the author does like to from scratch, shaping and trimming wood from large blocks into fine finished products. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxD-QRFQz730FJEh4f9BYSf-nkIMIC9hL_ as another reviewer mentioned, most projects require a lot of high-dollar equipment that most of us dont have the room or budget for. But, knowing how to do these things, even if we wont be able to practice the full stack project, is still great.
I use a ton of epoxy as filler, since I use a lot of wood from locally felled trees. I know this is a little anal-retentive, but I always stir the epoxy in two cups. A few times when I was mixing in one cup before pouring, I would get a pocket of unmixed epoxy...probably from the edges or bottom of the cup. So now I mix for one minute in one cup, then pour into a second cup, and mix for another minute, with a new stir-stick. Works every time. Also, if you ever get neurotic about bubbles, get a vacuum chamber to degas the epoxy...works like a charm.
I live on the west coast and have been working with a lot of salvaged old growth redwoood in the process of restoring my 1880s home. I use all the techniques you show in this video with one key change. Applying the epoxy precisely out of a mixing cup is next to impossible. I dispense the resin and hardener into the corner of a ziplock or other hole-free baggie. Twist the baggie to isolate the corner and squish it around to mix. Cut the corner off with a razor knife at whatever size stream you need. Keep twisting the bag to keep it sealed and build a little pressure. I use recycled bags but u run the risk of having a leak which is a mess.
For knots I grind dry coffee beans to dust then mix up small batches of 5 min epoxy. After the epoxy is mixed I add enough coffee powder to get a stiff mix like cookie dough. Then I use a putty knife to fill the cracks. While the mix is still a bit green I will remove excess filler with a sharp chisel. I have found that you cannot simply add the three components together all at once and then mix as it doesn't harden properly.
Filling cracks etc with epoxy resin has been a big question mark for me as I start wood working in my new, now retired, work shop. Thanks! Matt, this was a big help; great video.
The absolute best explanation of epoxy for voids and cracks. I'd already gone through this learning curve the hard way, wish I'd seen this 6 months ago. I also use West Systems. I also like to incorporate cracks and knots and voids. Thanks for making the time to do these videos.
Hi Matt, on large thick lumber I use my shop vac to suck the epoxy through the cracks. I use a thicker mix of epoxy. Once the mix comes out the other side I shut off the vac, tape and continue to to fill with thinner mix epoxy. I enjoy your videos and watch as often as i can. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Matt! This was very helpful. I am working with my first live edge slab to make a countertop for my son's bathroom countertop. I had no big voids, but there were enough cracks that made me nervous about the moisture and waterspills in a bathroom. I tried shopping for wood fillers and epoxy prior to seeing your video....to no avail!!! I was quite happy when I ran across your video giving recommendations for the product, and very detailed instructions on how to use it. I have just finished the epoxy work, and now I will be putting on my first coat of waterlox on the underside. I am very excited!! Thank you from a project loving mama!!!
Thanks, Matt! I am a maker of custom electric violins. I want to thank you for an excellent TH-cam presentation about how to use epoxy as a stabilizer. What I liked about your video was that the was no music, things were done in real time (no fast-forwarding) and all the steps of what was needed were clear. A person who is thinking of commissioning an instrument from me wants to have the top and back plates of his instrument (this will be a hollow-body instrument, with ribs as an acoustic violin has) made from an amazing piece of Juniper wood that I purchased for its beautiful figure and colors. The wood itself has some punky, rotten and cracked spots, and the person who milled it for me suggested soaking it in clear epoxy to make the section of the board I'm using consistently hard and stabilize the cracked and punky sections.
Depending on how punky it is, you might consider using a penetrating epoxy first to strengthen the fibers followed by an epoxy fill as demonstrated in this video. thanks!
@@mcremona Hello, Matt, and thank for your reply:) Depending on which section of the board I would be using, some parts are very punky. Thanks for the idea of using a penetrating epoxy first. I'm new to the epoxy process, and so might have another few questions or two for you before beginning the work as I usually use wood that has few if any anomalies/checking, etc. My website is: dbcv.com, and you can go to the "Gallery" section if you're curious about my instruments. I'm also on Facebook and am a member of the "Luthiers Club". There are three pictures of the Juniper I am going to use both there and on my personal page, I believe. Thanks, my friend:) Best, David Burham
I really like your videos and have been using some of your tips but I might add a tip, although even many experts use pigment in epoxy for defects, holes etc... I have a rule with epoxy. Never ever ever ever use tints for knot holes or cracks; unless for some odd reason the knot is not the color of a knot inside the hole, or if the hole is bigger and light can shine through the other side(almost never). Epoxy without tint will mimic the color below it and look absolutely perfect when sanded and varnished. Adding tint looks artificial and stains the adjacent wood. Adding sawdust looks pretty lame too. If whatever hole you are filling is the color of the wood or hole fill it with clear epoxy. When pigment is used in epoxy the deeper the hole the darker the color becomes. When to use pigment? say you laminate a table with strips of wood and your glue line has a half knot. Then you can gouge the non knot side out to look like a knot. Paint it with acrylic or epoxy and pigment and then fill after dry with clear epoxy. Remember epoxy gets darker with depth. Cracks that go deep will appear black with just clear epoxy poured in so no need to color dark. Knot holes become black with clear epoxy. Shallow dings or tear out etc...mimic the color below(wood) if (nearly) clear epoxy is used. Reach out and I can show you examples and I have literally almost a thousand knot holes, cracks etc I can snap a pic of for you all; and remember epoxy blushes, so if you have to pour more after it cures to fill that dam knot hole that was so thirsty. Make sure you wash the patch with hot soapy water and say a white scotch brite pad to remove the water soluble amine blush before lightly sanding and pouring a second coat. Same with after a perfect epoxy patch. Hot soapy water before varnish. Epoxy won't bond to it's own blush very well and either will varnish. Cheers, Jon
Thank you Matt for a great array of application of epoxy...... I am a bowl turner that likes very interesting bowl with voids and cracks..... Wanting to fill the voids of an inclusion, so people won't say that it is cracked, no good!!! Now I know how to fill those unique voids and show the great character of the bowl's great grain patterns....
I have tried this technique and it works very well. I really like the way projects look when you leave the defects in in your material. It was also awesome to see my sticker in your cabinet!
Thanks for showing this product and the method to filling voids with the epoxy. I've been able to find the same product here in Australia and have now used it on a few of my projects. Cheers Matthew
Thanks Matt. This couldn't have come at a better time. Have some black walnut 8/4 I'm going to bookmatch for some door and drawer fronts and it had a few knots in it. Went with the 206 and some black walnut transtint. worked well. Tip: when the mix starts to whisp smoke...You're done...or about to be.
