Epoxy dimples are not as cute as they are on pretty girls!!

[Eric Arnsdorff]

What the heck!! I can’t get rid of dimples in my epoxy.
This is the first time I’ve tried epoxy as a top coat/finish. It’s just a small pour on some birdseye maple with an inlay (letter “A”).

My first pour had dimples all over it but I didn’t worry too much, thinking I could just pour another layer. I cleaned it with denatured alcohol and poured another layer which still had dimples. A third time and still dimples. So I filled the dimples and let it cure then sanded it down on my drum sander followed by up to 220 grit with my random orbit. There was still an epoxy layer and I didn’t go down to the wood. I cleaned with denatured alcohol well and poured a top coat of epoxy. After using a heat gun for bubbles and visually making sure it had a flat layer of epoxy, I left it to cure over night.

While it was down to one dimple - it was still a dimple!!

I didn’t think it should be this difficult!

I did use an Amazon source for the epoxy - intentionally finding a small quantity as an initial try with the epoxy (“Art ‘N Glow” 16 oz). It is a casting and coating epoxy.

I thought I took into account everything I could find on why dimples may appear. But there’s something I’m doing wrong but I don’t know what it is.

Any ideas?
487016487017

[David Dockstader]

HEAT! Hit it with a heat gun while it is setting up. The heat brings the bubbles to the surface and allows them to dissipate before it sets up. You don't want to cook it, but you have to keep the heat on it for a lot longer than you think. Thin pours like this aren't too bad, but thicker pours really can generate some bubbles.

[Eric Arnsdorff]

David I am new to trying this but I’m not sure how this can be an air bubble. I am using a heat gun to get bubbles out but there are only small bubbles that are removed. I can’t see how I would’ve missed one this large after inspecting it thoroughly and using a heat gun on it. Other pours had a lot more of these.

Also, this pour (as with several other attempts before this) have epoxy underneath that is well sealed from the wood. So I wouldn’t think it could possibly be from the wood since it isn’t even in contact with the wood.