A friend of mine who is in good health (thankfully) has asked me to turn an urn for her.  I consider that an honor.  I have done a fair amount of investigating already but have some questions.  I just went through the video library here, thinking I had seen a video on here in the past that included using PVC pipe threads.  I was unable to find it.  If anyone has information, please share.

Other questions, can I center a log on the pith and expect to prevent cracking (I know the different drying techniques like boiling, DNA, etc.)?  I am also familiar with the dimension required for a certain body weight.

Any other pitfalls that other want to share?

I've never done an urn, but I have made other end-grain vessels.  My experience has been mixed.  It all seems to depend on the characteristics of the specific timber you are using, how dry it is when you turn the vessel, and how thin the bottom is.  I've tried stabilizing with CA; again, depending on the variables, it sometimes works.  On some timbers, the pith seems to act like a sponge to soak up a lot of CA - which probably is a good thing.

Most of the urns I've seen have been built up using staved or segmented rings, with the bottom made from stable wood.  If you prefer using a solid log, a variation on the staved or segmented approach would be to drill out the pith, and then glue in a turned plug made from stable wood. 

Louie, if you drill out the pith, when do you do that?  How big of a hole?

Jenny Trice wrote on Dec 13^th, 2017 at 8:28pm:


There are two potential problems with vessels turned as spindles.  One is radial checking, or cracks that start at the pith and extend outward.  These checks form because wood shrinks more circumferentially than in any other direction, and cracks form to relieve that shrinkage.  Drilling out the pith relieves some of that stress. 

Making the hole larger reduces the risk of radial checking as the wood continues to dry.  But also introduces the second concern - that if the plug is made from different wood, or if it is face-grain, then expansion across the grain of the plug could crack the vessel.  Thisis the  'differential expansion' problem that flat-work folks worry about and that leads to things like breadboard ends on tables.  The best way to avoid that problem is to have the plug 'float' in a slightly oversized rabbit.  Then, when the plug is glued in, apply glue only at two points on the circumference of the plug - at end of the grain so that the plug can expand and contract across the grain.  Essentially make the 'plug' a floating bottom'.   Obviously, that means that the joint between the plug and the hole won't be tightly sealed.

I think the ideal approach would be to do a twice-turned vessel - turn it once leaving fairly thick walls, and cut a hole in the bottom.  Then, let the wood dry for a while.  If you are air-drying, it might take several months for the moisture level in the wood to equalize with the environment.   Another option would be to use a microwave to accelerate drying.   Then, turn again to thin the walls.  The hole might be out of round, so it would need to be tuned up before the plug is installed.

I looked around their site, Kathy, but was unable to find the rings.  Can you attach a link or let me know what they call them?  What diameter?

I believe John Jordan makes a plug out of the same wood as the vessel.  He turns green, centering the pith.  After turning and hollowing he drills out the pith and after drying glues in the plug.   The plug is about the diameter of a nickel -to - quarter

Nic would you be using 2 part epoxy to secure these fittings to the wood vessel?

Jenny, I use the 42mm Brass Ring Set Product Number 88K7410.
There is a tenon on each end. I usually will use a file and rough the tenons up so the glue will hold securely.

I have found that if you turn a feature ring for the Urn, this will allow for a larger opening to hollow the Urn and it's easier to set the female part of the brass ring into the feature ring and then attach this to the Urn.  Then attach the male portion of the brass ring set to the lid.

There is a lip on each ring that will need to be level with the wood when setting the rings in place or you will have a gap between the lid and base.

I have two Urns here but my photograph stuff is still packed from our recent move. My husband has been fighting cancer and I haven't had time to unpack everything yet.
Hope this helps...