Thank you so much! Your videos are the best around. I am very new to this and all the epoxy choices were so confusing. I knew I wanted black diamond, now I know I want total boat epoxy. Most importantly, I know why, thanks to you.
Just started to build my first boat (14’ sailboat) the whole process woodworking/epoxy/glassing is new to me but I enjoy learning as I go. I laminated my first beam yesterday 1st of 7 thar are 6mm 1” wide mahogany strips @5’ long. Came out beautiful. I did a lot of research on Epoxies and in the boat building community RAKA epoxy had many positive reviews. So far on a couple test pieces (breaking wood before bonds) and on these laminate beams it has been working fantastic. It is @35% less $ than TB and WS.
@@CraftedElements You might want to mention that even though you are in Canada, these guys are located in the US. For us Canadians it makes a difference. Yes they do ship to Canada, but we know the problem with that. Thanks for the videos.
Dude, you are one of the most professionally made videos in all of TH-cam. Easy to watch, understand and concise. I now have to go back and watch some other videos... BTW, I didn't know you were from Canada until you mentioned it. No accent Aye!
The buckets with epoxy we let cure and harden. Assuming the epoxy is well mixed and does harden, you can just squeeze the bucket (or work it around) and "crack" the dried epoxy out of there. The mixing sticks etc we throw away,
Wanted to get your opinion. I just tried to make my first resin and live wood board. Roughly 12" x 16" in homemade mold. I used total boat thick set. With my calculations I needed about 54 oz of epoxy mixed. Which turned out to be a little too much...but I know I can take that down in the planer. My issue lies with the curing times. I placed the entire mold into a large tote in case any epoxy seeped out of the mold...and placed a lid on tote after pour to help prevent dust or anything else falling into epoxy and getting stuck. I poured the epoxy into the mold around 430pm and place lid on the tote. After 2 hours of letting it sit I went back to swirl the epoxy and the top and bottom thirds of the epoxy section were still very liquidy, but the center section felt like there was a large hard section that I could move around with a stick, but I left it alone and used the torch again to remove bubbles. By 10pm (6 hours after pour) the epoxy was hard as a rock and a few more bubbles had formed on the surface but I could not pop them ad they felt hard as well. Did I screw something up? Did placing a lid on the tote heat the space inside up too much and cure it faster? Any help/insight would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Sean. What was the pour depth? Thickset is rated for up to 1", if you poured 2" that would be too much volume and therefore create too much heat. Additionally, I wonder if putting the lid on the tote sealed it in enough that it just got too hot. A lot of guys making big tables will actually setup fans to cool down the epoxy and dissipate the heat. Basically... in the end, to much heat (ambient or internal) is going to cause it to set way faster. In 6 hours it shouldnt be rock hard. So i suspect that is what happened.
@@CraftedElements my pur depth was 7/8". So I agree that I think that putting the lid may (not fully seated) just did not allow enough heat to dissipate. Thanks for the input.
@@seangross5663 7/8" is fine for sure with Thickset. Was your shop/garage cool or sweltering hot? Try setting up a fan to blow over the epoxy. It will likely also keep flies and dust away.
@@CraftedElements i had the tote stored in the laundry room which is same as house temp of around 75 F. My next one I will remove the lid and install a fan.
@@CraftedElements I made a second board and it turned out 1000% better. But then ran into an issue, it was sitting fully complete and sitting on the kitchen island for a couple days after I finished it and now it has warped. Did that happen because my wood had a little too much moisture in it (about 13%). Or did it warp due to something else?
Should I wait for up to 12 hrs after pouring to create some swirl patterns in my epoxy on slower setting epoxies? Does over swirling later on introduce more bubbles? Thanks
It depends on the epoxy, its set time, the temperature of your room etc. Swirling when the epoxy is too stiff can definitely introduce bubbles, but normally something you can get rid of with a torch or heat gun after the fact.
Quick question for you or anyone with insight. What brand/models of heat guns do you use or recommend. Or are there certain features to look for in a heat gun?
