the box didn't fit in the normal position and needed to be turned on its side.

   I think I still feel her poking me in the ribs for it.

   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."
10. 
    tinter | Mar 17, 2007 12:55am | #19

    In reference to the project that glasswd mentioned. The posters name was pickdesign. Go to advanced search, search for the word "urn" in knots gallery. It is an amazing piece.   Chris

11. 
    prosopis | Jul 29, 2007 11:39am | #20

    Hi, All,

    I am reading this strand long after the fire has died, but I thought I'd mention something relevant.  My dad passed away recently.  He was cremated and we got the ashes from the crematorium just 3 days before the memorial.  The ashes came in a plastic box and we 3 sons were trying to decide what to do.  One of us mentioned that dad would probably get a big kick if we put his ashes in his old lunch box.  He was a blue collar guy, having worked at a variety of heavy construction and mining jobs throughout his career.  His last job was as a heavy equipment operator at an open pit mine.  He worked there for 30 years before retiring.  Dad's preferred lunch box was a fifty caliber ammo box.  We put the box with dad in it on a table along with his hard hat at the front of the auditorium.  When I spoke about dad to the folks who had come to remember him, I pointed to the lunch box and mentioned that dad was in it, everyone laughed because they all knew that was the kind of thing he liked.

    Well, I haven't said anything about woodworking, but I think the point is that any container large enough that had some meaning to the deceased may be the perfect thing.

    Regards to all.

    Randy   

1. 
   dgreen | Jul 29, 2007 12:11pm | #21

   I believe that memorials are for the benefit of the living, your choice of vessel is in my opinion, very appropriate. I am sorry for your loss, but glad you were able to give it a meaning that you and yours would think your father would appreciate. Woodworking or not the fact that you took meaning from his life and effort and picked something you think he would appreciate when he was alive means a lot.------------------------------------

   It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore

2. 
   forestgirl | Jul 29, 2007 09:35pm | #22

   Randy, thanks for posting -- that was a great story.  My FIL's memorial was just this past weekend, died at 102, and he too was a "working man."  I read your post to my husband, and he thought it was great (he's a fan of ammo boxes, LOL!)forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

3. 
   Slivers Dave | Jul 31, 2007 09:03pm | #24

   RandyThis is incredibly timely, I just lost my dad as well. Originally we were looking for a place to scatter his ashes but then realized the place he would want to be more than any where else was with his family. I to am looking for a container to fit the occasion. I would love to see what other people have done in memory of their loved ones, I love the lunch box idea.DaveGenius is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.

1. 
   prosopis | Jul 31, 2007 10:14pm | #25

   Hi, Dave,

    

   Sorry to hear about your loss.

   Nearer the beginning of this strand there are a number of photos attached of some very lovely boxes that folks have made.  Also, I noticed a reference at the Taunton Press home page for an article on lift-lid boxes.  Might be a nice place to look for ideas.

    

   Best Regards,

   Randy

1. 
   alanplanesaw | Aug 02, 2007 05:42am | #26

   John Wilson produces the materials (he may even make the box if someone really needed it) to make a Shaker Oval Box that is specifically sized for ashes. 

   Alan - planesaw

2. 
   Slivers Dave | Aug 03, 2007 05:25pm | #27

   Thanks Randy

   I did see the boxes from the previous postings, that was what motivated me to see what else had been done.

   DaveGenius is 10% inspiration and 90% perspiration.

12. 
    lancejmich | Jul 31, 2007 01:37am | #23

    Hi - I built a box for a friend of mine who died suddenly last year and just got the dimensions off the net for a "double size" to ensure it was going to be large enough. Here's the url to the page - scroll down, it's under 'a special box for mark'. I was pretty insistent that it be done right - I know how you feel. best of luck!

    http://docswoodworks.com/cabinets.htm