I have no experience when it comes to creating something with my Glowforge for something like this. I searched in the community and only came up with one beautiful plaque with a cat picture and a raised acrylic sheet with a name inscribed which looks very nice.
@MichaelKoske made this for his cat. I thought it was perfect and love the sentiment and his presentation. Cat Memorial
My sister-in-law lost her only brother this week as he decided to take his own life. She has asked me to find out if any of you had made some type of urn or container to hold ashes (she will be getting 1/2 of the ashes). I am thinking she might want a frame incorporated with this as well. She mentioned a memorial bush in her back yard that she will plant some ashes around it (does that mean she needs a memorial sign?)
She mentioned wanting to take him on her cruise next year as he had always wanted to travel so that indicates she might need a (smaller?) travel urn/container.
Again I haven’t had any experience with this happening before to anyone I know. I’m not sure if there is a right or wrong way to approach this. What comes to mind of some way to help her out and provide something that is useful and meaningful? She has been a really sweet sister-in-law to me and I know she is grieving. I’d like to make something really nice for her from my husband and I.
I’ve only worked on a memorial for a cat, but last fall vended at an event “Deathsploration” in West Seattle that had some vendors that make ceramic urns and another who incorporated ashes into fused glass jewelry. So I’d suggest making a lovely plaque, and a nice small box for the travel–but only if you’re already comfortable with wood working, or a holder for a vial/bottle for some of the ashes, but also for her to look into other options for larger urns and a locket or jewelry so she can have him with her any time she desires… (many options on Etsy). And it sounds odd, but she’ll need to keep in mind how large he was so you can be sure to get the proper sized container–learned last year most of my Dad’s ashes were still in my brother’s closet because the lovely box he made couldn’t hold them all… we’re able to laugh about it now, but I’m sure it was very stressful at the time.
And not sure the laws where she lives, but usually scattering ashes in the back yard is not legal–but it’s unlikely anyone would realize what she’s doing, which I think is more meaningful and lovely idea to spready some around a special plant or tree than putting them into cube at a cemetery.
You have a lot of great insight here! The locket sounds perfect! I will suggest that she looks on Etsy. She doesn’t wear much jewelry but I am sure she would in this instance because it would mean something to her and especially for the cruise next year.
I would not have even thought about the quantity of ashes as a factor. I just went back and did another search in the Community to see if anything else would turn up and found this gorgeous box …
Beautiful Box @shop did you ever make one of these? What are your thoughts?
On second thought I think this is more than I should attempt for something this important. If someone here has made something similar and would sell them, please provide a link and I will send her the link to look at them.
The other suggestion you have to shop Etsy for an urn that is made for this specifically sounds like a good idea. I can make her a plaque similar to what @MichaelKoske made.
Also concerned because I think she has at least one cat and all I can think about is what if that gets knocked over? It would be the same concern for an urn.
Thank you for all of your insight. I was not expecting this type of request when I messaged her to let me know if she wants me to make her some food or something so she doesn’t have to think about cooking right now.
Well this topic hits close to home for me. In March my youngest grand daughter passed away at 18 and then 3 weeks later her step grand father passed away. The family asked me to make an urn for her which I had just sent off when the other death occurred. My ex wife asked me to construct that one as well. Long story short I used a table saw and router to create the boxes but engraved the pictures and sayings they asked for with the Glowforge.
Basically you can build whatever your imagination comes up with if you use the one rule: you will need 1 cubic inch per 1 pound of healthy body weight of the person being cremated. Obviously if you are building this for half the ashes you can divide that number by 2.
The GF is basically my only tool, hubby has some sort of router/plunger and a saw but nothing large due to our lack of space in this house. The Glowforge is sitting in the family room waiting for me to create room dividers to hide it’s existence. I really do not want to move again, but if we do, I need to remember to make sure we get a house with an area for a workshop.
Good information to know. I think I am going to have to get into making boxes for awhile before attempting. I think I will send her either to a Glowforge owner’s links or to Etsy if she is wanting something personalized. I would not be able to learn, experiment, design and create as fast as she would need this.
So sorry for your losses. My 29 year old niece passed away last year suddenly. She had quite a few health issues but it still was unexpected. It hit close to home due to the fact that she was 9 months younger than my oldest son. Thank you for sharing the information on how to figure out the space needed.
