The cost of a modern funeral can easily exceed 10,000 dollars. Learning how to make a casket could save your family thousands of dollars. If you find that you are exceptionally good at making caskets you could even sell a few on the side for extra money. Many people struggle to but together a funeral for their loved ones, building wooden caskets could help you and help them. For individuals who can afford a metal casket but would prefer a wooden one, they will find that the wooden ones actually cost more. Therefore if you could learn this skill you would also have a market with that group of individuals as well.
Learn how to make a casket and help bring back the historic charm of wooden caskets.
1. Draw out Plans:
Before you can start you need to decide what size, shape and amenities your coffin will have. Things to draw and plan include:
– The size of the coffin (how tall is the deceased, how wide at the shoulders and hips.
– The shape can be tapered at the bottom (hollywoods favorite design) or a straight wooden box
– Will you line your coffin with fabric
– Will any objects be placed in the coffin with the deceased or next to the deceased
– How will you attach the lid, nails or hinges.
Once you have answered all of these questions grab your paper, pen and ruler and draw a scaled version of your coffin including measurements for all necessary cuts.
2.Buy Supplies
Visit your local hardware store and pick up the materials. You will need solid pieces of plywood for the bottom top and sides as well as some smaller pieces to brace and add support
– Remember to take into account the weight of the deceased when purchasing the plywood as this should determine the thickness you buy.
– The quality of wood you buy will determine its overall finished appearance, takes this into account when buying the cheapest plywood
3. Drawing Out Your Plan
Once you are home carefully mark out the measurements for all sides on the plywood. Make sure to arrange the measurements in a way that utilizes the plywood in the most economically way to avoid waste. If you are doing a square casket you can cut the base and lid at the same, the sides at the same time, and the top and bottom at the same time. If you are doing a tapered design you can cut the base and lid at the same time, the top and bottom at the same time. For the sides you will need to cut four separate pieces. Two shorter pieces for the top (tapered) part of the coffin and two longer pieces for the bottom part of the coffin.
To verify your measurements its a good idea to measure out the base and lay on the plywood to make sure you fit (this only works if you are somewhat close to the same size as the deceased)
4. Assemble the coffin.
First you will need to attach the the base to the sides. Lay the back of the coffin on a pair of saw horses. Put a line of wood glue down where you will attach the side. Put the side into place and clamp it down. Attack the side to the back using nails or wood screws. Use this same procedure to attach the remaining side and top/bottom. For the lid of the coffin you will either attach hinges right now or set it aside until the deceased is placed inside at which time you will nail the lid on.
5. Finish the casket. At this point you will be finishing the coffin. This step is optional. Ways that you can finish the coffin include:
– Sanding and staining, water sealing, varnish, adding fabric to the inside of the coffin, painting the inside and/or outside, adding handles to the sides for easy transportation of the deceased.
Lastly a few little tips to help you along on your journey of learning how to make a casket:
(this might be what makes or breaks your efforts)
- Always double check, no, triple check your measurements
- Make sure you have the right piece in place before nailing
- If you have some help, have your friend hold the pieces of the casket in place while you attach them
- Do your research on wood before you go to the hardware store, know what quality you want and how much you are willing to pay
- Look for a lumberyard, oftentimes they are cheaper or are willing to give you a discount on left over pieces (if you are on a tight budget)
- Reinforce the inside of your casket if needed ( although it can never hurt to be on the safe side)
- Always use caution when working with tools, powered or not (nobody likes a smashed finger)
- Measure twice cut once, its cheaper!
