So you want to do an epoxy finish? DO THIS Instead

So you want to do an epoxy finish? DO THIS Instead | End Table Build

Рет қаралды 736,474

Жыл бұрын

Buy this piece on my website! burnswoodshop.com/store-1/p/l...
Tools I use: amzn.to/3YPQtNm
^Card Scraper, Carbide scraper, ANY of the tools I use in this video are in this link!^
linktr.ee/Burnswoodshop?...
Buy a piece from me or put in an inquiry on a custom piece on my website! burnswoodshop.com/
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Router Sled:
Base rails- amzn.to/401l8IG
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Please let me know what you think of it in the comments! Haters are always welcome on my channel, I will never delete a comment or block someone. I feel like you guys should be able to speak freely in the comments even if you have a negative opinion on my work!
This is just a part time side business for me at the moment, I film and edit all my videos from my iPhone. I would really love to do this full time, so any feedback on the video really helps me understand what I can do to make these videos better for you guys!
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Any feedback helps!
Thanks again for watching!

Пікірлер: 905

@johnminer8374 11 ай бұрын

Very refreshing to watch a video where the author is sharing his experience with a complete absence of ego - explaining the problems encountered in his project, requesting advice from the community and still creating an impressive finished project. Well done!

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 11 ай бұрын

Thank you very much!!

@thehimself4056 9 ай бұрын

Try vacuuming the epoxy before you apply it. I make similar stuff. Having a 3-5 gallon vacuum chamber will show you how much air is in it.

@sandycannon1613 7 ай бұрын

Love it

@brucehansen7949 4 ай бұрын

@@bruceburnswoodshop1620call me dumb or whatever but I've done a few end grain wood slab pours to make clocks not tables, but instead of that heaping piece of particle board, a few pieces of packing tape will do the same, sometimes it peels right off, other times I sand it off. And also you said you use deep pour but wow that wood soaked up that epoxy faster than I've ever seen by 100x Maybe different woods make a big difference but if you sand it finer it may not soak up as much epoxy. Just my thoughts. Cool video man, I definitely learned a few things here and first time seeing someone use a vacuum chamber? I gotta look into that more, tired of fighting bubbles

@brucehansen7949 4 ай бұрын

Your router sled is badass, gonna try to copy you

@TheresaHify 8 ай бұрын

It’s been my experience that you have to varathane, I use a water base, before you use resin. If you don’t the wood keeps bubbling after. Make sure your wood is very dry. And just use your mixture to seal up the bottom. Also another good way to get rid of bubbles is isopropyl alcohol 90 percent and spray it on. Helps with the bubbles and doesn’t affect the epoxy at all. Like your video. Very nice piece. Was a learning curve for me when I started.😊

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 8 ай бұрын

Thanks! I actually have another piece I’m working on now I’m going to try that.

@rainman6080 8 ай бұрын

You can also do a thin skim coat of epoxy to seal the wood and allow to dry then sand and pour finish.

@makinnewcounts6676 7 ай бұрын

@@rainman6080 yeah if you use deep pour epoxy or heat the wood up maybe. Tabletop epoxy doesn't really sink into the grain much. I notice when removing cured epoxy with a scraper...scraper slides right in between. Nasty job though especially with uncured layers. Still preferred over the chemical removers man those will kill ya.

@webuytampaflhouses296 6 ай бұрын

I wood not you a deep pour epoxy on a primer coat. You can add 10% xylene or acetone to the primer coat. 10 oz of epoxy 1 oz xylene. If you’re mixing two to one Epoxy and you end up mixing 12 ounces, you can still add 1 ounce this number is not exact it just helps thin the epoxy to fill in areas that may cause air bubbles later

@actionjksn 6 ай бұрын

@@bruceburnswoodshop1620There is a much thinner better penetrating epoxy for sealing and penetrating deeper into the wood. Its consistency is closer to water. It's called Total Boat penetrating epoxy, it mixes 2:1. You can also add 1 part denatured alcohol or acetone to make it even thinner, that's what I did. You probably have air being released from the wood where it's not all filled in. This company makes the thick pour type epoxy as well. Also it might help to get a strong vibrator and vibrate the wood to get the air out after you pour.

