And now for something a little different

This is a site for handmade coffins. I am not in any way affilitated with this place, just thought it might be some inspiration for someone who is looking for (hopefully) a long term project to work on and just can't come up with anything.

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Reply to
Robert Allison
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Having a cabinetmaker father, Mennonite grandparents, and Amish greatgrandparents, I had the teenage experience of building coffins for several relatives. It is a good way to deal with the loss of a loved one, thru building a resting place for their body. And it is a chance to see people you rarely see. A few family members would get together and were done a day and at the funeral the next.

My grandmother's was white oak, with straight sides and six handles -- I think it weighed more than she did. My dad's dad wanted cherry; he picked out the stock at 93, three years before. That was a bit more complex as he wanted a "coffin" shaped coffin.

I don't know if this (building coffins) was a tradition (religion, Iowa, or otherwise) or just because woodworking ran in the family.

Matthew

Reply to
Matthew

Sat, Feb 5, 2005, 9:32pm (EST+5) snipped-for-privacy@verizon.net (Robert=A0Allison) posts: This is a site for handmade coffins. I am not in any way affilitated with this place, just thought it might be some inspiration for someone who is looking for (hopefully) a long term project to work on and just can't come up with anything.

But, how will they burn. I am not planning on getting buried. Both my sons have been told I want to be creamated. Hope they remember. Not only cheaper, so more money for them, but I prefer it. After that, they can put the ashes in an old oatmeal container, or toss 'em into the wind, I won't care, I won't be home anymore. Preferred is being shot out of a muzzle loading cannon - but that ideat really got my mother going. Of course, if she goes first, up to the kids. Hehehe

And, I can think of one whole Hell of a lot to work on for a long term project, rather than a coffin.

JOAT Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong.

- David Fasold

Reply to
J T

snipped-for-privacy@webtv.net (J T) wrote in news:15413-42081864-215@storefull-

3151.bay.webtv.net:

Put it in writing. With the other important papers. So there is no misunderstanding when you've left this side of the line.

I have many of the same feelings, but my wife is pretty certain I'm a little nuts about this (and a few other issues, too.)

One of those wizards might make an interesting alternative to an oatmeal box. The great grandkids might get some better insight into who you were. ;-)

Patriarch

Reply to
Patriarch

There was a show on PBS a while back about death rituals in the US. It might have been the Point of View program.

Your experience with the family making the coffin was very much like a ranching family they showed. The great grandfather even watched over the progress of his box as the son and grandsons made it, branded it with the family brands, etc. It wasn't some morbid object, but an expected part of life. The program producers followed up after the man died and showed the family caring and preparing the body, taking it to the church and the rest.

They also showed 2 or 3 other and different rituals of death in our country. Very interesting and informative - in many places, you have no legal obligation to be funeral homed, emballmed, dressed in a backless suit and laid out in a $$$$ coffin.

Reply to
Fly-by-Night CC

Patriarch responds:

In writing is a good idea. My wife also thinks I'm a bit around the bend on some items, but she agrees here. My only variation is illegal--plant me shallow and then plant a tree on my bellybutton. Otherwise known as how to be useful after you're dead.

Charlie Self "I think we agree, the past is over." George W. Bush

Reply to
Charlie Self

Another thought - You could be cremated and have your ashes put into an hourglass. Then your kids could use you to time their eggs in the morning.

;-) Glen

Reply to
Glen

snipped-for-privacy@aol.comnotforme (Charlie Self) wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@mb-m15.aol.com:

My variation on the theme (mostly in writing):

Reuse the body parts still usable. Burn what's left, cheaply. Throw away the ashes. There are pictures to remember me by, if anybody would want to.

Reply to
Han

I rather liked Lee Hayes' (of the old folk group, The Weavers) idea. He wanted to cremated, have his ashes mixed into the compost pile then put on the vegetable garden. That way, after his friends ate the vegetables and they made their inevitable way through the alimentary canal, They could wave him a fond farewell as they flushed.

