Thanks for going into this much detail and explaining everything! Lots of videos just show sanding and polishing/oiling/vanishing without explianing what they are doing and using
Watching the video about different finishes. What do you do if you have bubbles coming thru your resin. How do you seal the wood. Love watching your videos!
Fantastic video!!!! What resin colors did you use on the table-top to get the copper oxidation effect? Keep making these videos, they inspire me to do more.
Hey Matt! Thanks for stopping by. Checked your channel. Incredible work! If you do any wood and resin work, let me know and I will send you out some molds and templates to use.
Good comprehensive video. I use Rubio Monocoat quite often and like it a lot. It is a Matte finish and easy to apply. Whenever possible, I try to avoid using brushes and this fits the bill. I would recommend purchasing the smallest 'kit' (275ml/A + 75ml/B) possible because a little bit goes a long way as Shawn stated. There is also a fairly inexpensive white applicator pad available which makes it pretty easy to apply. After usage, be prepared to soak any rag, applicator pad, etc. in water, then you can safely dispose afterwards.
You need a planer, a router sled, or a CNC machine to level wood and epoxy. Depending on the level difference a drum sander would also work. Theoretically you could use low grit sandpaper and do it all by hand with an orbital sander, but it might take you hours to get it flat.
Question. I did a deep pour and let the epoxy dry. I sanded the opening and all of it except for one side of the hole in the live edge wood has a ridge. I tried to sand with 40/60/80/120/220 grit but cannot get rid of the ridge. Any techniques or things to try is much appreciated.
Thanks very much for this video!! I am preparing to refinish a couple of family heirloom pieces and wanted to use the best finish for them and have been somewhat confused about all of the newer possibilities. You explained it very well and I love having the info on which coating is best for which application...perfect! And I know I'm in the vast minority, but I actually DO like sanding! I find it meditative and satisfying
Thanks for advice, I just put third layer (last I hope) ,at the end will inform You,Looks like we are neighbours , I leave in Miss. Ont. wood I have Midland area. Thanks again Ziggi
I have read that epoxy is not safe for placing your food on? Also if you do a top coat on top of your flood coat it should make it more durable for scratching.
I’m using Total Boat table top epoxy on a stained oak bath vanity, to make it less susceptible to scratches or marring ( ie. nail polish remover) would you recommend polyurethane on top of total boat tt epoxy?
This series is excellent. Now I want a woodworking shop after we are getting rid of all my husbands tools and moving to a small retirement community. LOL. Bad timing. But I will still be doing some work. I’ve seen you sanding many times through this series and note that you often go against /across the grain. I thought you were supposed to sand in the direction of the grain. What is your thought? Thanks. And again, excellent series!!
Great video,on my epoxy / wood board ,the wood seems to sand faster then the epoxy and is making it feel unlevel where the epoxy meets the wood any way to get around this
The wood will sand down with much less effort due to density. Did you run your piece through a planer first? That would get it all level to begin with before sanding.
Yes it was flat ,but orbital sander as I went up in grits it slowly became a wobble where the epoxy joins the sapwood of the live edge walnut, I'm an automotive refinisher so I can feel the slightest imperfections
How long does leftover Rubio last once the container is opened? Having a heck of a time finding an answer online. Range varies wildly, and most answers talk about how long it lasts after mixing part A and B, which I don't think even applies to 2C. Any answers much appreciated! 🙂
I will say I dont have an answer for you. If its mxed, not long. If its just the A/B part, still in original containers with lids, I have some that i opened a year or more ago thats still fine to use.
Like Homer said: "Who would have thought a nuclear reactor was that complicated?" He obviously never worked with epoxies. Loved the info...going to watch again and take better notes. Trying to come up with one strategy to use...I think the Rubio is the way to go for my resin/Black Walnut table top.
After seeing your video I did a flood coat to some cutting boards I’m making and for some reason there are spots on the board that the epoxy didn’t cover/stay on. Any idea what would cause that? I’d love to show a picture but I don’t think I can on TH-cam. Thanks for any help. I’m frustrated
@@CraftedElements I didn’t sand them over 120. I didn’t clean them with alcohol though and someone told me that might be my problem. Maybe some dirt or oil of some kind got on there. It’s only in spots though, not all over the board.
I am making 4 resin boards for christmas gifts. I am on a time crunch and limited supplies. 2 areas on 2 boards have small coffee bean and sea shells have emerged ever so slightly. My question is: after I sand to 1200 maybe 2000 grit and polishing, should I polyurethane with high gloss over the whole thing to fill the very small holes?