I use a Wagner heat gun with the metal attachments so you can control the "shape" of the air coming out of the gun. It doesn't need to be overkill. I believe the ones I have here are all less than $100.
Thank you for making these videos! They are super helpful! Because I overthink everything, I have a question (and I think this is the right video to ask it on). When using a paint mixer to mix the epoxy, can you just wipe it off after use and use it again? Or is it a one time use part of the project?
If you do want to wipe it off just use some isopropyl alcohol, I sometimes do this so my paddle doesn’t get crazy thick with cured resin. Also, if you’re using a paint mixer get a plastic one. If you use a metal one in a plastic bucket you can cause small bits of plastic (that the metal shaves off the bucket sides) to contaminate your resin.
Good question. Yes, they are reusable. You can definitely wipe off the epoxy, or, depending on the style of the mixer, just let the excess drain off, let the balance harden (set) then reuse it with the hardened epoxy on it.
I just ordered a few of your silicone molds and am brand new to epoxy. The molds are currently in transit to me and I wanted to order my Total Boat epoxy. Just curious if your molds happen to come with recommendations of which epoxy to use for each individual size molds within the instructions? If so I was going to wait to order my epoxy until my molds are received but I'd like to get a head start and order my epoxy now. Thank you!
Hi Brian. No the molds do not come with specific epoxy instructions. You will want to make sure the pour depth of the epoxy you are using is similar to that of our molds. Most of our board molds are 1" in depth, and that means the best epoxy is the Totalboat Thickset product.
Hey! I purchased my first mold and it’s not here yet but my total boat epoxy is! Love the series but my question is when you are placing your wood “top” side up or down? Thanks so much!
That can be dependent on the mold if it has any designs or relief on it, but most people place it wood, top side up if its simple charcuterie board mold etc.
One thing that really sticks out to me here is how bad the US Imperial measuring system is. So glad I no longer have to screw with it since I live in Europe now. Great series though. Really helping me out. Thanks.
I don't understand this whole approach everyone takes to table making. The epoxy makers stress in their marketing, and compete with each other, to create epoxies that level out, crystal clear and bubble free. Then, y'all ignore that, rough it up, to finish it yourself, level it out, lol, it's like, why are you making all this work.... I just poured my first 2 tables. I pulled them out of the molds, and I am not touching them, they are perfect, as advertised by the epoxy maker, lol.... I planed my boards, etc., of course, but before the epoxy. I had the boards in the mold, flat and level, and finished, leveled the form,and poured 1/16 over the wood, so the epoxy made it's own sheet glass finish, smooth af. The other, I just did an inset in the wooden table top, and filled it.... I mean, you can't do colors this way, but river tables you can, just pout it short, and do a clear topper. Idk, they are my first, so I till tend to lean towards experienced people, but what I just told you is true, so, Idk.. Peace
You can find us on Instagram at @craftedelementsco. However, if is a resin specific question it's LIKELY best to ask the manufacturer of the resin. Questions about our molds or templates, we can definitely help out!
Great video(s) - I just wish you had focused on a product line that is readily stocked and available in Canada (Since your in Canada!) -
Having used Clear Cast Slow on several occasions, I would suggest using a pressure pot instead of a vacuum chamber.
Great video, very informative! Am I the only one who noticed the lady picking up after her dog out the window at 26:40? 😆😆
Thank you so much! Your videos are the best around. I am very new to this and all the epoxy choices were so confusing. I knew I wanted black diamond, now I know I want total boat epoxy. Most importantly, I know why, thanks to you.
Linda, I'm glad I could simplify it for you and help you sort through the clutter.
This was a great video. Very informative.
❤. What a treasure of information you are. Thanks for schooling me. Subscribed and a new customer for your biz.
Welcome aboard!
Just started to build my first boat (14’ sailboat) the whole process woodworking/epoxy/glassing is new to me but I enjoy learning as I go.