@jbrac1958 9 ай бұрын

That is a gorgeous piece of work. I have done woodworking for myself and family a long time (50 yrs) and the one thing I pick up from your video that I truly empathize with you on is your love of the journey, not the destination. It takes a huge amount of patience and love of the art, to perform the dozens of steps you did. A person doesn't do that except when their greatest pleasure is in the creating, not possessing. I wish I had the stamina, and the shop you do. I would be very motivated to start up another piece of furniture after watching your video.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 9 ай бұрын

I never thought about it like that but that’s absolutely spot on. Thank you for this comment!

@jbrac1958 9 ай бұрын

You are very welcome. I know passion when I see it. When anyone, can find a creative outlet and practice it, they grow emotionally and spiritually. They just don't realize it. What they notice is the endorphins and being happy within the process. @@bruceburnswoodshop1620

@frankashworth5961 10 ай бұрын

Hello. When you sanded your first sealing layer, the amount of sanding removed it's sealing capability. After you began applying the finish layers, the micro-voids in the wood, had to give up air in spaces, the first couple layers drew out. Seal the end grain more than moderately, and only use finer sandpaper lightly, so you don't "unseal" the grain. Nice piece. Good luck.

@dustinepps4801 Жыл бұрын

I think you made the right call with the shellac. Personally I feel it looked better than the epoxy top coat

@VirginiaBronson Жыл бұрын

It's beautiful! Thank you for taking the time to make this video.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

Absolutely thanks for watching!!

@adamulias2315 8 ай бұрын

Great job, man! Really excellent work, and I respect the honesty about the issues you found in your work. Happens to me all the time, but it can be a valuable lesson once you work your way through it. 😊👍

@manyfeather2knives423 3 ай бұрын

You are obviously a perfectionist. That thing looked beautiful to me halfway thru the process.

@D-B-Cooper Жыл бұрын

You were asking about the micro bubbles, try not mixing it with power mixer, carefully mix it a tongue depressor and carefully pour it out not to introduce air. I once worked in a place that mass produced epoxy coated items. Epoxy was mixed in a metering gun and poured out in a temp and humidity controlled room. No sanding or polishing. If there was a problem the rep would figure it out and tweak the formula. Epoxy gets old real quick and starts to separate. You can still use it but you need to heat it and remix it. Even atmospheric pressure has an affect on the outcome. Instead of mold release you can use packaging tape.

@bernardhill1622 11 ай бұрын

Spot on..!!

@JerzyBoy973 11 ай бұрын

Just sit the bucket in boiling hot water while you mix and let it sit in the hot water for a bit. The bubbles disípate.

@skpince 11 ай бұрын

@@JerzyBoy973good one. Will try it next time I epoxy.

@paulduncan5231 11 ай бұрын

I also mix with tongue depressor or a small piece of lattice. But the air bubbles may have worked up from the wood itself if it was not sealed completely. I have had that experience myself and the Apoxy was a little too cured to torch the bubbles out of it .

@paulduncan5231 11 ай бұрын

@@JerzyBoy973hey thank you for that tip . I will use the boiling water hack on my next pour. And if you have any more tips for better Apoxy pours please let me know . I'm thinking about putting out a list of tips for this if you would like to give up some info. We'll call it (Apoxy Hacks for Beginners) and everyone else. Thank you JerzyBoy973 and have a great day.

@mauricecanney7472 9 ай бұрын

Am I the only one that loves him using a screw driver as a chisel?

@anthonysteele9769 9 ай бұрын

It was good to see honesty in regards to the work involved

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 9 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@karipwl 5 ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing the process and your honest experience from a place of humility and learning. Really appreciate this! Also learning to work with epoxy and man its a learning curve

@whitexeno Жыл бұрын

That flattening table is sick!

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

Thanks! It’s a game changer!

@Chindro2828 9 ай бұрын

One of the most thoroughly explained videos out there. Very nice.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 9 ай бұрын

Thank you very much!! 😁

@schiacciatrollo 9 ай бұрын

depends on what you are focused on

@martaframe5579 10 ай бұрын

My husband and I have done 3 bars with live edge tops. We have had so many issues with the epoxy. Going to try making a small table using the shellac. Thanks for a great video!