The board you used looks just like some I have and thought they would become firewood. I may invest in the West System to save them and add interest to my projects too. Thanks Matt!
thanks again for your instruction on epoxy in order to use wood that I know I have thrown into the camp fire pit.... Even though many time the wood has some very beautiful figured parts near the knot or crack... and by you adding the epoxy, you just end up with an attractive knot and the cracks are unique as well, especially in ash, cherry, and walnut..... Thanks again for showing me how to use epoxy to figured wood....
Great tip. You can also do an invisible repair on anything about 1/2" around. I make tables with less than perfect wood. many knots are rotten or loose, and for that I collect knots from other pieces. Excavate the defect then cut a 1/2" slice of knot down until it fits into the depression. slight imperfections can easily be filled. If the defect goes thru the piece, fill the back with bondo or other. I can easily fill a 2" knothole in about 10 minutes start to finish, seamlessly. For the smaller holes use the end of an appropriately sized stick.
I'm relatively new to epoxy, and am looking forward to doing a few projects with epoxy. Thanks for the great in-depth explanation of your epoxy experience.
Wow, I was so fascinated with the heat method of eliminating bubbles , it starts at about 7:58. I watched the bubbles disappear over and over again, about 10 times. There are no bubbles left. Amazing, can't wait to use method cause I have a board needing repair and this fits it to a tee. Can't wait to use the heat gun on the bubbles. May need to create some just to burst them.
In my opinion your ask Matt Series are the most helpful in this genera on all of TH-cam. If Khan Academy starts doing woodworking stuff he diffenantly needs to dome see you! Thanks!
just bought the pieces to the kit using the affiliate links in the description. Somehow it's $30ish cheaper than the actual "kit" on Amazon. Cremona with the win!
I love the worm holes in the wood! gives it great character. thanks for putting this up I got a project coming up I wanted to play with this. I use to use the West system when I made my Airplane. Great stuff!
*Looks great, thanks also for showing the imperfections after application and not trying to be mr perfect youtuber, saves us going through the trial and error. Thanks again, beautiful wood & scars can be beautiful also.*
Great demo Matt. I too use epoxy on almost every project. I have found using a heat gun on the low setting increases the viscosity of the epoxy making it easier for it to flow through the entire crack but one must be careful with the heat. The other method is adding 1 or 2 CCs of denatured alcohol which turns the epoxy to the viscosity of water. The alcohol evaporates almost instantly once applied and it doesn't seem to affect the properties of the epoxy.
Great video Matt! The process I use (on a much smaller scale) is to blend matching wood dust into the epoxy, making it stiffer, and then forcing the mix into the voids with a palette knife. I don't get bubbles and the colour match is very good, in some cases undetectable.
I use epoxy also, after the pour, I use my Saber-saw without the blade to vibrate the wood to settle out the epoxy and remove any bubbles... As it settles just add more epoxy to level it up..
I've heard one suggestion of using a vacuum to pull the epoxy through the board if the crack goes all the way through but haven't tried it yet. Sounds messy :) But getting it all over with quickly rather than having to keep messing with it has some appeal.
I would really only see that being effective if you were trying to clamp a crack closed. Otherwise you'd have a hard time damming up the underside to actually fill the crack. At least that's what my initial thoughts are
Hello Matthew, WOW! Thanks so much for your video, very useful and clear! I would be grateful if you could give me a suggestion. I left a bottle of gel bleach in a bag on the floor. It is an old, light colored, parquet; therefore, there is a very thin line of empty space between the pieces of wooden strips. For some reasons, the gel bleach leaked and, since the bag was not made of plastic (it was a cloth bag), it passed through and got to the floor. It stayed there for a very long time. The gel bleach had the time to literally dig a large hole in the parquet. Which now looks like a crater, about 5 to 6 cm in diameter, exposing the bottom layer of the floor, some sort of strange material. I thought to fill it with epoxy glue (Gorilla epoxy with the 2 syringes), wait that it dries, and then paint. I am glad to see that I can mix the paint with the glue itself. I need to fix this quickly. It's not my home. I would be GRATEFUL if you could help me with the following questions: 1) Since I cannot fill from the back side, how do I address the need to leave a thin line between the wooden strips? (yes, the crater expands beyond 1 strip, affecting the 2 strips at its 2 sides too. 2) If I send you a picture of the parquet (how/where can I send it? Thanks), would you be able to tell me, approximately, what colors of what kind of paint should I buy? 3) I cannot spend much money on huge tanks like yours, so, is the Gorilla Epoxy glue with 2 syringes ( www.homedepot.ca/product/gorilla-epoxy/1000778451 ) suitable for this job and can I mix that type too with the paint? 4) If the epoxy will end up overflowing, how can I gently smooth it without damaging the surrounding healthy parquet? 5) Any other suggestion? Like, if it had happened to you, what would you have done saving as much time and money as possible? THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I will anxiously wait for your response and my apologies for the long comment. Kind regards.
This was very interesting to see how you treat you defects. I use a similar method but sometimes i crush up some bark/knot material and sprinkle this onto and into the filled hole and find this gives a more natural looking knot when its sanded back. Best wishes Rod.
Please help . I have a piece of yes pine wood with live edge that I need to fill it has worm hole that has been sprayed. I did realize when I bought the piece 😩 that I'm going have to fill these . Is it ok to fill the holes with epoxy. This will bee my first time doing this . I'm go at working on wood. Love the challenge.
Some really great info that a person can use. Using the methods in this video a person can use some lumber they would ordinarily toss to the scrap or burn bin and give the piece they are making some extra added character. Thanks, Matt !!
Hey Matthew, question for you. I have four small table tops that have small cracks here & there throughout them. The tops appear to be stained. Does this seem to be the steps I should take to properly repair them: - Sand the current stain, - Clear all dust/debris from all cracks & voids, - Tape off potential exits of future epoxy pours, - Epoxy cracks & voids, allowing to cure, etc. - Sand excess epoxy to table top level, - Clean & restain Thank you in advance for your insight & suggestions.
Have you considered other fillers? Urethane resins tend to be very flexible. Most epoxies I've used have been quite brittle but perhaps the kind you are using remains somewhat flexible.
You mentioned that you often use epoxy in glue ups. So is it possible to use the epoxy for certain wood adhesive applications not just as a barrier? Thanks for sharing your knowledge. This ask Matt series is awesome!
