information on live edge slabs with epoxy river pours

[Jon Wyatt]

Information needed: What is the best slab thickness for a cabinet top that is 28 X 74 inches? (cherry wood) Plan to have long edges straight with river pour between two slabs. Any information on slab sources, type of epoxy and techniques would be appreciated.

Jon

[Matt Day]

TONS of info on the web and YouTube. Thickness is more or less up to you. Epoxy is a glue after all.

[Jim Becker]

Thickness is a perspective/proportion decision. While I personally like thicker counters, some folks like the opposite.

For "river" pours, it's important to use the right formula if you plan on a single pour rather than several. Curing resin can get "darn hot" so various manufacturers have special formulations for deep pours. The downside is that they can take days to cure and the first 8-10 hours you need to be physically present to deal with bubbles as the initial setup occurs. As Matt mentioned, there is a large number of helpful videos available on the 'Tube and many of the manufacturers also have videos. I'm thinking of using Total Boat for pours as I plan on doing some of this work myself...I currently do CNC stuff for another maker who does resin inlays, etc. I have a guitar project I'm thinking about using resin for, too.

[Jim Tobias]

Check out Alumilite Deep pour on their youtube channel. Tons of info on their channel and they are helpful if you call and ask questions alao.
Jim

[Jonathan Jung]

I have done many of these. Working with slabs is complicated enough. Adding resin is about as complicated as it gets.

wood MC is so important
use epoxy for deep pours - I have good luck with Ecopoxy
prepare a clean dry space that's around 60deg
super flat and level pour table
take everything you see on Youtube with a grain of salt - even from guys like Black Forest with tons of viewers
don't polish the resin, just sand and finish it just like wood
start with 8/4 material, to net around 1.5" thick countertop
don't buy cheap slabs, they are often not dry enough

[Keith Outten]

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[Tom Bain]

No, please stop with the river tables … to each their own but I find them terribly ugly. I really think it’s a fad that hopefully will soon end.