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How is a hermetically sealing of caskets being effected and what is the difference between a gasket sealer and a glass sealer casket?
Metal caskets - or metallic liners inside of wooden casket - can obtain a protective property through an air and watertight sealing mechanism. By that way the remains in the casket are temporarily protected from the elements, especially from ground water and the intrusion of insects. Nowadays, most protective caskets are sealed by a gasket which is placed between the base (or body) of the casket and its lid. The gasket usually consists of an approximately inch wide one piece strip of flexible but resilient rubber-like material which runs along the upper margin of the frame of the casket's base. In a casket with a split lid (half couch casket) an additional gasket between the two halves of the lid is needed for effecting a hermetical seal.
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What are double or triple lid respectively double or triple walled caskets?
Luxury caskets often have a double lid, sometimes even a triple lid (the innermost being made of glass). In rare cases, caskets are even double walled (triple walled would be absolutely unusual), which means that the outer casket contains a complete inner casket, which can be taken out. Double walled caskets are much more heavy than double lid caskets, of course.
What do the different gauge numbers mean with regard to the longevity of steel caskets?
The strength, durability, and longevity of steel caskets depends first of all on the quality and thickness of the metal sheets used. The United States Standard Gauge for the thickness of metal sheets is based on the number of sheets required to total one inch. The gauge number (ga) informs about the thickness of the steel sheets in such a way that the lower the gauge number, the thicker the steel.
In comparing a 16 and 20 gauge steel casket the 16 gauge casket would be?
The strength, durability, and longevity of steel caskets depends first of all on the quality and thickness of the metal sheets used. The United States Standard Gauge for the thickness of metal sheets is based on the number of sheets required to total one inch. The gauge number (ga) informs about the thickness of the steel sheets in such a way that the lower the gauge number, the thicker the steel. Low cost carbon steel caskets are usually made of 20-gauge steel. (20 sheets of 20ga steel have a thickness of one inch.) Twenty gauge steel sheets have a thickness of 1/20" or 0,8 mm; this is the same thickness as used in many automobile body panels. More expensive steel Caskets are made from 18- and 16-gauge steel. 16 ga steel sheets have a thickness of 1/16" or 1,3 mm. 16 ga steel is twice as heavy as 20 ga steel, 140% stronger and has a 140% longer life than 20ga.
When soldiers are sent home why are their coffins made of steel?
Probably because steel caskets (or caskets made of other metals) can be sealed hermetically, meaning that they can be made airtight and watertight, which is requested for long distance shipments of remains.
Are caskets air tight?
Only those caskets are air (and water) tight which are "sealer" caskets, meaning that they are provided with a rubber like sealing gasket between the lid and the base of the caskets. Usually only metal caskets can be sealer caskets.
What is the difference in price between a copper deposit casket and a bronze cast casket?
The question is somewhat difficult to answer because copper deposited casket were manufactured until the 1980s only. Cast bronze and copper deposited caskets are the most expensive and the most heavy metal caskets available. While cast bronze caskets weigh between 1,000 and 1,200 lbs, copper deposit caskets have a weight between 600 and 800 lbs. The price difference between these caskets (which were manufactured by the Boyertown Burial Casket Company and by the National Casket Company of Boston) in the 1970s was as follows: cast bronze casket had a wholesale price between US $ 15,000 and 19,000 while copper deposited caskets cost between $ 5,000 and 6,000 wholesale (plus approximately $ 1,000 for an optional silver plated exterior).
Why do coffins have to be nailed down?
Only those caskets are air (and water) tight which are "sealer" caskets, meaning that they are provided with a rubber like sealing gasket between the lid and the base of the caskets. Usually only metal caskets can be sealer caskets.
Is there a difference between a solid bronze and a bronze deposit casket?
Yes, there is a difference, but is less important than the difference between solid (sheet) bronze and cast bronze caskets. Solid bronze caskets are welded from sheets of wrought bronze. Bronze deposit caskets too, but they have an additional coat of bronze which is applied by an electrolytic (or similar) process to a base made of sheet bronze. This increases the thickness of the bronze walls and guarantees a smooth surface.
How much does a metal burial casket weigh?
Standard metal caskets (20ga steel) weigh around 200 lbs empty. Most solid (sheet) copper or bronze caskets have a weight between 250 and 350 lbs. Copper deposit caskets (made of electrolytically deposited copper) between 600 and 800 lbs. Cast bronze caskets (cast from molten bronze like bells) between 1,000 and 1,200 lbs.
What did the coffin look like in World War 2?
Very similar to many coffins and caskets used now. One difference was that due to wartime shortages, there were only very few metal caskets available.
Are coffins placed in concrete containers before burial?
Not always and never in countries where the graves are used over again. In the US the practice of placing the caskets in concrete (or metal) containers is very common although there is no law requiring it. Many cemeteries demand grave liners or burial vaults (hermetically sealed grave liners) to prevent the grave from caving in when heavy machinery is used on the lawn or when wooden caskets deteriorate.
Is a bronze casket more or less expensive than a copper casket?
Bronze caskets may be somewhat more expensive than copper caskets, but the price difference matters only in the lower price bracket of caskets made of semi precious metals; in the higher price brackets it seems to become irrelevant.
What are the different types of metal caskets?
Metal caskets are available in carbon steel, copper, bronze, and stainless steel. Carbon steel caskets are available in different gauges, ranging from 20 gauge (the thinnest) to 16 gauge (the thickest)
Why were Vietnam casualties in caskets under glass?
"Glass sealer" caskets (protective caskets with an inner glass lid) are an older type of "sealer caskets" (caskets providing an air and watertight seal). Later (for example in the Gulf War) the remains of soldiers were shipped back in glassless "gasket sealer" caskets.
How large can caskets be?
In the United States, standard caskets for adults have a length between 80 and 83 inches. Industrially manufactured oversize caskets are up to 96" long. Hand crafted caskets can be even longer.