Hi Matt, greetings from Downunder, I am experimenting with colour and glitter in my epoxy, I'm turning tool handles and gardening trowel handles with Celtic knots and purposely gouging trenches in the wood to be filled with coloured and glittered epoxy. It's just an experiment.
Thanks for the video, this looks like it may be a perfect solution for me. I'm putting together plans to build myself a 6x1.5 foot desktop out of a mix of reclaimed and new 2x4s. I was looking for a way to fill in any gaps that might show up between where the individual boards are glued together as well as knot holes and cracks and imperfections while still looking good against the final color of the stained wood. Can't wait to try this out.
I have some separation between the pieces of cedar used to construct my front door. Should I remove the old finish first and then apply the epoxy? And second, should I colour the epoxy or can it be used "plain" and will be clear when dried? Thank you for your time.
I have a foosball table that has been exposed to the elements. All four wooden legs have significant cracks and splits. My question is, could I use this epoxy to fill in the cracks and splits? Or is there a better method for repairing these legs. Great video by the way.
Have you ever tried using a penetrating epoxy while filling the voids? With it soaking into the wood itself I can't see it giving anything but a fantastic bond across the void.
Hey Matt, very interesting video! What's your longtime experience with this technique, when the wood shrinks and expands. Is the epoxy flexible enough to cope with that?
Thanks for the video and helpful tips Matt! I do this often. Sometimes I feel I have more money into the epoxy than the wood itself. The character of the wood in the end is well worth it. Spring is coming to MN later this week. Enjoy!
would the epoxy not gunge up the blades on the planer, on a second note i'm now 40 years old and thinking it's time i dabbled in my own shed full of tools after looking at thickness planers it looks costly so plan to start small and work up what sort of tools should i start with i guess a good set of chisels a pensil tape saw .... but on the lines of power tools where do i start. great vid by the way i'll certainly be watching more
Quick question, I have made a coffee table top with a slab of spalted maple, I filled in the cracks with tinted epoxy and the top is going to be sanded to 180 grit before finish. Question is, should I sand the areas filled with epoxy with a higher grit to make it more shiny? Right now the epoxied areas are very cloudy.. Thanks.
Could you use epoxy to fill a burn mark on a solid oak table from a soldering iron? I have scratched out the charred portion, now wondering if I could best hide it by making it look like a knot or wood fill and paint in the grain. Suggestions?
you can pinch the tape against itself to make a dam. using a vacuum bag will really improve permeation of the wood. Makes the fill faster as well. Add saw dust with less color to match wood tone better. The saw dust only needs to be on the top of the fill.
Enjoyed your video but have 1 question. Had a piece that had a end check/Crack about 1/4" wide, 5" long and all way through. After filling the epoxy leaked on end thru tape. Is there a better method for such applications to stop leaks on edge of boads? Great work, enjoy your videos.
great video. you can also take the sand paper off of the palm sander and push the sander down firmly near the treated area to quickly vibrate the Bubbles to the surface & away
When I went to art school, they taught us about "archival quality" glues. Paint comes in many grades from "it looks and smells like paint" to tempera paints that have lasted 3,000 years. Wheat paste and hide glue last for hundreds of years. Joints with standard woodworking glues last at least 60 years. How long is an epoxy glued joint expected to last? Boards glued with woodworking glue will break in the board, not on the joint. I tried it with red oak. Will the epoxy joint break before the wood itself?
I started using epoxy back when Tommy did a project in the Southwest a long time ago. Or maybe it was Norm. Who knows it was about 30 years ago. Epoxy is the bailing wire and duct tape of the wood trade! Sometimes I use just clear or sometimes I color it black. Depends on the project.
looks good, I have a tree disc from which I would like to make a table. can I coat it completely from top and bottom and at the edge with epoxy to prevent it from twisting and to make it water resisntant?
Matt have a cherry tree bar top want to epoxy clear has a couple knot holes but they don't go right thru top can I just fill with the epoxy and would like Colour to come thru is there a of varithane (or something else ) to make wood colour stand out before epoxing it Thanks Henry
Thanks for sharing the video, Matt! One question: Do the bottles of epoxy have a decent shelf life? I'm not a full time woodworker so I wouldn't use them as often so it will probably be years before I used the bottles. Would they be OK a few years from now?
I've read that using a powder colorant (like TransFast) instead of a liquid (like TransTint) helps prevent "staining" around the area of the pour. Have you compared the two?
I had a slab of walnut that had so many deep cracks (it was like swiss cheese!) it was taking an inordinate amount of epoxy to fill. And when I did fill, air bubbles were becoming a major problem. I just couldn't get them out to a perfectly smooth finish. So I tried the following, curious if you've ever tried it: I'd pour epoxy in a crack and wasn't concerned if it filled the whole void. Then I'd tape over the epoxy, and flip the board face down. What happens is the air bubbles up under the surface of the wood, while the epoxy flows against the tape, leaving a relatively flush pour after the tape is removed. The downside is it's purely a cosmetic fix, so if there are major voids that present a structural issue, then you could be asking for problems. But man, it saved so much time and trouble. Try it some time with your more cracked woods.
Matt, the video was very useful. I want to repair cracks in a table, but it has a slightly rough finish: better than rough planed, but not completely flat. How can I replicate that finish? It has a kind of raised grain effect.
Hi Matt. I'm fixing a damaged kitchen table with leaves. Will epoxy work for something like this? The table is somewhat damaged because of a little water. Should I refinish and stain before applying an epoxy coating? I was very intrigued with the use of a coloring agent in the epoxy and am wondering if this could take the place of refinishing. Obviously I'm very new to a project as big as a kitchen table.
I notice my natural color Alder cabinets - all of the knots are cracking. What color do you recommend for repair on this and how do I stop these from reoccurring? I bought the house 3 years ago and these cracks are popping up throughout the house in droves!
Hi matt, so we have an epoxy mess! We have a painted latex bar top and tried to put epoxy on it last night, there are tons of spots that look like it wasn't thick enough, bubbles etc... Then it got wet from a terrible rainstorm... How can we just restart?! Do we sand it down and add another coat?!
Matt, i poured exoplanet on a piece of wood but it cracked, I know that I have poured a 1:1 ratio but still crack on epoxy. Can i save it or should I remove the epoxy?
Matt, thank you for the video. A couple of questions, what if you were to use simple elmers wood glue instead of epoxy? Also, what do you do if you have an old wooden desk in which you use, but is forming cracks just like your boards are? Do you have a video for that?
