Any woodworkers?

I consider any first/second/third try for the same goal with epoxy as an "experiment". (see my shelve pics)

Post pics of what you are doing, others may be able to chime in. For example a quick cure may be better for your application.

 

I am mixing much smaller amounts (1.5 tsps total volume) so I sometimes question if enough hardener gets in.

The fuzzy S is with a first attempt at routing the S into a board so could be ruined. I carefully poured the mixed resin/hardener to "level" into raw wood, but it crept out anyway probably due to that much mix all trying to flow/expand at the same time.

So I went back to the main piece (other photo) to line the space with resin/hardener mix first with a brush. Still crept out a little (the shadows, but shadows are set now and will be sanded out later). This morning the just-lining-amount was sticky enough. I dripped 5 larger drops of mix into each letter, and re-added 3 drops of only-hardener to each to try to re-balance. Seems to not be creeping up/out. I think if I add 5 drops (each successive layer) on top of the mix that is at least not free-flowing that only 5 drops of fluid will not put enough pressure on the sides of the spaces to creep (fingers crossed) anymore.

 

I used this cheap stuff from Amazon when I filled the knot holes in my TV Console build with black tinted epoxy. No bubbles or other issues.



I did a couple of pours until it was overfilled. Then I gave it a couple of shallow passes on the planer to clean it up. I hate how messy this stuff is.



Here is one after finish.

 

That won’t work- I mean maybe I am not reading it right but you must plane-sand-polish to flat fill

 

That stuff isn’t terrible- I mean it’s a decent value. Slow cure - mix 50/50 and wait a couple days!

It does have good bond strength and takes color well - and is cheap

 

Made this simple table to set my remote and drink on when sitting in my chair.

 

The tree saga continues.
What I started out with.

I made good progress today until I personally ran out of gas, lol.

Only to high branches left now, but they hang over the house. I have an arborist throw bag I use to get the ropes attached to the branches from the ground. But these are very high and I throw like a girl, lol.

One of my neighbors helped us today to pull the branches over as I cut them. No chipper so all the branches are cut up and tied for trash pick up. It's a lot of work but I'm almost there. Doing the best I can with this 65 year old body and trying not to end up in the er.

 

FYI. i hope my posts dont sound like im being negative. Just trying to help.


You should use one coat of a sealer like a clear poly not water based. Let it dry completely. Then add your epoxy. As far as epoxy goes get a kitchen scale and use that. Then mix to directions of the epoxy. For thicker pours you can layer. Small stuff like the letters you can pour to just overfill then sand down to flat.

 

You do not sound negative or unapproving. This is just tricky business.That first fuzzy S was poured right up to board level with no side-wall sealing, but pushed itself past and would need sanding/cleanup.

I am trying to minimize the cuttingboard surface sanding/planing I am trying to keep as much epoxy as possible inside the letters. I did get a sticky-finished layer inside the letter to block grain-seepage and am filling in thins layers (letters are only 3/16 in maximum deep) so that each next layer is only very light load to push against the sides.

Seems to be working, and if it does it will be the path for future boards. I am not sure what the absolute best way is but anything that minimizes surface cleanup/sanding (I have only a random-orbit sander, no planer) while giving me less stress is a good plan.

 

I used the same exact stuff for my first (and probably last) epoxy project. Just tried to make some wood/epoxy coasters, and it became very evident I was not good at it. The epoxy was great honestly, very few bubbles, took any color pigment I threw at it, and definitely strong. I just sucked at the whole process, and didn't take the necessary steps on my wood pieces to ensure a decent outcome. I tried sort of an "epoxy river" type coaster, inside of square silicone forms; most of them came out okay, but in the process of me sanding them down, I messed up the thickness of most of them and I wasn't happy with them anymore. I learned from those and made a batch of burnt wood coasters covered in epoxy, and quickly figured out I needed to do a better job sealing my wood pieces before trying to cover in epoxy. Also quickly remembered that wood floats. I didn't have any good solution for that, so most of those ended up oddly shaped as well. Still have some that I was happy with, but never got around to sanding/polishing them to the extent that epoxy needs to be clear again. So they're just cloudy and live in a drawer somewhere now. This reminds me I should get them out and finally finish them, and have a positive outcome to remember my first epoxy project as instead of the nightmare it mostly was lol.

 

I must succeed at least once, getting the letters filled and polished, and the board looking good after a random-orbit cleanup. I may vow "never again", but if I cannot somehow make it work once I could not live with myself. I am not insane (try exactly the same process again and expect different result) because I am trying to adapt my approach.

 

Oh I feel this deeply. I definitely failed overall, but I had 6 out of uhhh, many more than 6 coasters that turned out okay. I just kept them for myself instead of gifting them since they weren't perfect.

 

Found an interesting print for the Domino. Have not tried using it yet but whoever created it did a good job. The bases line up with what appear to be standard dog holes. https://www.printables.com/model/1139902-festool-domino-mft-fixture

 

I'm intrigued, what exactly is it for?

 

Its a fixture that you mount the Festool Domino in that allows you to cut mortises in small stock, hopefully with accuracy and repeatability.

 

Does it replace the circled piece or do something different? The circled jig is what I use when putting mortises in narrow stock. I used it for the slats on my chairs for example.

 

Yes, I think its a more fixed version of that.

 

Is it better than this jig? I made one of these a couple years ago and love it.

 

I have not used it yet but my initial thought is that the one in the video is capable of more operations, theres probably some overlap but that thing looks slick.

 

Well I won't spend over $1000 bucks for a festool domino.
But I did just order a Byrd shellix head for my 15" grizzly planer.