@robertsoulier4736 8 ай бұрын

My experience with epoxy (I've used 3 different brands so far with same issues with each brand) is to do your seal coat, sand, another seal coat, sand, then a light flood coat, sand, another flood coat, sand, .... you get the picture. Each layer that I stacked looked better and better until I felt like it was what I wanted. Then I did all my steps of sanding up to a 3,000 grit and finished it off with a liquid 3M buffing compound and a top coat wax. Ceramic wax you used is perfect! A lot of work but satisfying in the end.

@leannewheeler4192 Жыл бұрын

What a great informative video. The piece turned out great. I’m glad you showed the parts you didn’t like along with what worked. The color is great with that wood!

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

Thank you very much!

@michaelhansen6977 Жыл бұрын

The combo of wood and epoxy are challenging. 1st you need to completely seal the wood. If its still absorbing epoxy then the wood can off gas into the epoxy. I ruined some pieces this way. 2nd big tip is vacuum chamber the epoxy to be sure all the bubbles are out prior to the pour.

@dustygirlcarver 10 ай бұрын

The most important aspect when working w epoxy and wood.

@coltenkilkenny1093 8 ай бұрын

Seal the wood, mix the epoxy, let it set for a few minutes, run heat over it, pour it, lightly run heat over again, do this every 5 min or so to pop any new bubbles. Do not over heat.

@matts.8342 5 ай бұрын

If he did everything in the same order he presented it on video, he put the epoxy in the vacuum chamber, and then added a drop of black dye and stirred it adding air back in to the vacuumed epoxy. Hopefully he added that black dye prior to vacuuming the epoxy and just slipped up in the edit.

@bradleyhewitt9999 2 ай бұрын

Too be fair though the microbubbles were in the final coat of clear. Not the tinted deep pour. After the epoxy it should've been sanded with a 100-150 grit then topcoated with a 2k polyurethane. That fills the microbubbles very well. But I also didn't see him vac the clear coat at all. That could've worked as well. But the 2k poly would've provided more uv resistance and other benefits as well

@massoodn9410 16 күн бұрын

Truly exceptional journey. Thanks for sharing so selflessly.

@jcevans16 5 ай бұрын

Truly a great video, I love the walk through, everything you did and what you thought during and after, its really going to help me on future projects.

@makinnewcounts6676 7 ай бұрын

2+ coats of diluted Shellac or Deep pour epoxy only for seal coats (never tabletop imo) Torch bubbles in epoxy twice. Once after a minute or so, second time 20 minutes later. Careful to do it light and quick with good lighting, easy. The best epoxy finish is sanded dead flat from 120-330 all the way to 10,000, compound, polish, add a ceramic coat and wax that sucker. I do this all the time, it's worth every bit.

@deliaguzman1138 9 ай бұрын

That router sled is awesome-especially the dust skirt thing. Nice table!

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 9 ай бұрын

I love it! Thanks!

@seitercaroline4386 6 ай бұрын

Excellent video! Did you make the base the router sits on? Just bought the rails you suggested...but don't see details on the base. Can you share please?

@Kissykid 3 ай бұрын

@@seitercaroline4386 I’m looking for same thing It looks like such a basic & simple design (the rail setup in its entirety… I can’t comprehend the $400.00-$1600.00 tags on some of the complete setups 🙀🤯🤯🤯🤷🏼‍♀️‼️‼️‼️

@seitercaroline4386 3 ай бұрын

@Kissykid I ended up attaching rails to 3/8 " clear polycarbonate Lexan and glued the dust shoe brush to it. Attached rails a tad different. LUVIT

@pistl67 9 ай бұрын

It looks amazing, all your efforts paid off.

@mauricesparks5709 9 ай бұрын

That home made router tool is awesome man

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 9 ай бұрын

Thank you!!

@measuretwicewoodworks 11 ай бұрын

That’s an insane amount of labor to finish that top. Good on you for sticking with it.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 11 ай бұрын

I almost gave up 😂 thanks!