Dick Durbin

Reply to
Olebiker

Reminds me of an old joke... widow brought her husband's ashes home from the funeral, poured them into an hourglass, set it on the mantle, and announced "At last, you worthless bastard, you're finally going to work!!"

-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek at milmac dot com)

Nobody ever left footprints in the sands of time by sitting on his butt. And who wants to leave buttprints in the sands of time?

Reply to
Doug Miller

On Tue, 08 Feb 2005 11:51:05 GMT, the inscrutable Han spake:

Ditto here. My driver's license has ORGAN DONOR checked on it and my instructions are to burn me and scatter me as fish food.

-------------------------------------------- Proud (occasional) maker of Hungarian Paper Towels.

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Reply to
Larry Jaques

Just stick me in a freakin' cardboard box, or whatever the minimum is allowed by law.

Put me in soylent green, for all I care!

Reply to
Larry Bud

Or you can have your ashes made into diamonds for your widow to wear.

--RC Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad

-- Suzie B

Reply to
rcook5

Mon, Feb 7, 2005, 11:04pm (EST-1) snipped-for-privacy@nospam.comcast.dot.net (Patriarch) says: I have many of the same feelings, but my wife is pretty certain I'm a little nuts about this (and a few other issues, too.) One of those wizards might make an interesting alternative to an oatmeal box. The great grandkids might get some better insight into who you were.

Maybe you need to trade the present wife for this one. Someone else can change this to a tiny url if you want, I don't use 'em.

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Dunno, I'll have to ask the kids about that one. Personally, I don't care what they do with the ashes.

JOAT Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong.

- David Fasold

Reply to
J T

Tue, Feb 8, 2005, 11:51am (EST+5) snipped-for-privacy@nospam.invalid (Han) says: Reuse the body parts still usable. Burn what's left, cheaply. Throw away the ashes. There are pictures to remember me by, if anybody would want to.

You related to me? LMAO

JOAT Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong.

- David Fasold

Reply to
J T

Tue, Feb 8, 2005, 4:31am (EST-3) snipped-for-privacy@tfn.net (Olebiker) says: ashes mixed into the compost pile then put on the vegetable garden. That way, after his friends ate the vegetables and they made their inevitable way through the alimentary canal, They could wave him a fond farewell as they flushed.

I woud NOT care to eat any veggies grown like that.

Used to have an Army buddy, he always said he wanted to have his ashes tossed in the ocean. Then every time any of his friends took a drink of water, they could say, "Here's to you".

JOAT Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong.

- David Fasold

Reply to
J T

I've made sure to make my wife swear that I will not be buried- I'm not all that concerned about where my body goes, it just seems like a waste of real estate that could otherwise be enjoyed by the living. I told her that she should take whatever money we can afford, and use it to fund a neighborhood park when I go (or a pavillion or playground equipment, something like that.) I just figure the world is for the living to enjoy, not for the dead to take up space in! Might make a coffin for an oddball coffee table or something someday, though. :) Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

Reply to
Prometheus

I used to want to get cremated, but now I've decided I'd rather be dug up in

500 years and reconstructed for some show on TLC. I gotta figure out how to get buried some place interesting enough that when they dig me up they will bother to reconstruct me.

I'd better leave some papers with my bones to tell them what color hair and eyes to use, and tell them I was a lithe 154 pounds, with a 14" hickory dickory. So they reconstruct me correctly, see.

Reply to
Silvan

Unless they're drinking salt water, it doesn't work. Water evaporates from the ocean as vapor, then condenses as fresh water. Won't transport ashes. Otherwise, good idea.

Steve

Reply to
Steven and Gail Peterson

Wed, Feb 9, 2005, 2:33pm (EST+5) snipped-for-privacy@earthlink.net (Steven=A0and=A0Gail=A0Peterson) burbled: Unless they're drinking salt water, it doesn't work. Water evaporates from the ocean as vapor, then condenses as fresh water. Won't transport ashes. Otherwise, good idea.

It's the thought that counts.

JOAT Intellectual brilliance is no guarantee against being dead wrong.

- David Fasold

Reply to
J T

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