Ideally if you have pits or voids you would fill with a "skim coat" of resin. Then do your sanding. Sanding to 2000 grit and polishing is going to look near glass like and I wouldnt mess it up with a PU finish myself.
Thank you as always. I have four projects start and are at the phase of putting the finishes. All my questions were answered while watching this video.
on my table I made niches with sander then put nice tree leaves (dry)into it (used glue) then poor epoxy so far looks good now is time to finish (not done yet) and table has natural edges i will use hands for final layer, any advise? Thank You in advance
@@zygmuntkuzminski8312 Yes, if you wear rubber/vinyl/nitrile gloves you can use your hands to spread the top layer of resin on manually. For rubio monocoat finish, I suggest a plastic/rubber squeegee.
It will be pretty clear, but not like glass. If you want REALLY clear and shiny, sand up to 2000, then wet sand 2000-3000, then use a 3 step plastic polish on the resin to make it glass like.
That is likely caused by insufficient thorough mixing of the resin, sometimes what people miss is to scrape the sides of the container and bottom, resulting in poorly mixed epoxy, especially if you are scraping it out and letting it all pour in. The best thing is to dig out the unset epoxy (chisel, screw driver, toothpick whatever...) and then re mix some epoxy and pour it into the void you dug out. If the epoxy isnt set at this point its likely not going to ever set.
@@CraftedElements the epoxy for the “River” is fully cured both top and bottom. A small amount seeped under the wood on the bottom and is very sticky. I guess I can attempt to scrape it off instead of sanding.
can I wet sand the resin strip to 1000 or more and not damage the wood? Do I do it by hand or with the orbital? Also if I put a polish on the resin can I still top coat with an oil wax?
Yes you can wet sand to 1000, 1500, 2000 and not damage the wood. I would however go over just the wood part with a lower grit sandpaper to make sure you can get a good bond with whatever you finish it with.
Yes and know, it is food safe when fully cured but it is not food grade so do not use on a cutting board that will have a knife used. Food can touch it, you do not want to eat the resin.
Awesome info, question though. I'm making a shelf/mantle that's going to float under my TV on the wall. It's 6/4 western red cedar 5'x10". I have epoxy resin filled into the very large knot holes, and also have a good portion of both sides formed with epoxy, looks beautiful so far. I have it sanded to 2000 grit and just realized I'm out of osmo polyx. Lol I'm not spending anymore money! 🤣🤣 So on hand I have water based high gloss polycrylic and oil based high gloss polyurethane. Could I do a wipe on poly with the oil based (50/50 mineral spirits and poly mix) over several coats? Or I do have an hvlp gun could I spray the water based polycrylic? I want to cover both the wood and epoxy at the same time, wanted to know what you think would look best between the 2. I noticed you had water based poly in the video no oil based
To be honest as much as I would love to help you, I have little technical experience with layering different types of finishes, and I certainly would not want to give you bad advice. So I have to say, no comment, simply due to my lack of insight. Im sorry!
Looks incredible. I am new to staining wood but I really like it. Can anyone please help me with a problem? I recently bought a mid century chest of drawers. when putting one drawer back in, I hit it on the other door face and marred it just a little bit. It has a small 1/4 x 1/8" mark- looks almost natural wood color (drawer fronts are wood veneer.) I noticed if I touch the area with a damp rag, it looks 100% normal (until it dries, then it gets lighter again.) Should I very lightly sand and attempt to stain that very small area (will never match 100%), then shellac (I am shellacking the whole thing- top looks great) OR, should I just try to shellac over it and hope it stays looking good. Would that restore it back to the dark color? The shellac is dewaxed, blonde so clear. Again, even water makes it look back to 100% original (until it dries.) Also, what grit should I use to sand the veneer drawer fronts before shellac- 1200 or 1500? I want to be very conservative. I heard some even use a brown paper bag. Thanks!
@@tonyz6421 Sure. Some experts roam these forums and are glad to share their knowledge. If you don't know or don't want to share, that's cool. Move on.
I had another question/concern. How durable is the epoxy? My concern is if someone is cutting on the board and they cut across the epoxy....would pieces/slivers of plastic/epoxy come off and potentially mix in with what is being cut?
Epoxy is not for cutting on, its durable, but a sharp knife WILL permanently scar it if its pressed hard enough. I would not say slivers, no, but an indent will be left.