I have seen Marc Spagnuolo use West systems stuff for so long now but never realized until just now that the epoxy as it comes out of the containers isn't already a really dark color. I don't know how I missed that.
Ok. I’m asking Matt. I want to fill nail/screw holes in 2x that I’m using for shelves. I want the epoxy to be probably a shiny bright blue. Maybe purple. Ok, my question. Do I need deep pour because it’s 1 1/2” deep as some “experts” are telling me. Or will a quick cure epoxy work? I can’t believe how many different opinions are out here. I love what you did here. 😎
Hello there. Is there anyway I can fix a crack on a painted project without ruining it? 🤦🏻♀️ There wasn't a crack at first, two days later there's a crack on both sides.
Very informative Matt. I used some epoxy to fill some gaps over the weekend but used the Diresta method of adding some sawdust from the same wood to match the epoxy to the surrounding area. Can barely tell the epoxy from the rest of the project.
Great info Matt. I have nail holes I'm gonna try this method with. Its a rustic pine bench I am working on. I think it will look good. Thanks for sharing. Scott
hi Matt, can you comment on a situation where you have to fill a void after the piece is already planed to finished dimensions and you can't put it through the planer....do you need to be concerned about discoloration of wood surrounding the defect that will get some epoxy on it? In this case would you polyurethane the pc first and then fill the void second? thanks
I bought a Oak slab I want to make a table out of. I sanded it down and it's smooth but there is are a lot of holes and cracks filled with dirt and rocks how do I remove this and seal those holes and cracks
Matt. What is a good product to stabilize cracks in turnings such as a cherry bowl that will turn clear when hard. I have seen turnings sprayed with hardener. What kind is that. Also the rag on type of hardener and this or medium resin for finish. Where is a good place to get different varieties and tutorials. Is there a logic to the numbering of the products. Thanks.
Matt, Great show. I am in the process of building a new workbench. All poplar 2x6 with oak 2x6 on the long edges and 2x6 walnut on the ends. My end vise with be walnut and the leg vise will be maple. I was wondering if you might recommend some finish to me. Although it will be used plenty, I still would like it to look nice and be somewhat maintainable. Thanks
Can you sub epoxy for Gorilla Glue to fill in the cracks in a fir shelf or will the glue expand and make the crack worse? Also, does the epoxy help strengthen the piece of wood enough to make it structurally safe to use as a heavy duty shelf?
Matt, I watched your video very carefully, and purchased the exact same products you used to fill voids in a large slab of wood. I taped the top of the voids very well, and filled from the underside. About 15 minutes after filling, the resin began to leak out of the void and onto the floor. The resin was quite thin after mixing. What happened? 1. A cool Florida day became quite warm, but I would only expect the resin to set up faster. 2. Because I have a large void to fill, I mixed up three pumps of the 105 and three pumps of the 206 at a time, then added about 10 drops of TransTint Dark Walnut. Before I order replacement resin and hardener, I want to be sure I understand what I'm doing wrong. Thanks for any tips!
More tape. Warming up epoxy causes it to become very runny. I use it professionally and know the frustration of missing a pin hole and coming back to a puddle. If you are filling larger areas be sure to do it in layers/steps since it generates its own heat when curing and can overheat causing cracks in itself or even smoke and catch fire (more of a problem when using 205 fast) if the area is too large the weight of the epoxy can push the tape out of the way if the wood has a crown or warp and isn't sitting flat on the table. If your piece is uneven you can tape it (or use premask since its wider ) and set your piece in a bed of sand and jiggle and work it in to get full contact. Hope this is helpfull
I use the same method also, primarily for filling mesquite which always seems to need some serious attention prior to any cutting. But, I've had some problems with leak-through using painters or masking tape. I'm experimenting with other types of tape now that provides a better seal and survives the drying process ... but any suggestions appreciated. Thanks!
Just what the doctor ordered lot's of good ideas. I liked the porosity removal using a hot blow torch. Question Would a hot air gun also work? Alistair
I have used acrylic and enamel with equal success. I also used fabric dye powder. Test it first. Get two pieces of wire, fold them in half, twist each on itself till you get one little eye that is about 5 times smaller than the eye in the other wire. The little eyes in the wires will produce proportionate sized drops. This way you do not use allot of epoxy for tests.
Love to see somebody else using wormy oak and cherry boards. When you slab your wood what do you treat it with to keep the worms and Beatles out? I use borax in water. Terry
If you thicken it up first it should stay in there until it cures. If you just try to get it in there out of the can, it will drain out because it's so fluid.
the author does like to from scratch, shaping and trimming wood from large blocks into fine finished products. th-cam.com/users/postUgkxD-QRFQz730FJEh4f9BYSf-nkIMIC9hL_ as another reviewer mentioned, most projects require a lot of high-dollar equipment that most of us dont have the room or budget for. But, knowing how to do these things, even if we wont be able to practice the full stack project, is still great.
I use a ton of epoxy as filler, since I use a lot of wood from locally felled trees. I know this is a little anal-retentive, but I always stir the epoxy in two cups. A few times when I was mixing in one cup before pouring, I would get a pocket of unmixed epoxy...probably from the edges or bottom of the cup. So now I mix for one minute in one cup, then pour into a second cup, and mix for another minute, with a new stir-stick. Works every time.
Also, if you ever get neurotic about bubbles, get a vacuum chamber to degas the epoxy...works like a charm.
I live on the west coast and have been working with a lot of salvaged old growth redwoood in the process of restoring my 1880s home. I use all the techniques you show in this video with one key change. Applying the epoxy precisely out of a mixing cup is next to impossible. I dispense the resin and hardener into the corner of a ziplock or other hole-free baggie. Twist the baggie to isolate the corner and squish it around to mix. Cut the corner off with a razor knife at whatever size stream you need. Keep twisting the bag to keep it sealed and build a little pressure. I use recycled bags but u run the risk of having a leak which is a mess.
For knots I grind dry coffee beans to dust then mix up small batches of 5 min epoxy. After the epoxy is mixed I add enough coffee powder to get a stiff mix like cookie dough. Then I use a putty knife to fill the cracks. While the mix is still a bit green I will remove excess filler with a sharp chisel. I have found that you cannot simply add the three components together all at once and then mix as it doesn't harden properly.
Filling cracks etc with epoxy resin has been a big question mark for me as I start wood working in my new, now retired, work shop. Thanks! Matt, this was a big help; great video.
