Melody’s Cremation Urn
Melody’s departure was untimely and tragic.
She was an early fan and supporter of Aril Memorial. Â We provided her with a pet cremation urn for her cat Moneypenny. Â Melody’s sister approached us to come up with something unique for her sibling.
While we were glad to be chosen for the honor and given the chance to work through the experimental processes used to create the work, it is a weird thing to experience parallel excitement and dread.
The fabrication of a vacuum kiln for drying rough-turned blanks was an important component of the process. Â An additional chamber for pressure casting will also be a necessary addition to our shop for subsequent iterations of this design.
Melody’s Urn Complete
Completed project stands about 14.5″ tall
Melody’s Urn Glowing
We added glow in the dark powdered pigment to the resin mix.
Melody-Bottom-Closed
Here you see the threaded closure
Melody-Bottom-Open
Around 140cui.
Chasing Threads
We chased threads in Corian for the closure. This is a practice piece we used to try to cast a matching resin closure. Too many bubbles in the mix for the threads to work. Thus the reason for needing to fabricate a large pressure pot.
Spy vs Spy
Remounted for final surfacing.
Shop Shot
The urn looks like it is from outer space in the setting of shop chaos.
Remounted for Cleanup.
Cleaning up the excess.
Tape and Gloves Required
After casing the resin windows
Resin, Dyes, Powdered Turquoise, Glow Pigments
Worked out some of the kinks in the casting process for the next one.
Millenium Falcon
A shot from the interior with half the resin windows cast.
HUGE Relief
All windows cut.
Egg Beater
Was having some doubts about my choices working out.
Piercing Rig
No actions shots here. I work alone. You’ll have to imagine, the noise, dust, and terror of a router screwing up everything up to this point.
Router and Courage Go Here
This rig could be made so much better out of metal, but wanted to make sure the concept worked before I commit to final tooling.
I Only Make Tools If They Don’t Exist Off The Shelf
Cleaning up the roughed and now dry piece.
Mood Shot
10% moisture content and successful remounting for the next step.
Tears of Joy
New vac pump, chiller line and nine yards doing its work. Dry ice is a PAIN.
Temporary Shelf Rig
Kiln test run. Right before my used vac pump threw a vane.
Serious Plumbing
This was before I had to install an air filter, a MAC valve, and an auto shutoff.
Weirdest Thing In My Shop
Ready for science and/or failure
Melody Kiln
We named our vacuum kiln after the deceased. The commission allowed us to fund the expense of parts.
Roughed Out
Into a cardboard box and some shavings while I spend the next two months struggling with the vacuum kiln.
Near Final Rough
This neck (headstock side) creates less rubbery jutter than the next one I am currently drying.
Rough Hollowing
This is young man’s work without a proper hollowing rig.
Early Rough
Not to late to choose bowling pin.
Sycamore Log
Wet but full of possibilities.
Sketchup Model
I have Rhino and would love to become proficient but between design, fabrication, promotion, marketing, accounting, etc. there’s no time to be half on expert in everything.