Thread: How can I fix this Transport Coffin?

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Hi Everyone,
I just scored an old (and probably well used) transport coffin on craigslist. The base is sturdy, and it has great handles and a nice shape, but it has some other issues I'm not sure what to do about.

It's made of wood, and the outside is covered with old beige flocked velvet fabric. It seems to be missing some boards from the top, and I've tried to figure out the placement of the loose boards that I do have, using the hinges for a guide, but none of them seem to line up. And of course, the original liner has been ripped out, except for the back of one of the pieces of the lid.

The overal size i 6'7" long x 23 wide, but it's not terribly heavy.

I kind of like the decrepit look of the coffin the way it is now, but want to add a liner, and fix/build a lid that works, and I don't know how I could make it all match, short of tearing the covering and leftover liner out, and starting all over.

I have a bunch of batting, and several yards of royal purple satin I could use on the inside. And I have a paint left over from a bathroom remodel that is that deep ebony color that's so popular in furniture now. I think that might look nice. Or I have walnut gel stain, but I'm not sure how that will work because, from what I can tell, it looks like the molding on the outside of the casket is a sort of formed particle board, not real wood. And when I add in new wood to fix the lid, the grains will likely not match.

And how did this lid fit together?

If anyone has any ideas / info, I'd greatly appreciate your suggestions. Thanks!

Congrats on the cool find. Are there any more pieces to the lid? It looks like those two are the center and maybe the curved edges are missing. Do you have any better pics?

Originally Posted by clu

Congrats on the cool find. Are there any more pieces to the lid? It looks like those two are the center and maybe the curved edges are missing. Do you have any better pics?

Hi Clu,
Thanks for your reply. The guy had this listed as "Odds & Ends" along with a love seat and cassette player. He didin't post pictures, or much of a description, and priced it at $40. When I inquired about it, he told me that since I was using it for Halloween, I could have it for free! I thought that was great of him. (But I also wondered *what else* he'd think someone might do with it. lol) I really love the look of the coffin, and hope I can get it fixed up to it's full potential.

My camera's batteries just died, so I'm relying on my cell phone now. The two pics of the hinges didn't come out as clear as I'd have liked.

There is a 5 1/2" wide piece that's attached to the coffin lid. I'm assuming it's correctly placed. It has a bevel down the center of the board, and the back edge is also beveled, I guess to aid in opening. It looks like maybe there should have been matching boards at the head and foot of the coffin, since this board is cut at a 45 degree angle.

The two boards that fit into the lid are 35 1/2" x 15 3/4". Both long sides and one short side is beveled on each board.