About to do my first urn. Using a cedar log off the deceased property - will be first effort with cedar as well.
Any ideas / supplier suggestions?
Any ideas / supplier suggestions?
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Need ideas on URN turning and complimentary hardware
- Thread starter John Tisdale
- Start date
Hi John......... I'm glad you asked this question. I'm about to turn my first urn for my cousin's dog that just passed. I'll be following this thread.
And Hi Lamar...... I found a bit of info under AZ Woodturners on how to convert a ABS black clean-out to provide the lid and urn threads. They show it with 1.5" - I ordered 2" from Home Depot.
After that, it's just a "box".
John
After that, it's just a "box".
John
When I got the diagnosis of stage 4 stomach cancer the Oncologist gave me a 50/50 chance of making it for 6 mo. and a 3% chance to live past 11 mo. Well, that was 28 months ago and I am still vertical and working in my shop. At first I got real busy working on my urn, but as time wore on I kind of procrastinated on finishing it. I bought the fittings for the lid from a guy that turns them on a metal lathe out of brass plumbing fixtures. I forget the link, but I bought two of them and don't really need the second. I highly recommend them. If you want my spare, I live in Allen. Since DAW meetings are now virtual I can't bring it to a club meeting, but if you want it enough to drive up here, send me a PM or give me a call.
Paul Gilbert
1540 Crystal Pass
Allen, TX 75002
214.383.3765
Paul Gilbert
1540 Crystal Pass
Allen, TX 75002
214.383.3765
I’d be interested in your second brass fitting. My wife’s dad just past away and making and urn if John passes up on it.
I have done one using a brass plumbing fitting. You use only about three threads on the male side as the threads are pipe taper and any more it will start to bind. The fitting was about $8 and I used HSS tools to machine it. I used my mini lathe for this. You can only get a small flange on te female side, but enough to provide a stop.
https://www.fromwalnuttoantlers.com/ The gentleman that started this business has passed but his son and wife are trying to carry on.
From Walnut to Antlers is where mine came from.
I use gold-plated box rings from Lee Valley. They are 1 3/8" ID.
I use the fittings from www.fromwalnuttoantlers.com. Rick's son is continuing with the company. I recommend using the large ones. I recently had to put my Grandmas ashes in an urn. Have you ever try to pour ashes into an urn with a 1.5 in opening? I turn urns often, if they are going to keep the ashes forever in the urn, some people do, I tell them to leave them in the bag, ashes attract moisture, and that with wood don't do well. Easier to put the ashes in the bag with a large opening. Some people will bury the urn, I make a cheaper one with no threads for that. I also make "keepsake" urns, small boxes with hand chased threads, family members divvy up the ashes.
Well no, as I am not a urn maker more than one. I guess I don’t understand the challenge. I thought the way to fill an urn with ashes was to put a bag inside the urn and then pour the ashes through a funnel into the urn. Then seal the bag cutting off the excess. That is what I did using sand instead of ashes to determine the volume. I do agree the inserts that are made for this purpose are very nice and top line and hopefully his son continues the business.
Paul,
Not sure how to do a PM - I'll call this evening.
Thanks bigtime.
John
Not sure how to do a PM - I'll call this evening.
Thanks bigtime.
John
I just don't like to tell a family that they have to go to Ace hardware to buy a funnel. The funnel gets coated with ashes. It's better to make a big opening.
So how big of an opening would you need to never need a funnel to fill?
I’m challenged to understand why an urn needs to be opened after filling. Why not glue and seal the lid? Obviously I’m missing something and need a quick urn primer.
I had one a few years ago that wanted an urn for the ashes until some special future date (the deceased persons birthday or something like that). They planned to eventually make a trip with the urn to some special place and spread the ashes. Don't know if they ever made the trip, so I suspect Grandpa is still in the urn!
Tom Gall
TOTW Team
That only works if you have the ashes. I've made three that way .... three more to go. I've also made some pet urns with threaded lids for the pet owner to put in the cremains - shipped across country. Small urns (remembrance ?) for family members can be difficult to design because the openings can be disproportionate. In the photo below the urns were finish turned after the ashes were added and the top & bottom glued together. The joint is above or below the textured area - don't remember since they were made 10 years ago.
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I have heard a lot of families tell me their plans. They put the ashes in, then they wait for sometimes months to have family from all over the world come and spread the ashes. If the lid was glued, how would they get to them? In this Covid era, a family here spread some ashes, saved some for a family member that has yet to come, the person also bought a "keepsake" urn, one of my boxes with hand chased threads, he will keep a pinch of ashes forever. Another one: now Catholics can cremate, but the ashes have to go to the ash depository at the church. They use the urn for the service, then transfer the ashes to a paper bag and put the ashes in the little ash receiver, keeping the urn forever. I have more stories that will tell you what some families can't glue the lid.
I do like it when a family buys an urn and they tell me it's a one time deal, in the ashes go, then the urn will be buried at the family's plot, I can make a cheaper urn, suction lid, instead of threads.
I use the largest size Rick sells.
Chase the threads and the opening can be any size. This cherry ring was used on a segmented urn, but it could have been used as an insert just like the brass ones on solid wood.
Something about using cheap made in a China factory fittings on a urn doesn't seem right to me.
Something about using cheap made in a China factory fittings on a urn doesn't seem right to me.