'Eternal Flame' burial urn

[Thom Sturgill]

Sadly I lost a 20-year-old grand-nephew July 5th. His mom, my niece, had the body cremated and is not ready to let go and asked for an urn. This is my effort.
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12" high without 'finial' (about 15" with) and 8 1/2" diameter. About 1/4" wall thickness. Primary wood is locally sourced Jakaranda while cap is Bubinga and flame is Australian burl (Jarra?) Sanded with Walnut oil, coated with DO and buffed and waxed with Ren wax.

Unfortunately when I prepared the log, there were cracks in the log. Due to having a defibrillator, I can no longer use my gas chain saw and the cheap-o electric burned out. So the last cut was not deep enough to get totally past a crack. I removed another 2" on the lathe, but when I hollowed the top 4" through a 1 1/2" hole the crack opened. So I removed enough of the top to remove the crack and replaced it with the bubinga cap. This also removed the spot where the off center pith exited at the top. The was some minor pith cracking too. The pit can be seen exiting near the bottom, but no cracking there. the top piece is slotted to resemble the brass wick guard on an oil lamp with the burl forming the flame. I came up with this idea for another hollow form that will probably be my next major project.

I will deliver the urn when I return to NC in Sept.

C&C welcome as always.

[Peter Fabricius]

Very nice Thom,
Your form is really well done and it is certainly for a very special purpose. Interesting to hear how you faced the challenges of the wood.
Sorry for your loss.
Well done.
Peter F.

[Bill Hensley]

That is a very nice tribute with a cool "finial".

[Lori Kleinberg]

Sorry for your loss. Very nice looking urn and I agree a great looking "flame".

[Dave Carey]

It looks like it turned out just the way you planned it. I'm sure your niece will appreciate the effort and love that went into creating it. That said, I'm sorry you had the occasion to make it.

[Thom Sturgill]

Thanks for the comments. Since I life in Florida and the boy lived in the NC mountains, and the niece's family kept to themselves in their hollow, I rarely saw him and did not really know him so the loss is not personal. It is a sad thing that we, as woodturners, occasionally get asked to do. I prefer making wedding goblets, and will be glad to make one for his sister when the time comes.

If it comes to that, I would rather make them for pets than people....

[Eric Gourieux]

Thom,
I missed this post back in August. You did a great job with this. It looks like you used PVC for the threads. Right? Is the male thread recessed into the cap?

[Bill White]

As some have said, if you don't know/see the errors don't point 'em out.
Very well done in my estimation.
Hate to see a young life lost for any reason.
Bill

[Thom Sturgill]

Thom,
I missed this post back in August. You did a great job with this. It looks like you used PVC for the threads. Right? Is the male thread recessed into the cap?
Exactly. I cut off about 1 1/2 threads on the female end that is embedded in the urn and a couple that are attached to a small spigot in the lid.

thanks for the comment.

[Thom Sturgill]

As some have said, if you don't know/see the errors don't point 'em out.
Very well done in my estimation.
Hate to see a young life lost for any reason.
Bill

Thanks Bill. Apparently the boy died when a hand-gun he was about to clean slipped out of his hand. This is presumption based on the fact that he had just cleaned two long guns and the angle of the entry/ exit wound and where the bullet was found. Also that the gun was fired from far enough away.

I come from a long line of teachers and feel that if explaining my problems/fixes can help someone else so much the better.
Thanks fo rthe comment.

[Russ Halsema]

Thom,
Sorry to hear of the loss. Nice clean look and pleasing shape. A very nice humble form and tribute. Very tastefully done, great work.

[Gus Dundon]

That is simply a work of art! Great turning.

[Thom Sturgill]

Thanks for the kind words Russ.

[Thom Sturgill]

thanks for the complement, Gus.