I laminated my first beam yesterday 1st of 7 thar are 6mm 1” wide mahogany strips @5’ long. Came out beautiful. I did a lot of research on Epoxies and in the boat building community RAKA epoxy had many positive reviews. So far on a couple test pieces (breaking wood before bonds) and on these laminate beams it has been working fantastic. It is @35% less $ than TB and WS.
Such an important and informative episode!! 🙌👏👏
We tried! Thanks for making such awesome products.
@@CraftedElements You might want to mention that even though you are in Canada, these guys are located in the US.
For us Canadians it makes a difference. Yes they do ship to Canada, but we know the problem with that.
Thanks for the videos.
Wow thanks Shawn lots of unanswered questions you covered. Awesome
My pleasure! Enjoy the future content.
Dude, you are one of the most professionally made videos in all of TH-cam. Easy to watch, understand and concise. I now have to go back and watch some other videos... BTW, I didn't know you were from Canada until you mentioned it. No accent Aye!
No problem, eh!
Thanks for such a great video. Very informative.
I'm going to use a crazy color this time..... Oh, I like green apple..😂. Great video! Thanks!
Yeah green apple is a bit bad ass
Another informative video👍🏻
That was a great learning process. Thank you so much.
You are welcome! Glad you enjoyed it.
Fantastic information great work 👍
How do you clean the tools and buckets for reuse
This is out of all of the videos I’ve watched by far the most informative
Great Job
Andy
The buckets with epoxy we let cure and harden. Assuming the epoxy is well mixed and does harden, you can just squeeze the bucket (or work it around) and "crack" the dried epoxy out of there. The mixing sticks etc we throw away,
Hello does it matter on how you pour the one into the other? Meaning like the Resin into the Hardner or vise versa. Thanks
Do u need to sand wood or use some cleaner before doing the epoxy or wipe with damp cloth?
Wanted to get your opinion. I just tried to make my first resin and live wood board. Roughly 12" x 16" in homemade mold. I used total boat thick set. With my calculations I needed about 54 oz of epoxy mixed. Which turned out to be a little too much...but I know I can take that down in the planer. My issue lies with the curing times. I placed the entire mold into a large tote in case any epoxy seeped out of the mold...and placed a lid on tote after pour to help prevent dust or anything else falling into epoxy and getting stuck. I poured the epoxy into the mold around 430pm and place lid on the tote. After 2 hours of letting it sit I went back to swirl the epoxy and the top and bottom thirds of the epoxy section were still very liquidy, but the center section felt like there was a large hard section that I could move around with a stick, but I left it alone and used the torch again to remove bubbles. By 10pm (6 hours after pour) the epoxy was hard as a rock and a few more bubbles had formed on the surface but I could not pop them ad they felt hard as well. Did I screw something up? Did placing a lid on the tote heat the space inside up too much and cure it faster? Any help/insight would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Sean. What was the pour depth? Thickset is rated for up to 1", if you poured 2" that would be too much volume and therefore create too much heat. Additionally, I wonder if putting the lid on the tote sealed it in enough that it just got too hot. A lot of guys making big tables will actually setup fans to cool down the epoxy and dissipate the heat. Basically... in the end, to much heat (ambient or internal) is going to cause it to set way faster. In 6 hours it shouldnt be rock hard. So i suspect that is what happened.
@@CraftedElements my pur depth was 7/8". So I agree that I think that putting the lid may (not fully seated) just did not allow enough heat to dissipate. Thanks for the input.
@@seangross5663 7/8" is fine for sure with Thickset. Was your shop/garage cool or sweltering hot? Try setting up a fan to blow over the epoxy. It will likely also keep flies and dust away.
@@CraftedElements i had the tote stored in the laundry room which is same as house temp of around 75 F. My next one I will remove the lid and install a fan.
@@CraftedElements I made a second board and it turned out 1000% better. But then ran into an issue, it was sitting fully complete and sitting on the kitchen island for a couple days after I finished it and now it has warped. Did that happen because my wood had a little too much moisture in it (about 13%). Or did it warp due to something else?
