Custom Urn

I recently had the opportunity to create an urn for a client. I had not ever made one and thought it was essentially a box so it can't be too difficult. Of course, there is more to the design as I suspected. After some research, I found that the design I had in mind was quite different from how a standard urn is constructed. There are certain criteria involved in the design of a square or rectangular box type of urn. It is necessary for the top to be fixed to the wood case and the contents of the urn are instead inserted through a removable bottom. The interior of the urn needs to be clear and free of any obstructions. It is necessary for the bottom of the urn to be removable and foolproof in its re-installation. Finally, the size of the urn is directly related to the volume of ashes and this in turn corresponds to the gender and weight of the individual having been cremated. Dimensions: 10.5 in. L x 7.5 in. D x 7 in. H

For this particular custom urn, the client requested a rustic aesthetic. I decided on and selected some figured, domestic soft maple with an interesting grain pattern. In the construction of the urn, I ensured that the grain wrapped correctly around the box. The wood originated from a long, wide single board of soft maple so the sawn pieces were marked for assembly after creating the joinery. The joinery was mitered corners and the top was rabbeted and glued into the case of the urn. The bottom panel was also rabbeted but instead screwed in for removal. The bottom panel is also keyed using dowels for easy re-assembly after removing. The finish I decided on was a boiled linseed oil finish that can be easily re-applied if necessary. This finish protects the wood and also enhances the grain of the wood. Overall, an excellent experience and I learned quite a bit from the build!