The absolute best explanation of epoxy for voids and cracks. I'd already gone through this learning curve the hard way, wish I'd seen this 6 months ago. I also use West Systems. I also like to incorporate cracks and knots and voids. Thanks for making the time to do these videos.
Hi Matt, on large thick lumber I use my shop vac to suck the epoxy through the cracks. I use a thicker mix of epoxy. Once the mix comes out the other side I shut off the vac, tape and continue to to fill with thinner mix epoxy. I enjoy your videos and watch as often as i can. Thanks for sharing.
Great video. One thing I learned was to watch the amount of epoxy going in the crack. This keeps the overflow stain area to a minimum 👍
Thanks Matt! This was very helpful. I am working with my first live edge slab to make a countertop for my son's bathroom countertop. I had no big voids, but there were enough cracks that made me nervous about the moisture and waterspills in a bathroom. I tried shopping for wood fillers and epoxy prior to seeing your video....to no avail!!! I was quite happy when I ran across your video giving recommendations for the product, and very detailed instructions on how to use it. I have just finished the epoxy work, and now I will be putting on my first coat of waterlox on the underside. I am very excited!! Thank you from a project loving mama!!!
Thanks, Matt! I am a maker of custom electric violins. I want to thank you for an excellent TH-cam presentation about how to use epoxy as a stabilizer. What I liked about your video was that the was no music, things were done in real time (no fast-forwarding) and all the steps of what was needed were clear.
A person who is thinking of commissioning an instrument from me wants to have the top and back plates of his instrument (this will be a hollow-body instrument, with ribs as an acoustic violin has) made from an amazing piece of Juniper wood that I purchased for its beautiful figure and colors. The wood itself has some punky, rotten and cracked spots, and the person who milled it for me suggested soaking it in clear epoxy to make the section of the board I'm using consistently hard and stabilize the cracked and punky sections.
Depending on how punky it is, you might consider using a penetrating epoxy first to strengthen the fibers followed by an epoxy fill as demonstrated in this video. thanks!
@@mcremona Hello, Matt, and thank for your reply:) Depending on which section of the board I would be using, some parts are very punky. Thanks for the idea of using a penetrating epoxy first. I'm new to the epoxy process, and so might have another few questions or two for you before beginning the work as I usually use wood that has few if any anomalies/checking, etc. My website is: dbcv.com, and you can go to the "Gallery" section if you're curious about my instruments. I'm also on Facebook and am a member of the "Luthiers Club". There are three pictures of the Juniper I am going to use both there and on my personal page, I believe. Thanks, my friend:) Best, David Burham
I really like your videos and have been using some of your tips but I might add a tip, although even many experts use pigment in epoxy for defects, holes etc... I have a rule with epoxy. Never ever ever ever use tints for knot holes or cracks; unless for some odd reason the knot is not the color of a knot inside the hole, or if the hole is bigger and light can shine through the other side(almost never). Epoxy without tint will mimic the color below it and look absolutely perfect when sanded and varnished. Adding tint looks artificial and stains the adjacent wood. Adding sawdust looks pretty lame too. If whatever hole you are filling is the color of the wood or hole fill it with clear epoxy. When pigment is used in epoxy the deeper the hole the darker the color becomes. When to use pigment? say you laminate a table with strips of wood and your glue line has a half knot. Then you can gouge the non knot side out to look like a knot. Paint it with acrylic or epoxy and pigment and then fill after dry with clear epoxy. Remember epoxy gets darker with depth. Cracks that go deep will appear black with just clear epoxy poured in so no need to color dark. Knot holes become black with clear epoxy. Shallow dings or tear out etc...mimic the color below(wood) if (nearly) clear epoxy is used. Reach out and I can show you examples and I have literally almost a thousand knot holes, cracks etc I can snap a pic of for you all; and remember epoxy blushes, so if you have to pour more after it cures to fill that dam knot hole that was so thirsty. Make sure you wash the patch with hot soapy water and say a white scotch brite pad to remove the water soluble amine blush before lightly sanding and pouring a second coat. Same with after a perfect epoxy patch. Hot soapy water before varnish. Epoxy won't bond to it's own blush very well and either will varnish. Cheers, Jon
Thank you Matt for a great array of application of epoxy...... I am a bowl turner that likes very interesting bowl with voids and cracks..... Wanting to fill the voids of an inclusion, so people won't say that it is cracked, no good!!! Now I know how to fill those unique voids and show the great character of the bowl's great grain patterns....
I have tried this technique and it works very well. I really like the way projects look when you leave the defects in in your material. It was also awesome to see my sticker in your cabinet!
Thanks for showing this product and the method to filling voids with the epoxy. I've been able to find the same product here in Australia and have now used it on a few of my projects. Cheers Matthew
Awesome! That's great to hear!
Excellent timing Matt! I'm getting ready to fill silver maple crotch and this will be my first time using epoxy. Thanks.
Awesome! Thanks Paul!
Thanks Matt. This couldn't have come at a better time. Have some black walnut 8/4 I'm going to bookmatch for some door and drawer fronts and it had a few knots in it. Went with the 206 and some black walnut transtint. worked well.
Tip: when the mix starts to whisp smoke...You're done...or about to be.
The board you used looks just like some I have and thought they would become firewood. I may invest in the West System to save them and add interest to my projects too. Thanks Matt!
thanks again for your instruction on epoxy in order to use wood that I know I have thrown into the camp fire pit.... Even though many time the wood has some very beautiful figured parts near the knot or crack... and by you adding the epoxy, you just end up with an attractive knot and the cracks are unique as well, especially in ash, cherry, and walnut..... Thanks again for showing me how to use epoxy to figured wood....
Great video on using epoxy. This technique can make defective wood a useable product and is quite attractive. Thanks for sharing Matt...
+Jim Pell thanks Jim!
Great tip. You can also do an invisible repair on anything about 1/2" around. I make tables with less than perfect wood. many knots are rotten or loose, and for that I collect knots from other pieces. Excavate the defect then cut a 1/2" slice of knot down until it fits into the depression. slight imperfections can easily be filled. If the defect goes thru the piece, fill the back with bondo or other. I can easily fill a 2" knothole in about 10 minutes start to finish, seamlessly. For the smaller holes use the end of an appropriately sized stick.
Well done - I've used epoxy for years filling Mesquite cracks and checks and it just adds to beauty of the wood. Thanks
I'm relatively new to epoxy, and am looking forward to doing a few projects with epoxy. Thanks for the great in-depth explanation of your epoxy experience.
+Darren Agnew glad it was helpful!