Total Boat yellows just as fast as cheap resins.
Should I wait for up to 12 hrs after pouring to create some swirl patterns in my epoxy on slower setting epoxies? Does over swirling later on introduce more bubbles? Thanks
It depends on the epoxy, its set time, the temperature of your room etc. Swirling when the epoxy is too stiff can definitely introduce bubbles, but normally something you can get rid of with a torch or heat gun after the fact.
@@CraftedElements thank you.
Quick question for you or anyone with insight. What brand/models of heat guns do you use or recommend. Or are there certain features to look for in a heat gun?
I use a Wagner heat gun with the metal attachments so you can control the "shape" of the air coming out of the gun. It doesn't need to be overkill. I believe the ones I have here are all less than $100.
Thank you for making these videos! They are super helpful! Because I overthink everything, I have a question (and I think this is the right video to ask it on). When using a paint mixer to mix the epoxy, can you just wipe it off after use and use it again? Or is it a one time use part of the project?
If you do want to wipe it off just use some isopropyl alcohol, I sometimes do this so my paddle doesn’t get crazy thick with cured resin. Also, if you’re using a paint mixer get a plastic one. If you use a metal one in a plastic bucket you can cause small bits of plastic (that the metal shaves off the bucket sides) to contaminate your resin.
Good question. Yes, they are reusable. You can definitely wipe off the epoxy, or, depending on the style of the mixer, just let the excess drain off, let the balance harden (set) then reuse it with the hardened epoxy on it.
great video!!
Thanks so much for the positive comment.
I just ordered a few of your silicone molds and am brand new to epoxy. The molds are currently in transit to me and I wanted to order my Total Boat epoxy. Just curious if your molds happen to come with recommendations of which epoxy to use for each individual size molds within the instructions? If so I was going to wait to order my epoxy until my molds are received but I'd like to get a head start and order my epoxy now. Thank you!
Hi Brian. No the molds do not come with specific epoxy instructions. You will want to make sure the pour depth of the epoxy you are using is similar to that of our molds. Most of our board molds are 1" in depth, and that means the best epoxy is the Totalboat Thickset product.
Hey! I purchased my first mold and it’s not here yet but my total boat epoxy is! Love the series but my question is when you are placing your wood “top” side up or down? Thanks so much!
That can be dependent on the mold if it has any designs or relief on it, but most people place it wood, top side up if its simple charcuterie board mold etc.
One thing that really sticks out to me here is how bad the US Imperial measuring system is. So glad I no longer have to screw with it since I live in Europe now. Great series though. Really helping me out. Thanks.
I don't understand this whole approach everyone takes to table making. The epoxy makers stress in their marketing, and compete with each other, to create epoxies that level out, crystal clear and bubble free. Then, y'all ignore that, rough it up, to finish it yourself, level it out, lol, it's like, why are you making all this work....
I just poured my first 2 tables. I pulled them out of the molds, and I am not touching them, they are perfect, as advertised by the epoxy maker, lol.... I planed my boards, etc., of course, but before the epoxy. I had the boards in the mold, flat and level, and finished, leveled the form,and poured 1/16 over the wood, so the epoxy made it's own sheet glass finish, smooth af. The other, I just did an inset in the wooden table top, and filled it.... I mean, you can't do colors this way, but river tables you can, just pout it short, and do a clear topper. Idk, they are my first, so I till tend to lean towards experienced people, but what I just told you is true, so, Idk..
Peace
Why does the uncoloured epoxy look like semen?
You would get more views if your videos were shorter. I like what you do but dont have enough time to watch the video for the length it is.
Wow, for me, a novice in epoxy, these videos are fantastic. Can I follow your Facebook account? I'd like to ask you some questions about resin.
You can find us on Instagram at @craftedelementsco. However, if is a resin specific question it's LIKELY best to ask the manufacturer of the resin. Questions about our molds or templates, we can definitely help out!