Caskets Exam 2

Maple

(Acer genius) Most of this hardwood is found in the eastern U.S., and can grow from 60 feet to over 120 feet in height. Very strong, this wood has a fine grain and can vary from medium-hard to very hard. This wood frequently exhibits curious grain patterns known by descriptive names like bird's-eye, fiddleback, and curly. The color of its sapwood ranges from creamy white with a reddish-brown tint to grayish white; the heartwood is light to very dark reddish-brown. It is frequently used in flooring, kitchen cabinents, butting blocks, and architectural millwork.

Birch

(Betula genus) This hardwood is found in the eastern U.S., where it typically reaches a height between 60 and 70 feet. This wood is quite dense, strong, and hard, with a fine, straight-to-wavy grain similar to that of maple. Its sapwood is rather white, its heartwood is a reddish-brown. Commonly used in furniture, doors, and cabinetry.

Walnut

(Juglans genus) This hardwood is found growing throughout the eastern U.S., its primary commercial source is the country's central region, where it reaches an average height between 100 and 150 feet. This woods grain pattern is typically straight, but occasionally shows a curly or wavy pattern. Its sapwood, which is usually creamy white, is sometimes steamed to a darker coloration; heartwood ranges from a light brown to a deep chocolate brown color. It is strong and heavy. Currently, it is very scarce and has a high cost, so it is rarely used today.

Pine

(Pinus genus) This softwood, a coniferous green, grows throughout North America, often exceeding 100 feet in height. Its grain, although fine and relatively straight, frequently exhitbits characteristic knows; depending on one's preference, the presence of knots makes for either a very attractive or unattractive piece of wood. This wood can range in color from creamy whit to pink to yellow or light brown. It has a medium strength, and is light in weight. Depending on the exact species, this wood can range from very hard (Longleaf) or very soft (white).

Poplar

(Populus genus) This hardwood is found throughout the eastern U.S., and exhibits extremely fast growth, commonly attaining heights up to 150 feet. There are a number of tree species used in casket construction: yellow/tulip tree, cottonwood, salix, and willow. All share commonality in terms of grain, which is straight and medium to fine in texture. The sapwood is usually white, but its heartwood is frequently greenish in color. The wood is relatively strong but somewhat soft, and is widely available. Frequently used in exterior siding and trim, doors, and millwork.

Cherry

(Prunus genus) This hardwood is common in the eastern and Midwestern U.S., often achieving heights of 60 to 80 feet. Its wood is relatively strong, with very fine, straight grain and definite growth rings. Its sapwood is very white, in contrast to its very red or reddish-brown heartwood. Frequently seen finished in a reddish stain, can be polished to an extremely fine surface texture, it lends itself well to a high gloss finish. It is commonly used in fine furniture and cabinetry, veneers, and architectural moldings.

Oak

(Quercus genus) This is a hardwood. Growing in the eastern U.S., and seen in both red and white varieties, these woods are the most widespread and abundant species of hardwood in the region, with average heights in the range from 60 to 80 feet. The grain is pronounced and relatively straight, with a somewhat coarse texture; it is a strong wood, hard and heavy. Its sapwood can be white to light brown, with light to dark reddish brown heartwood. Frequently used in pews and other church furnishings, flooring, furniture, and paneling.

Mahogany

(Swietenia genus, Shorea genus, and Khaya genus) Hardwood. There are three types of this wood commonly used today: South American (Swietenia), Philippine (Shorea), and African (Khaya). Some species can grow to heights of over 140 feet. It is a strong wood, reddish-brown, with a fine, even grain and medium to heavy weight. Some species, particularly the Khaya, can exhibit "ribbon" graining, and commands a premium price. This wood is frequently used in furniture, boats, and musical instruments. It is a relatively expensive raw material, and is considered by many to be the ultimate hardwood used in casket manufacture.

Class 4

(a) Borderline (some may fall into class 3); (b) 10 years when in contact with the soil.

Class 2

(a) Durable; (b) 10 to 20 years when in contact with the soil.

Class 3

(a) Intermediate; (b) 8 to 15 years when in contract with the soil.

Class 1

(a) Very durable; (b) 25 years when in contract with the soil.

Coffin

A case or receptacle for dead human remains which is anthropoid in shape.

Casket (ABFSE)

A case or receptacle in which human remains are placed for protection, practical utility, and a suitable memory picture; and any box or container of one or more parts in which a dead human body is placed prior to interment, entombment, or cremation which may or may not be permanently interred, entombed, or cremated with dead human remains.

Perfection Full Couch

A casket in which the rim (ogee), crown, and pies are formed as one unit and which raises in one piece. In this style, the deceased may be viewed from head to foot.

Perfection Half Couch

A casket in which the rim (ogee), crown, and pies are formed as one unit with a transverse cut in the cap, forming a two-piece lid for the casket. The deceased is viewed from the waist up.

