Cremation Urn Questions

[Marty Tippin]

I'm just about done making the cremation urn that was requested by a friend, but have a few questions unrelated to the actual turning of the item...

* Do I need to seal the interior of the urn or can it be left as bare wood? I'm thinking a thinned-down epoxy to coat the inside maybe?

* Is it appropriate to sign my work? On the one hand, I'm reasonably proud of it but on the other hand, it has a pretty somber purpose and maybe it's better to leave it anonymous.

* How should I advise my friend to go about getting the ashes of his mother into the urn? The hole at the top is a piece of 1-1/2" threaded ABS pipe, so is about 1.75" diameter. It seems that maybe the best course of action would be to take the ashes and urn to a local funeral home / crematory and have them do it - I can't imagine doing that job myself it it was my mother's ashes...

It'll be another couple of weeks until I'm completely done - waiting on the lid to dry so I can finish it. I'll post photos when it's complete.

Thanks

[John Keeton]

I do not seal the interior of the urns I do. I always sign my work, regardless of purpose. Cremains are normally in a plastic bag, and delivered to the family in a temporary plastic/fiberboard box. It is sometimes possible, depending on the volume of cremains, to "snake" the plastic bag, intact, into the urn. Otherwise, the cremains are simply funneled into the urn. Very simply, it is nearly impossible to transfer every speck of cremains and for whatever emotional impact that may have, it is probably better that someone else do the transfer.

[Scott Hackler]

I wouldn't bother sealing the inside (I don't). Ashes are void of all moisture to there is nothing going to come "out" of the ashes. Also, typically, once the remains are inside...it never gets reopened.

The funeral home might be the best bet for getting them inside an opening that small. I haven't handled human remains but I have done a few cats myself and they were in plastic bags, which I snaked inside the urn while left in the bag. It was a pain, but I managed.

I do NOT sign any of the urns that I make. I do not want my name on someone else's coffin. 1) because the family might want to write the deceased' name on the bottom and the death date 2) if someone if examining it later on and saw my name, they might believe that is the name of the person inside. A makers mark might be OK if small and an established "brand".

[Thom Sturgill]

I've done three. One was very open and the individual had requested his ashes be scattered in four specific places - his children did this and I think, kept a few. The second was buried immediately and the children had the funeral home transfer the ashes. The third is with the mother and I think she is going to keep them for a while. All three are signed, none are coated in the inside except the first whilch was not really designed as a funeral urn, but rather as a staved vessel.

[Larry Matchett]

1. I put my initials on the bottom, very small
2. I took to funeral home and they filled. When I first took it they brought out a bag of sand and dumped it in the urn. It all fit. The guy that did it said, "yup that will hold her."
3. I used pvc pipe for the threads and the funeral home sealed the lid on. He said they were going to use pipe sealer. I don't know if the urn was buried or kept.
4. Not sure I will do more. Unless I do one for me.

[Doug Herzberg]

I did one. I swirled WOP around the inside. I didn't sign it. Mine had a two inch ABS fitting. I transferred the ashes myself by first inflating a gallon ziplock bag inside the urn, then using a rolled piece of paper as a funnel and cutting the corner off the plastic bag from the crematorium to create a pouring spout. The original bag was sealed with a metal tag with a serial number, so I put the tag inside the urn as well. I assume there are records at the crematorium linking the serial number to the name of the deceased.

[Ronald Campbell]

I have done several urns for both human and animal remains. I do not seal the inside of any. I have done PVC threaded and was ask on one for a snug fit only as ashes would be scattered later. They did not want a threaded. 5 of my alabaster pieces have been used for cat urns. They were not sealed either. I have been asked for more Alabaster small urns. I do not sign any urns, don't want any confusion later.

[John Keeton]

FWIW, nearly all, if not all, states have statutes that require crematoriums to retain permanent records of human cremains and to include with cremains a permanent (embossed metal usually) ID tag that follows the cremains. While I understand the comments about not wanting to sign an urn, it is highly unlikely that someone unrelated to me, in possession of an urn signed by me, containing cremains with an ID tag would ever conclude the urn contains my cremains. It is much more likely that everyone in the family of the deceased will know exactly whose cremains are in the urn.

My urns are sold thru funeral homes and the homes request my signature. Having a local or regional artist identified with the urn is part of what makes them an attractive alternative to mass manufactured urns, particularly if the artist is juried and, in Kentucky, a "Kentucky Crafted" artist - a designation reserved for artists juried into the Kentucky Arts Council.

However, I respect the views and concerns of others, and realize that customs in other areas may differ. I would suggest you speak with some funeral directors as they may be able to help with answers appropriate to your area.

[Dale Miner]

I put "turned by" in front of my name on the bottom.

[Russell Neyman]

I've done several dozen urns, and here's my two cents:

Sealing the interior isn't necessary if you simply place an acetate bag inside. Everything is neater that way.

If you don't use a threaded lid/cap, you can seal it up nicely using museum wax. That allows the family to open it up
later (eg, to spread the cremains) without destroying the vessel. It's pretty darn tough, but not as permanent as glue.

I find the volume calculations offered here and on other conversations interesting and useful. I've gone by one cup of rice for every ten pounds of human to work.