@maddieadams75 Жыл бұрын

Beautiful table, thanks for tutorial ❤ us a flashlight on your epoxy pour while it’s still liquid and you see any bubble left behind or forming. The light refracts off the bubbles and identifies their existence

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

Thank you! And that’s a great tip, I’ll have to try it next time if I ever decide to give this finish another go 😂

@SouthSideChiTown Жыл бұрын

Nice job! Beautiful piece. I also like how you improvised with your tooling to maximize the small space available in your Workshop.👍

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

Thank you very much! 😁

@terrydonegan1622 4 ай бұрын

Superb job. Great patience. God bless you and thank you for sharing

@JohnWilliams-iw6oq Жыл бұрын

I apply the shellac with a wad of cotton wrapped in linen and circular motion. It takes time to fill the grain with shellac but it's worth it as my pieces look like they are coated with a thin layer of glass. Just coat after coat until you get the finish that you want.

@chesterross7513 Жыл бұрын

The patience that french polishing requires is pretty dang high lol even by wood working standards

@JohnWilliams-iw6oq Жыл бұрын

@@chesterross7513 yep, you either love it or hate it and when you are on the 14th coat and stuff up!!!!! If you don't swear then you soon learn lol.

@makinnewcounts6676 7 ай бұрын

Silicone brush won't waste a drop (or flake). Takes some practice and sanding every few coats but goes on 5x thicker.

@MrHf4l 8 ай бұрын

Hey great video man. I think people learn most from watching the challenges makers try to overcome more than anything. I like that you weren’t afraid to keep it real and show your challenges. Nice piece. I like it better with the shellac. Keep up the good work. I just subscribed.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 6 ай бұрын

Thank you very much! 😁

@dannmarks 7 ай бұрын

It was fun to watch you finish this and sand it... That was very patient indeed. I have never really gone past 400 grit and I have never used epoxy except for smaller knots and voids. I found this video very helpful as well as some of the comments. I agree there is a possibility the bubble came from the wood before the epoxy cured.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 6 ай бұрын

Thanks!

@DebHeadworth 9 ай бұрын

Exceptional work made with patience and attention to detail.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 9 ай бұрын

Thank you!!

@chrisperry5129 9 ай бұрын

Amazing how similar our shops, tools, and current projects are. I built a bearing block and rail router sled the same as yours in 2020 and it even has the same Bosch plunge router. Working on a live edge walnut coffee table with the center eaten out by ants which I filled with deep pour. I put a piece of melamine on the back without mold wax and it looked exactly like yours. Planning to backlight the void with battery led’s. Polishing table top epoxy is time consuming and too glossy for me so I normally use an oil finish like GF ArmRseal. Thanks to your video I think I’ll give shellac another try, very cheap and easy to apply and leaves a beautiful hard satin finish.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 9 ай бұрын

It’s it’s definitely a nice Finish. If I want extra protection I’ll sometimes put a oil based Polly over top of the shellac too! Thanks for watching!

@sesolar5854 5 ай бұрын

@bruceburnswood 16:27 shop1620 Would the final coat of Poly be a good choice for a kitchen counter top made from solid wood?

@clydeschuyler Жыл бұрын

Beautiful piece. For finishes I use polyurethane instead. I only use epoxy for filling voids / creating a solid and stable working platform. My finishes is either a food safe finish or polyurethane finish. Same steps you use after you coat it. Let it dry then wet sand at 600 grit if it is really uneven then another coat. Wet sand at 1000 grit and another coat. The more times you do this the deeper the shine. Most of my decor bowls are 4 coats but at times I go to 8 coats wet sanding between each. I use a rag like a regular white t-shirt to apply and I do not use the thick triple coat polyurethane. To me the thick polyurethane doesn’t work as well. But that’s just what I do and it works for me. Your work on this piece was amazing. Keep it up my friend.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the tips! I have had much better luck working with Polly over epoxy. I just keep going back to epoxy because I want to try and get it right!

@RuffKutmedia 11 ай бұрын

Great Job on the video. I like epoxy, but for finishes most our customers prefer the matte poly finish. In my opinion its a easier finish, it’s durable and looks more natural.

