The Giovanni Coffin Plan — The Original Toe-Pincher Coffin

People ask me all the time — what's the actual difference between a casket and a coffin? Most folks use the words interchangeably, but there is a real distinction. A casket is what you typically see in funeral homes today — rectangular, standard, familiar. A coffin is the older, traditional shape — six-sided, tapered at the foot, wider at the shoulders — the classic "toe-pincher" silhouette you'd picture in an old western. That's the story I've always told, anyway, and it's exactly why I built the Giovanni.

The Giovanni is a true coffin — hexagonal, angular, and unmistakably traditional. Where most modern funeral products smooth everything into a uniform rectangle, this design leans into the shape itself. Chest, head, and foot panels are each cut and mitered at their own distinct angles, giving the Giovanni its unmistakable tapered form.

Instant digital download — get the full blueprint immediately after purchase and start building today.

What's inside:

• Complete building instructions from carcass to final bedding

• Full material list with exact panel dimensions

• Precision angle specifications for every joint — chest, head, and foot, each cut to its own degree

• Metal biscuit joinery appendix, plus bedding installation details

• Rope handle construction — true to the coffin's traditional look and feel

• Full satin bedding and pillow construction, including the center doorskin panel technique

• Complete hardware and supply list, including decorative nickel flush mount hinges

• A full safety section, because a build this involved deserves care at every step

Who this is for:

Woodworkers who want to build something with real traditional character — not just another rectangular box, but the true coffin shape most people only picture when they hear the word. This one takes more precision than a standard casket build, but the result is unmistakable.

Questions during your build? Email coffinbuilder@hotmail.com — I answer those myself.

By CasketPlans.shop — a coffinbuilder with 35 years in the trade, building caskets since 1997.