deep pour epoxy

[Justin Rapp]

Hi all

My son is building resin table in his woodshop class in school and need deep pour epoxy. The teacher told him to grab it from Rockler or Total Boat, or any other decent brand. Any suggestions on a brand that won't break the bank since Total Boat and Rockler are both pretty up there in cost for a school project.

Thanks

Justin

[Robert Hayward]

Try Alumilite. Woodcraft sells the brand but you may find a better price on the Alumilite web site. I have good luck with their deep pour line.

[Richard Coers]

ALL resin is expensive!!!! If done incorrectly, it really get's expensive when you have to do it over. If no one has done it in that shop, make sure he does a practice piece. It'll be heart breaking if the form is not great and the resin flows out on the floor or the form won't come off. Some of the pros at this use a water cooled table to get the right result. It's WAY more complicated than just mixing and pouring!!!!!! Technique is way more critical than brand name, and going for cheap is not the direction to go.

[Warren Lake]

Too bad a school is teaching that.

[Robert Hayward]

Too bad a school is teaching that.

Why do you say that, just curious? Resin tables are in vogue and the kid is learning to use his hands to make something.

[Ole Anderson]

Not my thing, but I do follow Blacktail Studio on YouTube. He has 2.6 million subscribers. He offers a paid workshop on how to learn deep pour epoxy. https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=blacktail+studio

[Bob Falk]

I've made a few epoxy tables....not that hard if one uses common sense and watches a few videos on Youtube. Blacktail is a good source. My 15 yo son and I made a river table and IMHO very appropriate project for a middle or high schooler (with instruction). As was said, getting the form correct (and coated such that it will release) is important. I have used many brands of epoxy and the most important thing is that it is "deep pour". If you are pouring clear or transparent, a "crystal clear" epoxy will give better results. If mixing with opaque colorants, any brand that is deep pour, IMO, works. I bought most of my epoxy on Amazon. My $0.02

[George Yetka]

Epoxy is the one thing in life that I recommend reading and following directions on. Total boat is a good product even though they go a bit overboard on their advertising. There are countless youtubers that have coupon codes for you on Total boat.
Setup is important make sure your form is sealed and make sure your wood is anchored either with clamps or caulking to the form. Mold release helps if you are using melamine. Tuck tape breaks apart from the epoxy alot easier. i would use clear epoxy something faster drying to seal the edges of your wood they will bubble, especially in deep pour because the deep pour epoxy takes a week to cure. Once the edges are done sand with 80 grit to scuff it up and clean it well. The dust will show up in clearer pours. You can also caulk a dam to keep the epoxy in the river instead of on the wood. If your space is warm you may want a pan blowing accross the pour because it will heat up. Sanding is easy sand whole project to level with lower grits 80+ and work though the grits. you can stop on the wood wherever you want but taking the epoxy out to 3-4000 will give you very clear results. you can polish beyond that. Once that is complete tape off the epoxy and resand the wood at wherever you left off. The epoxy sanding/polishing will have put a mirror finish on the adjacent wood.

[Jim Tobias]

Try Alumilite. Woodcraft sells the brand but you may find a better price on the Alumilite web site. I have good luck with their deep pour line.

+1 on Alumilite. All epoxys are pretty expensive. I would even call Alumilite and explain the scenario with it being a school project. They may cut you a special deal! They also have many, many youtube videos on HOW-TO on their channel.

Jim

[Jimmy Harris]

Why do you say that, just curious? Resin tables are in vogue and the kid is learning to use his hands to make something.
I wouldn't pay it any mind. Epoxy pours are very popular right now, which also means they are very unpopular with a certain population. It's Newton's third law, applied to sociology.