Cross

[Jerry Gilreath]

Ok, this might bring up a few flames or what ever, but a friend of mine asked me if I would be so kind as to make a nice looking cross to put beside or in back of his dad's tombstone. What I'm wondering is, is there specific dimensions as to the length vs. the width or anything. I would really hate to make something then have the thing took down by the caretakers or whoever because the dimensions were out of whack. I did google search and found nothing really relevant to what he wants, granted I didn't search in depth. Also wonder what would be the best to make it out of. PT, cedar, ?????. Can't do pvc or steel, just aint my thing. Any help would be appreciated as he would like to be able to put it on his grave January 2, the day he passed on. What a way for a family to start a new year, huh?

[Thomas Kendrick]

Dimension suggestion - scale down from 5' crossbeam with 8' vertical; intersection 2' from the top. Material - either bois d'arc or oak Attachment - get a telephone pole step and screw it into the bottom of the post. Dig a little hole and concrete it in place. The greatest hazard to monument attachments is the lawn mowing crew. It's usually a rider with a swinging deck.

[Dave Balderstone]

Why not stop into a local church, explain the situation, and ask the pastor or priest if you can take some measurements? I'm certain they'd be very happy to help...

djb

[J.B. Bobbitt]

3:2 (with the intersection at 1/3 of the long piece) works, and makes a "classic" looking cross. The Golden Ratio (1.62:1) also works well. I don't know if these are the "standard" proportions for such things.

-JBB

[Edwin Pawlowski]

Just be sure the cemetery has no restrictions on this. Some allow nothing to be added. Ed [e-mail]

[Steve Knight]

or use ipe it would hold up well too.

[Robert Bonomi]

INVIOLATE RULE #1 Check with the 'facility' as to what they allow. Many places have the d*mnedest restrictions. albeit for good reasons -- They'll _be_ there in 100 years. Will what you propose to build/install last for that long? 200 years? 500 years?

[Hitch]

Osage orange, cocobolo, too.