@bradleyhewitt9999 2 ай бұрын

The main thing people don't realize is epoxy is actually not a good top coat. But it's not meant for that in many ways. It's a high build coating that provides strength and durability. I'm a 5th generation 30 year painter and I finish everything from shingles down to the concrete floors and I've worked with every finish under the sun. The problem with a lot of the epoxy projects you see is that they aren't using the right combination of products. Just like you might use a pva primer then a full acrylic paint on a wall. The epoxy is best for filling and building then you topcoat with a polyurethane. In fact using a sealer, then epoxy, then poly is even better. And of course, just like a 15 dollar can of Walmart paint isn't the same as a 100 dollar can of industrial grade paint, not all epoxy is created equal. It comes in many shapes and sizes. I do have to say I was disappointed that after he put the epoxy on he didn't topcoat with a strong 2k poly. Could've had a much thicker, much stronger finish than the shellac. And it would've filled in those microbubbles

@kamikazelyricist1563 3 ай бұрын

Wow, that looks great!

@jennypenny6502 Ай бұрын

I love this, it's so nice! Great work!

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Ай бұрын

Thank you!

@user-rf3lw2gl9i 8 ай бұрын

I have done a lot of tables with epoxy, but I never tried to get a perfect finish. As said by others, it is better to warm up the finish and the project first. For me, shellac is the only way to go. I hand rub (French rub) the top, which takes many coats to get it right. Sure, shellac will not hold up as well as harder finishes, but it doesn't look fake like the others and it is so easy to fix any future issues.

@treggmichelleliebler399 Жыл бұрын

The table looks great! Sealing the wood 1st before the epoxy is a must. Mix epoxy by hand, once applied, torch to remove bubbles, NOT TOO CLOSE or it WILL burn. Keep torch moving always. Repeat as necessary every 15 or 20 mins. GREAT lighting is critical when using epoxy, use a hand light as well. While epoxy is curing and you're not working on it, turn all the lights off...the reflection will attract bugs.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

Good to know, thanks for the tips!

@alcolyles8914 Жыл бұрын

@@bruceburnswoodshop1620 great job on the table. As far as the bubbles go I’ve seen where people use those pressure cookers to release bubbles and it seems to be a very affective way to eliminate that problem. Good luck.

@alcolyles8914 Жыл бұрын

How do you like the n3? I was literally looking at his store before coming across your video. Anyway I’d like to try it but don’t know anyone who’s ever heard of it let alone used it.

@bernardhill1622 11 ай бұрын

A possible consideration of " Sanding Sealer " at the initial stage might work..?? Any thoughts on that..obviously a complete dust free zone is also important with temperature control..!!

@treggmichelleliebler399 11 ай бұрын

@@bernardhill1622 Yes, sanding sealer works well. Much less time drying and much cheaper as well. Just scuff the sealer with some 220 for a good mechanical bond.

@diybutler926 2 ай бұрын

Wow you know so much about coatings. Wish I did. What I have found is that when the wood is still raw, I can take my torch and evenly burn a thin top layer of it. The soft material between the rings burn deeper. Then I sand it down, vacuum well and continue to apply whatever steps I plan to use to finish it. This brings out such beautiful grain patterns and leaves a 3D effect. Try it on a little piece of scrap wood or lumber. You might like it too.

@SeaFanStudio Жыл бұрын

Hey if you have a vacuum chamber, put your epoxy in there after mixing to remove micro bubbles. The table looks beautiful! Great choice of pigment for the epoxy.

@rhegafd Жыл бұрын

I use almost the exact same process you do but using CA glue (medium) instead. Once Ive built up 10 or so layers I go through sanding (same grits essentially as you) and then do one last light home made shellac just to give that last layer of protection. CA glue turns into a plastic essentially and its crystal clear, no bubbles to worry about. Very easy to work with.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

I’ve never even thought about using CA glue that’s really interesting.

@rhegafd Жыл бұрын

@@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Its a miracle solution for finishing imo. You basically get a paper towel, fold it over a few times, turn the lathe on slow and pour the glue while it turns > use the paper towel to spread it out even. Let it dry or use the spray, rinse repeat until you have a decent thickness > sand through your grits. I use the sponge square set from Rockler that goes up to like 20k or something insane. I use a normal close quarter drill to sand up to 800 then switch to wet sanding using the squares. When Im done if I want to make it just insanely clear and shiney I do one coat of crystal coat followed by a single coat of home made 1/4 lb cut of shellac. If you want actual directions Ive written it all out in detail and would be happy to email you.

