Box for Ashes - Serious Post

[BKind2Anmls]

One of my friends has asked me to build a box for her ashes. She wants it out of mahogany and of simple design. I have a little bit of 50-year old mahogany that I can use. She is going to have a friend take the box on a train to her home state for burial.

I have looked on the Internet for plans and ideas but everything I can find shows people building boxes to put a round urn into. That won't work in this case. She has her husband's ashes and wants them both to be mixed together into the box. She doesn't want them in a round urn.

I am asking for suggestions. If I build a normal box, well, there's no way to say this delicately, the ashes might leak out the tiny space you leave in the groove for the bottom. Or, if the box is slightly tipped they would exit between the lid and the box.

I though about buying some type of rectangular insert that can be sealed and then build the box around that but she really liked the idea of the entire thing being wooden and natural so it would return to earth.

I also thought about building a box and not cut off the lid. I would seal around the bottom and raised panel of the lid with some type of silicone. I would then drill a hole in the box that the ashes could be poured into and then seal that off with a pretty finial, medallion or carving of some kind. I am leaning toward the hole in the box idea but am open to suggestions. Based on their weight, the box will be built to hold about 350 cubic inches.

 

[KenOfCary]

I think it was Rockler where I saw plans for a pet casket. The design and hardware may be appropriate for what you have in mind. At least as a starting point. I'll try to find the link and update this post.

Found it:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=896&site=ROCKLER

- Ken.

 

[KenOfCary]

In looking at the pictures of that plan there might be a plastic liner inside the box, but that would go against the wish of it being bio-degradable. I think your idea of the silicone sealer on all the inside edges and corners may be the best solution.

Or maybe that is a linen liner. You could make a liner that could be sealed and put that inside the box before sealing the box. That would be the air-tight component yet still be able to return to the earth as requested.

Just some random thoughts.

- Ken.

 

[LB75]

In looking at the pictures of that plan there might be a plastic liner inside the box, but that would go against the wish of it being bio-degradable. I think your idea of the silicone sealer on all the inside edges and corners may be the best solution.

Or maybe that is a linen liner. You could make a liner that could be sealed and put that inside the box before sealing the box. That would be the air-tight component yet still be able to return to the earth as requested.

Just some random thoughts.

- Ken.

Maybe use a biodegradable landscape fabric as the liner.

 

[ehpoole]

Assuming that this is a relatively smallish box (as in small enough that expansion/contraction is not a major concern) you can glue in the bottom panel -- or use plywood for the bottom panel and glue it in without concern for seasonal changes. If you thoroughly glue the bottom panel in around all sides (just put a solid bead of glue into the dado/groove) then there will be no openings for ashes to escape from. You'll also want to glue all 4 sides well so that they are sealed tight -- I like box joints for small decorative boxes but YMMV.

I don't know that you can totally eliminate the possibility of ashes escaping out the top -- even an urn can spill ashes if turned upside down. However, you can rabbet the outside edges of the top so that it snugly recesses into the box -- much like a cookie jar lid. Once you get to the point where the lid is just a hair too large to close, begin taking very small shavings until you get a snug, but not tight, fit between the lid and the box on all sides. It helps to make the lid a little oversized, then use a flush trim bit to trim it flush to the rest of the box once you have the lid's recess snugly fitted -- this spares you from having to worry about whether you stay perfectly centered when you customize its snug fit. You can use small neodymium magnets at each corner of the lid if you want to give it extra holding power if turned upside down without having to resort to latches.

I've done much the same for some glass and acrylic sculpture lightboxes to avoid light escaping from the box except for the glass opening on top that just fits the base of the sculpture so that all the light shines up through the sculpture without any leakage that would distract from the effect. Light and ashes are both a challenge to contain!

I'd post photos, but all my examples have been given away as presents so I don't have any to photograph for you. I hope my description is reasonably clear (and apologize if it is not).

If you are still worried about leaks from imperfect glue lines, you can always use Polyurethane finish to create a final seal on the outside of the box. It will create a solid film that should seal any microscopic leaks you may have -- just don't put poly on the inside rim if you make a top like I describe above or the top could get stuck over time.

HTH

 

[Mark Gottesman]

I also thought about building a box and not cut off the lid. I would seal around the bottom and raised panel of the lid with some type of silicone. I would then drill a hole in the box that the ashes could be poured into and then seal that off with a pretty finial, medallion or carving of some kind. I am leaning toward the hole in the box idea but am open to suggestions. Based on their weight, the box will be built to hold about 350 cubic inches.

Seems the simplest and easiest to secure. You could make the hole plug some sort of screw device to really tighten it up.

Good luck with that.

 

[gfernandez]

Easiest thing to do would be to build a simple box out of thin plywood for the ashes, glue it shut, then put that inside the nicer urn. Still biodegradable and leakproof.

 

[Claus]

This is what I made for my father's ashes. You can figure out the dados on the sides and see the rabbets on the lid, and the bottom is just like the lid. The ends are just squares. (I hope I got the picture added correctly, if not PM me and I'll email it to you.