Wow, I was so fascinated with the heat method of eliminating bubbles , it starts at about 7:58.
I watched the bubbles disappear over and over again, about 10 times. There are no bubbles left. Amazing, can't wait to use method cause I have a board needing repair and this fits it to a tee.
Can't wait to use the heat gun on the bubbles. May need to create some just to burst them.
In my opinion your ask Matt Series are the most helpful in this genera on all of TH-cam. If Khan Academy starts doing woodworking stuff he diffenantly needs to dome see you! Thanks!
just bought the pieces to the kit using the affiliate links in the description. Somehow it's $30ish cheaper than the actual "kit" on Amazon. Cremona with the win!
I love the worm holes in the wood! gives it great character. thanks for putting this up I got a project coming up I wanted to play with this. I use to use the West system when I made my Airplane. Great stuff!
Yeah.. maybe wormholes in wood could be considered aesthetic
*Looks great, thanks also for showing the imperfections after application and not trying to be mr perfect youtuber, saves us going through the trial and error. Thanks again, beautiful wood & scars can be beautiful also.*
I like the way you keep the epoxy in normal wood colors. Thank you for the explanation
Great demo Matt. I too use epoxy on almost every project. I have found using a heat gun on the low setting increases the viscosity of the epoxy making it easier for it to flow through the entire crack but one must be careful with the heat. The other method is adding 1 or 2 CCs of denatured alcohol which turns the epoxy to the viscosity of water. The alcohol evaporates almost instantly once applied and it doesn't seem to affect the properties of the epoxy.
Great video Matt! The process I use (on a much smaller scale) is to blend matching wood dust into the epoxy, making it stiffer, and then forcing the mix into the voids with a palette knife. I don't get bubbles and the colour match is very good, in some cases undetectable.
I use epoxy also, after the pour, I use my Saber-saw without the blade to vibrate the wood to settle out the epoxy and remove any bubbles... As it settles just add more epoxy to level it up..
I've heard one suggestion of using a vacuum to pull the epoxy through the board if the crack goes all the way through but haven't tried it yet. Sounds messy :) But getting it all over with quickly rather than having to keep messing with it has some appeal.
I would really only see that being effective if you were trying to clamp a crack closed. Otherwise you'd have a hard time damming up the underside to actually fill the crack. At least that's what my initial thoughts are
Cool technique! The masking tape worked great, especially in that molding situation! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks!
Scrap wood City council
Hello Matthew, WOW! Thanks so much for your video, very useful and clear! I would be grateful if you could give me a suggestion. I left a bottle of gel bleach in a bag on the floor. It is an old, light colored, parquet; therefore, there is a very thin line of empty space between the pieces of wooden strips. For some reasons, the gel bleach leaked and, since the bag was not made of plastic (it was a cloth bag), it passed through and got to the floor. It stayed there for a very long time. The gel bleach had the time to literally dig a large hole in the parquet. Which now looks like a crater, about 5 to 6 cm in diameter, exposing the bottom layer of the floor, some sort of strange material. I thought to fill it with epoxy glue (Gorilla epoxy with the 2 syringes), wait that it dries, and then paint. I am glad to see that I can mix the paint with the glue itself. I need to fix this quickly. It's not my home. I would be GRATEFUL if you could help me with the following questions: 1) Since I cannot fill from the back side, how do I address the need to leave a thin line between the wooden strips? (yes, the crater expands beyond 1 strip, affecting the 2 strips at its 2 sides too. 2) If I send you a picture of the parquet (how/where can I send it? Thanks), would you be able to tell me, approximately, what colors of what kind of paint should I buy? 3) I cannot spend much money on huge tanks like yours, so, is the Gorilla Epoxy glue with 2 syringes ( www.homedepot.ca/product/gorilla-epoxy/1000778451 ) suitable for this job and can I mix that type too with the paint? 4) If the epoxy will end up overflowing, how can I gently smooth it without damaging the surrounding healthy parquet? 5) Any other suggestion? Like, if it had happened to you, what would you have done saving as much time and money as possible? THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! I will anxiously wait for your response and my apologies for the long comment. Kind regards.
This was very interesting to see how you treat you defects. I use a similar method but sometimes i crush up some bark/knot material and sprinkle this onto and into the filled hole and find this gives a more natural looking knot when its sanded back. Best wishes Rod.
Please help . I have a piece of yes pine wood with live edge that I need to fill it has worm hole that has been sprayed. I did realize when I bought the piece 😩 that I'm going have to fill these . Is it ok to fill the holes with epoxy. This will bee my first time doing this . I'm go at working on wood. Love the challenge.
Some really great info that a person can use. Using the methods in this video a person can use some lumber they would ordinarily toss to the scrap or burn bin and give the piece they are making some extra added character. Thanks, Matt !!
Hey Matthew, question for you. I have four small table tops that have small cracks here & there throughout them. The tops appear to be stained. Does this seem to be the steps I should take to properly repair them:
- Sand the current stain,
- Clear all dust/debris from all cracks & voids,
- Tape off potential exits of future epoxy pours,
- Epoxy cracks & voids, allowing to cure, etc.
- Sand excess epoxy to table top level,
- Clean & restain
Thank you in advance for your insight & suggestions.
Looks really nice, Matthew. Great job. Thanks for sharing. 👏👍👏
thanks!
@@mcremona 👍Keep up the great work.👍
Have you considered other fillers? Urethane resins tend to be very flexible. Most epoxies I've used have been quite brittle but perhaps the kind you are using remains somewhat flexible.
Try a finishing sander without sand paper to vibrate the wood when filling.
That's looks bad man!
Also can use a reciprocating saw without a blade.
You mentioned that you often use epoxy in glue ups. So is it possible to use the epoxy for certain wood adhesive applications not just as a barrier? Thanks for sharing your knowledge. This ask Matt series is awesome!
+Richard Heishman yes it's a great adhesive for complex glueups. It will give you 30-40 minutes of open time. Thanks Richard!
Matthew Cremona thanks !!
Hi Matt, greetings from Downunder, I am experimenting with colour and glitter in my epoxy, I'm turning tool handles and gardening trowel handles with Celtic knots and purposely gouging trenches in the wood to be filled with coloured and glittered epoxy. It's just an experiment.
Thanks for the video, this looks like it may be a perfect solution for me.
I'm putting together plans to build myself a 6x1.5 foot desktop out of a mix of reclaimed and new 2x4s. I was looking for a way to fill in any gaps that might show up between where the individual boards are glued together as well as knot holes and cracks and imperfections while still looking good against the final color of the stained wood.