@rhegafd Жыл бұрын

@@bruceburnswoodshop1620 btw, I saw it on people who turn pens. They use CA glue for pens and I figured it would work on a bowl or table top > and it did!

@MelkeinMaalla Жыл бұрын

Wood turners use CA glue as cracks appear while processing the piece, as it dries fast and you can continue after a short coffee break. For bigger projects I would consider the price whether it would make sense. CA clue is great with sawdust when you need to fill something so small it does not make sense to use epoxy. The tools in this video are something to envy 😅 A lot of stuff I did not know but now need, the leveling table in particular. Also drum sander that is open from the other end must be pretty handy (and expensive).

@user-fr3ye2zk7r 5 ай бұрын

I’ve used it on duck calls it works great for that.

@timpretzsch2609 11 ай бұрын

Sealing the wood surface helps alot before epoxy to prevent absorption, also when your melamine sticks like that a electric planer makes pretty quick work of it. As far as bubbles in the surface of your epoxy, a propane torch, 2-3" from the surface, keep moving in sweeping motions, after pour helps remove them, do this 3x with a few minutes between each.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 11 ай бұрын

Thanks all sounds like good advice I should definitely invest in an electric planer!

@passalanoestudio 9 ай бұрын

Can i ask you some questions?

@mikegerling6874 8 ай бұрын

@@bruceburnswoodshop1620 just alter your router sled to accept thicker pieces and router it away. I do that on a CNC router but same idea

@randyrobinson7355 22 күн бұрын

Great video. Beautiful piece. I've worked with epoxy finishes several times. My key to get the micro bubbles removed is to go over the finish two or three times with the torch. Wait a few minutes between torches. But when you torch, make sure you have a light source in front of you as you are torching so the light shines off the surface as you torch. You can see the micro bubbles and see them pop as you torch them. Just finished a click that way, and the finished surface was pristine! Give it a try.

@joshuapuyear6818 Ай бұрын

You made a beautiful piece. One bit of info i can lend to you (or those watching) is when wet sanding is don't use dust extraction once you get to 1000 grit and higher. The extractor can make your scratches worse. Plus hand sand your last grit twice by hand in the same direction. That was a trick I learned from doing auto body work.

@JohnAlanDay Жыл бұрын

Finishing will drive us all crazy. I love making and using shellac but didn't know how to protect it to make it hard so thank you. I found some spray can lacquer that I do like and gives a great finsh over shellac. PRe Cat lacquer I found by Mohalk both in a satin and gloss. Great video Bruce. Thank you.

@billstrohmeyer3264 Жыл бұрын

I also recommend a vacuum chamber. You may have to watch it closely when vacuuming so it doesn't foam out of the chamber. There are lots of tricks for using epoxy from the working time to humidity and temp to how to mix. Good video and well done..

@itstimetounlearn 11 ай бұрын

If you want hard finish the 3M nano finishing process is by far the best on the market. It's expensive as shit but worth it.

@JohnAlanDay 11 ай бұрын

@@itstimetounlearn Keith I searched 3m nano and didn't find anything, can you help me out as to exactly the name?

@iancevallos8723 7 ай бұрын

I like the shellack finish better than epoxy personally. Great work!

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 7 ай бұрын

I think I do as well. Thank you!!

@sesolar5854 5 ай бұрын

16:27 @@bruceburnswoodshop1620I have always loved the amber hew Shellac gives to a piece of wood. Just curious how hard of a finish it provides compared to top coat epoxy? Great job!

@mishellekochel4510 11 ай бұрын

Good decision on the final coat. It is beautiful!!

@DougOrr 7 ай бұрын

Great job, i have no space for projects like that .. love watching.