What an enjoyable informative and thorough presentation! Thanks
Thanks for going into this much detail and explaining everything! Lots of videos just show sanding and polishing/oiling/vanishing without explianing what they are doing and using
I definitely appreciate your presentation easy to understand and less expensive.
This explains so much as to why you don't sand abs do. Great job informing us
Glad you found it helpful!
Watching the video about different finishes. What do you do if you have bubbles coming thru your resin. How do you seal the wood. Love watching your videos!
Fantastic video!!!! What resin colors did you use on the table-top to get the copper oxidation effect? Keep making these videos, they inspire me to do more.
Very nice work! Hard to beat that Rubio finish for looks and durability.
Hey Matt! Thanks for stopping by. Checked your channel. Incredible work! If you do any wood and resin work, let me know and I will send you out some molds and templates to use.
@@CraftedElements awesome. Thanks!
Good comprehensive video. I use Rubio Monocoat quite often and like it a lot. It is a Matte finish and easy to apply. Whenever possible, I try to avoid using brushes and this fits the bill. I would recommend purchasing the smallest 'kit' (275ml/A + 75ml/B) possible because a little bit goes a long way as Shawn stated. There is also a fairly inexpensive white applicator pad available which makes it pretty easy to apply. After usage, be prepared to soak any rag, applicator pad, etc. in water, then you can safely dispose afterwards.
Totally agree. The stuff is magic and a little of it can do a HUGE table. I should have mentioned those pads, so thanks for chiming in with that.
You're quick, direct, and very helpful
Thanks a million for your help, and loved the little jokes.
Thanks Candace. I try!
Awesome quick tutorial on finishes and the different types, especially with the wood epoxy combination
Thanks for saying so!
Well now I feel weird lol my favorite part to woodworking is sanding lolol. Thank you for sharing the videos really helpful.
Please seek an immediate psychological evaluation. There are medications that can help 😛
Great video, thanks. Maybe you could list all products used in the description below video.
After applying a flood coat, can you cover it to avoid dust etc getting on the surface?
Great video, but what happens if you don't have a planer? What else can be used please
You need a planer, a router sled, or a CNC machine to level wood and epoxy. Depending on the level difference a drum sander would also work. Theoretically you could use low grit sandpaper and do it all by hand with an orbital sander, but it might take you hours to get it flat.
Thank you for a very educational video!!!
You are welcome, thanks for stopping by.
Great video, thank you very very much, i learned lots of things 🙏❤
Question. I did a deep pour and let the epoxy dry. I sanded the opening and all of it except for one side of the hole in the live edge wood has a ridge. I tried to sand with 40/60/80/120/220 grit but cannot get rid of the ridge. Any techniques or things to try is much appreciated.
Thanks very much for this video!! I am preparing to refinish a couple of family heirloom pieces and wanted to use the best finish for them and have been somewhat confused about all of the newer possibilities. You explained it very well and I love having the info on which coating is best for which application...perfect! And I know I'm in the vast minority, but I actually DO like sanding! I find it meditative and satisfying
Thanks for saying so Lisa. Best of luck with your project!
Thanks for advice, I just put third layer (last I hope) ,at the end will inform You,Looks like we are neighbours , I leave in Miss. Ont. wood I have Midland area.
Thanks again Ziggi
A fellow Canadian, eh? 🙂
Fantastic tips and information!!
Thanks for that TotalBoat folk!
I'd like to try the Rubio finish for some coasters
Totally. It would be good for that as well.
What type of mold did you use?
A greatly informative video. Appreciated!
Thanks for watching! Glad it could help.
I have read that epoxy is not safe for placing your food on? Also if you do a top coat on top of your flood coat it should make it more durable for scratching.
I’m using Total Boat table top epoxy on a stained oak bath vanity, to make it less susceptible to scratches or marring ( ie. nail polish remover) would you recommend polyurethane on top of total boat tt epoxy?
wow, very good !! a lot of the you tuber's would charge $$ you for all this 👍
This series is excellent. Now I want a woodworking shop after we are getting rid of all my husbands tools and moving to a small retirement community. LOL. Bad timing. But I will still be doing some work. I’ve seen you sanding many times through this series and note that you often go against /across the grain. I thought you were supposed to sand in the direction of the grain. What is your thought? Thanks. And again, excellent series!!
You are likely correct, sanding in the direction of the grain is typically what most woodworkers recommend.