Copper Deposit

A casket made from a solid core of copper metal to which copper ions are combined by an electrolytic process.

Foot Panel

A component part of the casket interior which is inside the foot portion of the cap.

Head Panel

A component part of the casket interior which is inside the head portion on the cap.

Cove (Roll or Puffing)

A component part of the casket interior which lines the rim (ogee) and surrounds the cap panel.

Polymer

A compound, similar in appearance to plastic, that has a high molecular weight creating an extremely durable substance.

Linen

A fabric made from flax; noted for its strength, coolness, and luster.

Velvet

A fabric of silk, cotton, and possibly rayon, with a nap.

Satin

A fabric woven to create a smooth, lustrous face and full back, and can be made from silk, nylon, rayon, or polyester.

Inner Panel

A functional or ornamental covering that usually covers the foot end of the casket in the full couch casket; may be located at both the head and foot of the full couch casket.

Stamped Hardware

A hardware production method of lesser expense whereby the casket hardware sections are pressed out on a hydraulic press.

Copper

A malleable, ductile metallic element having a characteristic reddish-brown color.

Fiberglass

A material consisting of very fine filaments of glass embedded in various resins.

Gauge

A measurement of the thickness of metals, roughly equated to the number of sheets of metal necessary to equal approximately one inch of thickness.

Steel

A metal alloy consisting mainly of iron and carbon; used in caskets it is low in carbon which keeps it soft (mild) and malleable; commercial steel contains carbon in an amount up to 1.7% as an essential alloying constituent.

Bronze

A metal alloy consisting of 90% copper with tin and sometimes zinc comprising the other 10%.

Stainless Steel

A metal alloy of steel, chromium, and sometimes nickel; noted for its ability to resist rust.

Iron

A metallic, silver-white element that is easily formed and shaped, rusts easily and is magnetically attractive.

Plastic Extrusion Molding

A method of molding plastic by injecting molten plastic into a die.

Body Ledge (Top Body Molding)

A molding along the uppermost edge of the body panels.

Stationary Bar Handles

A non-movable casket handle.

Blanket

A piece of fabric used to cover the body of the deceased, especially the lower legs and feet.

Casket (FTC)

A rigid container which is designed for the encasement of human remains and which is usually constructed of wood, metal, or like material, and ornamented and lined with fabric.

Bail Handle

A single handle in which the lug, arm, and bar are combined in one unit.

Fold (Gimp)

A strip of metal, plastic, or cloth that is attached to the inside of the panel, covering the area at which point the roll (cove) is anchored to the cap.

Plastic

A synthetic or natural organic material shaped when soft and then hardened.

Twill Weave

A textile weave in which threads are crossed over one another to give an appearance of diagonal lines in the finished product.

Board-foot

A unit of dimensional measurement, equal to a piece of lumber 12" square and 1" thick.

Ogee (Rim)

An "S" shaped molding that is a component of the casket cap.

Corner

An optional part of the hardware that is attached to the four corners of the body panels.

Ferrous Metal

Any metal formed from iron.

Non-Ferrous Metal

Any metal which is not formed from iron, such as copper or bronze.

Wrought Bronze

Bronze metal rolled into sheets.

Body Panels

Compose the sides and ends of the casket.

Select Hardwood

Constructed from a variety of hardwood species (ex. poplar, willow, cottonwood). Component parts of a single casket will not necessarily be constructed of the same species of wood.

Wrought Copper

Copper metal rolled into sheets.

Wood Veneer

Created by gluing a thin layer of wood of superior value or excellent grain to an inferior wood.

12 to 15 yards

Depending upon the specific style, anywhere from ______ to _______ _________ of textiles may be used to complete the casket lining.

Dull-Pile Velvet

Fairly thick, has a dull matte appearance, and is relatively expensive.

Gasket Channel (Transverse Gasket Channel)

Found on cut-top gasketed caskets; it is an integral part of the foot panel header on gasketed caskets; the function of this is to hold the transverse gasket to seal the space between the head and foot caps of the casket.

Mattress Cover

Interior cloth or material which covers the mattress or bedding of the casket.

Crepe

Latin for "crisp", is a thin, crinkled cloth of silk, rayon, cotton, or wool.

Transparent Velvet

Lighter in weight, has a slight sheen, and is slightly transparent.

Laminates

Made by uniting superimposed layers of different materials.

Body Lining

Material which drapes the inside perimeter of the body of the casket.

Base Molding

Molding along the lowermost edge of the body panels.

Cast Bronze

Molten bronze poured into a mold and allowed to cool.

Swing Bar Handles

Moveable casket handles with hinged arms.

Composition Board

Particles of wood bonded together with waterproof glue. The different types are distinguished by the size and shape of the particles of wood used.

Nap

Refers to a plush, downy, soft surface texture.