Can't wait to try this out.
Awesome! yeah, this will work great for you :)
I have some separation between the pieces of cedar used to construct my front door. Should I remove the old finish first and then apply the epoxy? And second, should I colour the epoxy or can it be used "plain" and will be clear when dried? Thank you for your time.
Very clear, to the point and a nice voice to listen to. Thank you!
Thank you!
I have a foosball table that has been exposed to the elements. All four wooden legs have significant cracks and splits. My question is, could I use this epoxy to fill in the cracks and splits? Or is there a better method for repairing these legs. Great video by the way.
Have you ever tried using a penetrating epoxy while filling the voids? With it soaking into the wood itself I can't see it giving anything but a fantastic bond across the void.
Hey Matt, very interesting video! What's your longtime experience with this technique, when the wood shrinks and expands. Is the epoxy flexible enough to cope with that?
very very intresting question !!!
Thanks for the video and helpful tips Matt! I do this often. Sometimes I feel I have more money into the epoxy than the wood itself. The character of the wood in the end is well worth it. Spring is coming to MN later this week. Enjoy!
It's amazing how much epoxy it can take in, and the unexpected places it comes out sometimes
would the epoxy not gunge up the blades on the planer, on a second note i'm now 40 years old and thinking it's time i dabbled in my own shed full of tools after looking at thickness planers it looks costly so plan to start small and work up what sort of tools should i start with i guess a good set of chisels a pensil tape saw .... but on the lines of power tools where do i start. great vid by the way i'll certainly be watching more
Can you use stain and polyurethane to finish the wood after you fill the cracks with the epoxy?
Quick question, I have made a coffee table top with a slab of spalted maple, I filled in the cracks with tinted epoxy and the top is going to be sanded to 180 grit before finish. Question is, should I sand the areas filled with epoxy with a higher grit to make it more shiny? Right now the epoxied areas are very cloudy.. Thanks.
Could you use epoxy to fill a burn mark on a solid oak table from a soldering iron? I have scratched out the charred portion, now wondering if I could best hide it by making it look like a knot or wood fill and paint in the grain. Suggestions?
you can pinch the tape against itself to make a dam. using a vacuum bag will really improve permeation of the wood. Makes the fill faster as well. Add saw dust with less color to match wood tone better. The saw dust only needs to be on the top of the fill.
What do you do if you don't have one of the machines that you put the wood through
Enjoyed your video but have 1 question. Had a piece that had a end check/Crack about 1/4" wide, 5" long and all way through. After filling the epoxy leaked on end thru tape. Is there a better method for such applications to stop leaks on edge of boads? Great work, enjoy your videos.
great video. you can also take the sand paper off of the palm sander and push the sander down firmly near the treated area to quickly vibrate the Bubbles to the surface & away
+Rag Tie I started with that. switched to a rubber mallet and tapping the board. got more bubbles that way.
Right on, I'll try that next time. Great stuff you do
When I went to art school, they taught us about "archival quality" glues. Paint comes in many grades from "it looks and smells like paint" to tempera paints that have lasted 3,000 years. Wheat paste and hide glue last for hundreds of years. Joints with standard woodworking glues last at least 60 years. How long is an epoxy glued joint expected to last? Boards glued with woodworking glue will break in the board, not on the joint. I tried it with red oak. Will the epoxy joint break before the wood itself?
I started using epoxy back when Tommy did a project in the Southwest a long time ago. Or maybe it was Norm. Who knows it was about 30 years ago. Epoxy is the bailing wire and duct tape of the wood trade! Sometimes I use just clear or sometimes I color it black. Depends on the project.
looks good,
I have a tree disc from which I would like to make a table. can I coat it completely from top and bottom and at the edge with epoxy to prevent it from twisting and to make it water resisntant?
Matt have a cherry tree bar top want to epoxy clear has a couple knot holes but they don't go right thru top can I just fill with the epoxy and would like Colour to come thru is there a of varithane (or something else ) to make wood colour stand out before epoxing it Thanks Henry
Thanks for sharing the video, Matt! One question: Do the bottles of epoxy have a decent shelf life? I'm not a full time woodworker so I wouldn't use them as often so it will probably be years before I used the bottles. Would they be OK a few years from now?
+Sean from SimpleCove yeah they're good for years. This gallon kit is 2 years old already. Thanks Sean!
Whats better for cracks in slabs for structural concerns? Resin or bowties?
Excellent video and tips. Helped me get the work done precisely and without trial and error.
Excellent!
I've read that using a powder colorant (like TransFast) instead of a liquid (like TransTint) helps prevent "staining" around the area of the pour. Have you compared the two?
If sanding is not possible because the wood surface could be damaged, how can you fill these kind of holes?
I had a slab of walnut that had so many deep cracks (it was like swiss cheese!) it was taking an inordinate amount of epoxy to fill. And when I did fill, air bubbles were becoming a major problem. I just couldn't get them out to a perfectly smooth finish. So I tried the following, curious if you've ever tried it:
I'd pour epoxy in a crack and wasn't concerned if it filled the whole void. Then I'd tape over the epoxy, and flip the board face down. What happens is the air bubbles up under the surface of the wood, while the epoxy flows against the tape, leaving a relatively flush pour after the tape is removed.
The downside is it's purely a cosmetic fix, so if there are major voids that present a structural issue, then you could be asking for problems. But man, it saved so much time and trouble. Try it some time with your more cracked woods.
Matt, the video was very useful. I want to repair cracks in a table, but it has a slightly rough finish: better than rough planed, but not completely flat. How can I replicate that finish? It has a kind of raised grain effect.
Hi Matt. I'm fixing a damaged kitchen table with leaves. Will epoxy work for something like this? The table is somewhat damaged because of a little water. Should I refinish and stain before applying an epoxy coating? I was very intrigued with the use of a coloring agent in the epoxy and am wondering if this could take the place of refinishing. Obviously I'm very new to a project as big as a kitchen table.
I notice my natural color Alder cabinets - all of the knots are cracking. What color do you recommend for repair on this and how do I stop these from reoccurring? I bought the house 3 years ago and these cracks are popping up throughout the house in droves!
Hi matt, so we have an epoxy mess! We have a painted latex bar top and tried to put epoxy on it last night, there are tons of spots that look like it wasn't thick enough, bubbles etc... Then it got wet from a terrible rainstorm... How can we just restart?! Do we sand it down and add another coat?!