Great video,on my epoxy / wood board ,the wood seems to sand faster then the epoxy and is making it feel unlevel where the epoxy meets the wood any way to get around this
The wood will sand down with much less effort due to density. Did you run your piece through a planer first? That would get it all level to begin with before sanding.
Yes it was flat ,but orbital sander as I went up in grits it slowly became a wobble where the epoxy joins the sapwood of the live edge walnut, I'm an automotive refinisher so I can feel the slightest imperfections
How long does leftover Rubio last once the container is opened? Having a heck of a time finding an answer online. Range varies wildly, and most answers talk about how long it lasts after mixing part A and B, which I don't think even applies to 2C. Any answers much appreciated! 🙂
I will say I dont have an answer for you. If its mxed, not long. If its just the A/B part, still in original containers with lids, I have some that i opened a year or more ago thats still fine to use.
@@CraftedElements thanks! 👍
Great video! Lots of good details. What types of wood did you use in each project? Looks like black walnut in one of them.....
I use black walnut, ambrosia maple and ash pretty much exclusively here as thats why my local guy often has access to.
Such good information! Would you say the Total Boat epoxy is food safe?
Hi I can't seem to find ay of the soft flexible molds you spoke about.
Everything on our website is silicone (soft and flexible molds) -> craftedelements.com
Like Homer said: "Who would have thought a nuclear reactor was that complicated?" He obviously never worked with epoxies.
Loved the info...going to watch again and take better notes. Trying to come up with one strategy to use...I think the Rubio is the way to go for my resin/Black Walnut table top.
would i use Plastx on the resin before oil finishing the wood, or oil finish the wood first finish?
Plastx first before oiling.
very nice information
Glad we could help!
After seeing your video I did a flood coat to some cutting boards I’m making and for some reason there are spots on the board that the epoxy didn’t cover/stay on. Any idea what would cause that? I’d love to show a picture but I don’t think I can on TH-cam. Thanks for any help. I’m frustrated
Yes, did you make sure you didnt sand those boards over 120 grit? Sanding them fine then flood coating will lead to that separation effect.
@@CraftedElements I didn’t sand them over 120. I didn’t clean them with alcohol though and someone told me that might be my problem. Maybe some dirt or oil of some kind got on there. It’s only in spots though, not all over the board.
I am making 4 resin boards for christmas gifts. I am on a time crunch and limited supplies. 2 areas on 2 boards have small coffee bean and sea shells have emerged ever so slightly. My question is: after I sand to 1200 maybe 2000 grit and polishing, should I polyurethane with high gloss over the whole thing to fill the very small holes?
Ideally if you have pits or voids you would fill with a "skim coat" of resin. Then do your sanding. Sanding to 2000 grit and polishing is going to look near glass like and I wouldnt mess it up with a PU finish myself.
@@CraftedElements . thanks so much for the speedy reply! And thanks for the video. I'll take your advice.
@@jamesdee5132 No problem at all!
Thank you as always. I have four projects start and are at the phase of putting the finishes. All my questions were answered while watching this video.
on my table I made niches with sander then put nice tree leaves (dry)into it (used glue) then poor epoxy so far looks good now is time to finish (not done yet) and table has natural edges i will use hands for final layer, any advise? Thank You in advance
Hands for a final layer? Im sorry but I dont follow.
with gloves! will my idea works? everything first time, thanks for quick respond @@CraftedElements
@@zygmuntkuzminski8312 Yes, if you wear rubber/vinyl/nitrile gloves you can use your hands to spread the top layer of resin on manually. For rubio monocoat finish, I suggest a plastic/rubber squeegee.
epoxy resin maestro
Thank you for the kind words!
Sean, where did you purchase your CNC machine? All of your videos are extremely helpful......can you suggest on where I can purchase a CNC machine
Cliff, its from Axiom Precision, its the biggest one they offer at 4x4' - www.axiomprecision.com/
@@CraftedElements thank you my good man!!! 😀
If I sand everything to 320 and maybe 400 on the epoxy then apply something like Odie's Oil , will the epoxy area come out clear and shiny ?
It will be pretty clear, but not like glass. If you want REALLY clear and shiny, sand up to 2000, then wet sand 2000-3000, then use a 3 step plastic polish on the resin to make it glass like.
@@CraftedElements Thanks Bud
I want to buy a new orbital sander as my Makita leaves circles and looks awful….what do you recommend?
I have heard good things about the Festool unit, and the new 3M orbital sander.