Hardware

Refers to the handles, ornamental fixtures, and their fittings that are attached to the casket shell. The term is best avoided when discussing caskets with the general public; it has a cold utilitarian implication. Words such as "handles", "fittings", "enhancements", or "decorative elements", as they may apply, may prove better substitutes.

Class 1

Softwoods - Cedars, Cypress, Red Wood; Hardwoods - Chestnut, Locust, Walnut

Class 2

Softwoods - Douglas Fir, Pine; Hardwoods - Oak, Mahoganies, Willow

Class 3

Softwoods - Douglass Fir, Pine; Hardwoods - Gum, Oak

Class 4

Softwoods - Hemlocks, Pine, Lodgepole, Spruces; Hardwoods - Ashes, Beech, Birch, Hickories, Maples, Poplar

300

Some caskets incorporate this many board-feet.

Galvanized

Steel that has been coated with zinc for increased resistance to rust.

Lug (Ear)

That part of the casket handle that is attached to the casket body.

Bar

That part of the casket handle, attached to the lug or arm, which is grasped by the casketbearer.

Header (Bridge or Cap Filler)

That portion of the cap/lid that is constructed into caskets that display a cut top; it provides strength/rigidity at the point of the transverse cut.

Hinge Cover (Hinge Skirt)

That portion of the casket interior covering the hinges that attach the casket cap to the casket body; usually extends from the (bottom) roll and becomes part of the body lining.

Body

That portion of the casket shell containing the top body molding, body panels, base molding, and casket bottom.

Overlay (Overthrow or Throw)

The aesthetic covering for the foot cap (of the half couch) or inner foot panel of the (full couch) casket.

Shell

The component parts of the casket comprised of the cap (lid) and body of the casket.

Tip

The decorative or ornamental part of the casket handle that covers the exposed ends of the bar.

Cap Panel

The focal part of the interior which fills the inside portion of the crown, sometimes bordered by the roll (cove); may be referred to as the panel.

Body Ledge Flange (Top Body Molding Flange)

The horizontal portion of the top body molding (body ledge) where the gasket is placed on gasketed caskets.

Apron

The lining attached to the undersurface of the foot panel of the casket and/or component part of the throw (overlay) which extends downward into the body of the casket.

Cast Hardware

The most expensive hardware production method in which molten metal is poured into a mold, allowed to cool, and then removed from the mold. Found on better quality caskets.

Arm

The part of the casket handle that attaches the bar to the lug.

Extendover

The portion of the casket interior which extends over the top body molding for aesthetic value.

Bed

The portion of the casket upon which the deceased human remains are placed.

130 to 150

The production of a good quality wood casket will require this many board-feet of lumber.

Cap

The topmost portion of the casket shell, including the ogee, crown, pie and header.

Header Flange (Bridge Flange or Cap Filler Flange)

The turned-under edge or horizontal portion of the header.

Ogee Flange (Rim Flange)

The turned-under edge or horizontal portion of the rim which comes into contact with the gasket or body ledge flange.

Crown

The uppermost part of the cap, extending from rim to rim; it can also be considered everything above the rim of the cap.

Pie (Fishtail)

The wedge-shaped portion of the cap at each end of the crown.

Plywood

Thin sheets of wood glued together so that the grains are at right angles to one another; an odd number of sheets will always be used so that the grain on the front and back will always run in the same direction.

Ferritic

This stainless steel, an alloy often referred to as "400 series" or "409 stainless", is a basic grade of stainless steel with good corrosion resistance properties. It is composed mainly of iron and carbon (steel), to which has been added chromium in an amount not less than 10% of the whole. Most casket manufacturers utilize a grade of this stainless steel possessing a minimum of 11% to 12% chromium, with no appreciable amount of nickel. Occasionally, this type of stainless steel is referred to as "11-0" or "12-0" stainless; the first number corresponds to the alloy's chromium content, and the second number refers to the alloy's nickel content. Relatively easy to machine and weld.

Austenitic

This stainless steel, with excellent corrosion resistance, represents a significant increase in quality when compared to 400 series stainless. Sometimes referred to as "300 series" or "304 stainless", this stainless steel possesses higher chromium content (18%) and the added element of nickel(8%), and is therefore sometimes called "18-8" stainless. The presence of nickel in the alloy has three effects: first, it offers additional corrosion resistance; second, it renders the alloy non-magnetically attractive; and third, it allows for stronger welds. This stainless steel is a versatile and widely used alloy.

Adjustable and Stationary

Two basic types of casket beds.

Dull-Pile and Transparent

Two main types of velvet used in casket interiors.

Muslin

Very basic, plain- woven cotton fabric, and is most frequently used in the lining of the Orthodox Jewish casket or "aaron" and for making burial shrouds.

Linen Weave

Woven to look like linen and used as a casket lining material.