Matt, i poured exoplanet on a piece of wood but it cracked, I know that I have poured a 1:1 ratio but still crack on epoxy. Can i save it or should I remove the epoxy?
perfect time to find this vid. just working with some pallet wood projects with cracks and nail holes. thanks buddy!!
Would using a heat gun both bring the bubbles up and loosen up the resin to flow faster?
Have you tried transparent or semi-transparent epoxies to highlight the original wood, but retain the shape of the new piece?
Matt, thank you for the video. A couple of questions, what if you were to use simple elmers wood glue instead of epoxy? Also, what do you do if you have an old wooden desk in which you use, but is forming cracks just like your boards are? Do you have a video for that?
I have seen Marc Spagnuolo use West systems stuff for so long now but never realized until just now that the epoxy as it comes out of the containers isn't already a really dark color. I don't know how I missed that.
My boys made a little plywood boat. They have caulked it everything but I’m looking for something to make sure it will float. Any ideas?
Ok. I’m asking Matt. I want to fill nail/screw holes in 2x that I’m using for shelves. I want the epoxy to be probably a shiny bright blue. Maybe purple. Ok, my question. Do I need deep pour because it’s 1 1/2” deep as some “experts” are telling me. Or will a quick cure epoxy work? I can’t believe how many different opinions are out here. I love what you did here. 😎
Hello there. Is there anyway I can fix a crack on a painted project without ruining it? 🤦🏻♀️
There wasn't a crack at first, two days later there's a crack on both sides.
Very informative Matt. I used some epoxy to fill some gaps over the weekend but used the Diresta method of adding some sawdust from the same wood to match the epoxy to the surrounding area. Can barely tell the epoxy from the rest of the project.
+TT OKC that's my preferred gap filler ;)
Great info Matt. I have nail holes I'm gonna try this method with. Its a rustic pine bench I am working on. I think it will look good. Thanks for sharing.
Scott
Thanks Scott!
hi Matt, can you comment on a situation where you have to fill a void after the piece is already planed to finished dimensions and you can't put it through the planer....do you need to be concerned about discoloration of wood surrounding the defect that will get some epoxy on it? In this case would you polyurethane the pc first and then fill the void second? thanks
I bought a Oak slab I want to make a table out of. I sanded it down and it's smooth but there is are a lot of holes and cracks filled with dirt and rocks how do I remove this and seal those holes and cracks
After filling holes and cracks with epoxy, planning etc. can I finish desk top with polyurethane?
Yes
Matt. What is a good product to stabilize cracks in turnings such as a cherry bowl that will turn clear when hard. I have seen turnings sprayed with hardener. What kind is that. Also the rag on type of hardener and this or medium resin for finish. Where is a good place to get different varieties and tutorials. Is there a logic to the numbering of the products. Thanks.
Matt, Great show. I am in the process of building a new workbench. All poplar 2x6 with oak 2x6 on the long edges and 2x6 walnut on the ends. My end vise with be walnut and the leg vise will be maple. I was wondering if you might recommend some finish to me. Although it will be used plenty, I still would like it to look nice and be somewhat maintainable. Thanks
Can you sub epoxy for Gorilla Glue to fill in the cracks in a fir shelf or will the glue expand and make the crack worse?
Also, does the epoxy help strengthen the piece of wood enough to make it structurally safe to use as a heavy duty shelf?
Super informative Matt! Awesome stuff!
Matt, I watched your video very carefully, and purchased the exact same products you used to fill voids in a large slab of wood. I taped the top of the voids very well, and filled from the underside. About 15 minutes after filling, the resin began to leak out of the void and onto the floor. The resin was quite thin after mixing. What happened?
1. A cool Florida day became quite warm, but I would only expect the resin to set up faster.
2. Because I have a large void to fill, I mixed up three pumps of the 105 and three pumps of the 206 at a time, then added about 10 drops of TransTint Dark Walnut.
Before I order replacement resin and hardener, I want to be sure I understand what I'm doing wrong.
Thanks for any tips!
More tape. Warming up epoxy causes it to become very runny. I use it professionally and know the frustration of missing a pin hole and coming back to a puddle. If you are filling larger areas be sure to do it in layers/steps since it generates its own heat when curing and can overheat causing cracks in itself or even smoke and catch fire (more of a problem when using 205 fast) if the area is too large the weight of the epoxy can push the tape out of the way if the wood has a crown or warp and isn't sitting flat on the table. If your piece is uneven you can tape it (or use premask since its wider ) and set your piece in a bed of sand and jiggle and work it in to get full contact.
Hope this is helpfull
I use the same method also, primarily for filling mesquite which always seems to need some serious attention prior to any cutting. But, I've had some problems with leak-through using painters or masking tape.
I'm experimenting with other types of tape now that provides a better seal and survives the drying process ... but any suggestions appreciated.
Thanks!
Just what the doctor ordered lot's of good ideas. I liked the porosity removal using a hot blow torch. Question Would a hot air gun also work? Alistair
Thanks Alistair! Yes, a hot air gun would also work. Probably less difficult to accidentally burn the epoxy as well
Awesome video. Can you use the epoxy let sat on shelves that may be holding up a little weight?
Thanks Damain! yes, you can use it on shelves
Literally perfect timing. I have some small maple slabs that I'm about to repair with Epoxy. I need to go get som Transtint!
+Gnomacide awesome!
+Gnomacide Check the basement paint stash before you spend more cash, a small amount of paint gives a translucent affect the same as adding a stain.
+Big Fat Tony's Does it matter what kind of paint I use?
I have used acrylic and enamel with equal success. I also used fabric dye powder. Test it first. Get two pieces of wire, fold them in half, twist each on itself till you get one little eye that is about 5 times smaller than the eye in the other wire. The little eyes in the wires will produce proportionate sized drops. This way you do not use allot of epoxy for tests.
Matt can I put bowties in a green black oak slab to stop cracking?
Love to see somebody else using wormy oak and cherry boards. When you slab your wood what do you treat it with to keep the worms and Beatles out? I use borax in water. Terry
awesome show, I dug the epoxy. It's expensive though, but what can we do?
yeah, luckily it lasts for a while. Thanks!
Matt, will this epoxy suck into a crack on a vertical surface if I brush it on? thanks much for your video!
If you thicken it up first it should stay in there until it cures. If you just try to get it in there out of the can, it will drain out because it's so fluid.
Fill vertical cracks from the bottom. Put on rows of masking tape and fill behind then put a row of tape above it and continue till you reach the top.
Do you still recommend this epoxy/Gardner system? Just seeing if you e found anything better since then.