What is the best way to deal with the epoxy that never really hardens on the underside of the board after you remove it from the mold?
That is likely caused by insufficient thorough mixing of the resin, sometimes what people miss is to scrape the sides of the container and bottom, resulting in poorly mixed epoxy, especially if you are scraping it out and letting it all pour in. The best thing is to dig out the unset epoxy (chisel, screw driver, toothpick whatever...) and then re mix some epoxy and pour it into the void you dug out. If the epoxy isnt set at this point its likely not going to ever set.
@@CraftedElements the epoxy for the “River” is fully cured both top and bottom. A small amount seeped under the wood on the bottom and is very sticky. I guess I can attempt to scrape it off instead of sanding.
can I wet sand the resin strip to 1000 or more and not damage the wood? Do I do it by hand or with the orbital? Also if I put a polish on the resin can I still top coat with an oil wax?
Yes you can wet sand to 1000, 1500, 2000 and not damage the wood. I would however go over just the wood part with a lower grit sandpaper to make sure you can get a good bond with whatever you finish it with.
@@CraftedElements did you do it by hand or orbital, was the same question I had, also did you wet sand or dry sand the epoxy?
Random orbit sander. I usually wet sand after 220 or 320 grit so the epoxy does not gum up when heated.
Is Epoxy food safe? Would you use these for a cutting board?
Yes and know, it is food safe when fully cured but it is not food grade so do not use on a cutting board that will have a knife used. Food can touch it, you do not want to eat the resin.
Awesome info, question though. I'm making a shelf/mantle that's going to float under my TV on the wall. It's 6/4 western red cedar 5'x10". I have epoxy resin filled into the very large knot holes, and also have a good portion of both sides formed with epoxy, looks beautiful so far. I have it sanded to 2000 grit and just realized I'm out of osmo polyx. Lol I'm not spending anymore money! 🤣🤣 So on hand I have water based high gloss polycrylic and oil based high gloss polyurethane. Could I do a wipe on poly with the oil based (50/50 mineral spirits and poly mix) over several coats? Or I do have an hvlp gun could I spray the water based polycrylic? I want to cover both the wood and epoxy at the same time, wanted to know what you think would look best between the 2. I noticed you had water based poly in the video no oil based
To be honest as much as I would love to help you, I have little technical experience with layering different types of finishes, and I certainly would not want to give you bad advice. So I have to say, no comment, simply due to my lack of insight. Im sorry!
@@CraftedElements I wouldn't be layering finishes, I would either be using polycrylic or polyurethane
How thick are those boards?
Generally work with 3/4" to 1"
Looks incredible. I am new to staining wood but I really like it. Can anyone please help me with a problem? I recently bought a mid century chest of drawers. when putting one drawer back in, I hit it on the other door face and marred it just a little bit. It has a small 1/4 x 1/8" mark- looks almost natural wood color (drawer fronts are wood veneer.) I noticed if I touch the area with a damp rag, it looks 100% normal (until it dries, then it gets lighter again.)
Should I very lightly sand and attempt to stain that very small area (will never match 100%), then shellac (I am shellacking the whole thing- top looks great) OR, should I just try to shellac over it and hope it stays looking good. Would that restore it back to the dark color? The shellac is dewaxed, blonde so clear. Again, even water makes it look back to 100% original (until it dries.)
Also, what grit should I use to sand the veneer drawer fronts before shellac- 1200 or 1500? I want to be very conservative. I heard some even use a brown paper bag.
Thanks!
Unfortunately that is not my specialty! Perhaps reaching out to some furniture refinishing groups on Facebook might help?
@@CraftedElements Thanks. I ended up using a touch up pen then shellacked over it. You can't see it now.
@@MOAB-UT good grief! Seriously
@@tonyz6421 Sure. Some experts roam these forums and are glad to share their knowledge. If you don't know or don't want to share, that's cool. Move on.
i dont see how you get shining monocoat?
I’m sorry I don’t understand the question
I had another question/concern. How durable is the epoxy? My concern is if someone is cutting on the board and they cut across the epoxy....would pieces/slivers of plastic/epoxy come off and potentially mix in with what is being cut?
Epoxy is not for cutting on, its durable, but a sharp knife WILL permanently scar it if its pressed hard enough. I would not say slivers, no, but an indent will be left.
colour
But I do love sanding... for the first 10 minutes 😅
Haha! Well said.
fully cured varithane is food safe
The "tap dance" intro is unnecessary and annoying as hell