-- Claus

 

[Matt Furjanic]

Here's a simple cremation urn (box) I made of Maple with a religious cross inlay (available on my website at www.inlaybanding.com). Just an idea for you... The box is made as a solid closed unit, and the top cut from the bottom afterwards. It is then lined with 1/4" thick maple which protrudes from the bottom, and fits perfectly into the top, creating an almost air-tight seal.

 

[jerrye]

If I understand correctly, the entire box will be buried or interred, no? If that is the case, then you can glue the lid on after placing the ashes into it.

 

[BKind2Anmls]

Matt, I had used some of that same inlay for a prayer box for a local community church. They really liked it. I bought from you off of Ebay. And your box is beautiful.

Jerry, that is a very simple idea. Make a normal box and then glue the lid shut. I didn't think of that. Of course, as Ethan suggests, the joints and fit would still have to be right on.

Ken, I showed her the picture of the plans from Rockler (of course I covered up the fact it was a "pet" casket) but she said it was "too fancy."

I'm still kind of leaning toward the "hole in the box" thing. No fussy lid fitting and I could plug the hole and then cover it with a simple overlay. Maybe even a rectangle of contrasting wood and a name plate with their information or a monogram. Maybe intertwined monograms. I could cut those on the scroll saw and then shape them very nicely. I kind of like the look of a completely sealed (read "safe") resting receptacle. I think the person carrying it might feel a little more secure, as well.

 

[jemcguire]

One other thing to think about would be if they plan on being buried in a cemetary - which usually requires a concrete vault even for a wooden box urn (depends on the cemetary). The answer might help steer your construction method.

 

[Mark Stewart]

If you are worried about " leakage " you can do as I did and seal the sides and corners with some clear silicone.

 

[junquecol]

Go over to Woodnet.net, and do a search for MsNomer. Carolyn has built several boxes over the years. She's a very gracious lady.

 

[kclark]

okay this thread is right up my alley. I am a funeral director/embalmer of 18 years. Most ashes are put into a plastic bag and but into the urn. This is just in case the urn does break, the ashes are still intact. I have had families come to me and tell me that it was a good thing that they are put in a bag before hand. So you don't have a movie seen where the ashes go all over the floor. Just make you joints as tight as possible and the bag will do the rest. Also, the ashes should come in a temporary container that is typically not round, usually rectangle and make a box to fight 2 of these so they can be put in the urn together.

 

[Jeff]

A few respectful thoughts and questions IMHO.

Are the ashes destined to be formally interred, kept by a relative for some time, or simply scattered to the wind in the landscape? We did the latter with my MIL's remains at her request.

Your friend seems to desire that this project be kept "natural" so that both she and her husband can return to the earth together.

There are newer "green" products which include truly biodegradable materials (that's different than compostable plastics) which could be considered as a repository for their combined ashes within the box which would prevent leakage.

http://greenliving.nationalgeographic.com/benefits-biodegradable-plastic-2226.html

Cremated remains are typically placed in a plastic bag (with or without an external urn) for return to the family. Without being insensitive, there's no reason that their remains could not be combined in a sealed single bag and placed within the box. :icon_scra

http://www.funeralassistant.com/consumerinfo/Cremation.htm

http://www.dos.ny.gov/cmty/faq-cremation.html

 

[BKind2Anmls]

Thank you all for your ideas. I'll discuss some of them with her and see what she wants to do.

 

[JCG]

You may want to check with the funeral home. I believethat after cremation ashes are put in a plastic bag and then in whatever final'urn' has been selected. In my Mother’s case, it was the simple box provided bythe funeral home since I was making the final urn (box). I had the dimensionsof the funeral box provided and ensured that my box would match it in volume.If two sets of ashes are to be comingled, you would need to double the volumeof the final container.

But again, the ashes may be sealed in a plastic bag.

 

[lottathought]

Hey Ken..
I started thinking about this and it occurred to me that if it were my ashes...and they were to be mixed wit my wife....I would rather have a box that celebrated our life..rather than mark our death. This is a customized box for her. Maybe it could be a small model of their family home. Or maybe some other meaningful structure to them? Just a thought I had.

 

[JCG]

Susan, John Gauthier here in Jacksonville.
A few years back my Mom passed away and after a year my Dad asked if I wouldmake an urn (strange but even the wooden box is called an urn) to hold herashes. He did not want a showy piece or one that looked like a little mausoleumor crypt which some definitely do.
I found some simple examples, took what I liked and sketched it out.
The top is fixed and access is from the bottom. I think many of the comments toyour query noted that ashes come in a sealed plastic bag in a cardboard box. Igot the dimensions of the cardboard box and scaled my wooded urn to match.
I took it to a local place for the laser engraving. I think when my Dad passesI will make another urn but probably backfill the laser engraving with ivorycolored resin.
The image with the white box overprint simply obscures my mother’s name.
Hope this helps
John

View image in gallery​

View image in gallery​

View image in gallery​