@erichelton1888 Жыл бұрын

Was so glad you removed the plastic and used shellac. It made it look like wood again

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

I agree, I think the shellac makes the wood look better instead of the epoxy making it look like there a shiny force field around the wood lol

@zvibloom8946 Жыл бұрын

I use system 3 mirror coat with amazing results. just follow the directions. It takes around 3 times longer to pop the bubbles than you think. You need to go around with the torch and look in the light at every angle. You'll be surprised how many bubbles keep popping. They seem to never stop, but you'll get there eventually. Also to add that the first coat should be a very thin seal coat that cant have bubbles because its so thin and the second coat could be a little thicker. BTW I NEVER need a vacuum chamber or do ANY sanding or buffing after the final coat

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

That’s for the tips! I didn’t know about pouring thinner on the first coat! I’ll have to try that next time!

@johncbrownmd 11 ай бұрын

To add to that last comment the thicker the epoxy (table top coat is thick) the more prone to bubbles that will not reach the surface due to viscosity. Stir with care. And thanks for the video. Thumbs up and I subscribed. 😅

@mikeweston2708 5 ай бұрын

Nice work! Just a couple things,wax paper works well as a mold release and i use a sealer on the wood until it stops soaking it up .I still have to baby sit the finish coat until it sets hitting it with a heat gun.Looking forward to trying your shellac

@JasonPeltier Жыл бұрын

Instead of mold release, I just put Tyvek tape on the melamine. Your end result is amazing!

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

Thank you!! And ya I normally do use one or the other. But I often start to rush and forget 😂

@peterofoz 11 ай бұрын

The wood will release bubbles as the temp changes overnight and during the curing process which is typically exothermic (it gets hot) causing the air in the wood to expand.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 11 ай бұрын

Ya I should have kept coming out to check it. It just seems like a lot of the bubbles were so deep I wouldn’t have been able to pop them with a torch anyways. 🤷‍♂️

@yvonneattard7415 9 ай бұрын

Turned out beautiful

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 9 ай бұрын

Thank you!

@KunleSpark Жыл бұрын

Hi great video, I just did a white Agate table to with zero bubbles. You should seal the wood with a very thin layer of epoxy then wait 3 hours before doing the main pour. That is what I did. Greetings for Nigeria 🇳🇬

@dillonmatthews4715 Жыл бұрын

End grain is the worst for bubbles, you should shellac first then epoxy coat on top so the wood pores are better sealed. Or use a deep penetrating epoxy first to fully seal the pores on end grain there just straws that keep soaking up and by doing wether shellac first then epoxy or penetrating epoxy then table top epoxy you will waste less by letting the wood soak it all up and it won't weigh 100lbs lol but it looks great!

@mmgross144 Жыл бұрын

I agree. Since shellac can be thinned down so much you can really get deep into the grain and trap the air bubbles. Truthfully though, end grain is a bunch of straws designed to transport fluids. Dry end grain equals empty straws, not fun to prevent air bubbles from rising.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

Ya I used deep pour for the first coat. Maybe penetrating epoxy would be better. I’ve never tired penetrating epoxy. But as far as the shellac goes I’ve heard that epoxy won’t adhere to shellac. 🤷‍♂️

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

Absolutely. It’s a pain to work with. I think shellac alone is the best solution for a finish.

@dillonmatthews4715 Жыл бұрын

As long as it's non waxed shellac and scuffed it wont have any problems adhering, shellac is such a versatile finish almost anything will stick to it includong epoxy. It would be great for this and it would seal thoes more softer areas as well. But penetrating epoxy will almost completely fix this issue aswell it's a very thin watery epoxy.

@josephbaechler1840 9 ай бұрын

Agreed. I use vararhane wood hardener which is essentially a very thin epoxy for sealing and as it also hardens it expands in the end grain tubes or straws ensuring a complete seal resulting in no bubbles. You keep doing coats until it does not absorb into the wood anymore

@JustPlaneAround Жыл бұрын

Putting mixed epoxy in a pressure pot does not help to remove bubble as much as placing it under vacuum does. The vacuum will cause it to foam up and all the trapped air will leave. If you are curring it, placing it under pressure helps to keep the bubbles small while curing.

@straightouttathe7thcircle431 5 ай бұрын

I love the table and the video was informative and enjoyable to watch. Subscribed.

@ggebhard1 Жыл бұрын

It’s beautiful!!

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

Thank you!!

@seanp.kilgore7648 9 ай бұрын

I have 2 suggestions. 1) First off, you need to hermetically seal the wood. I find sealing the wood with z-poxy first (as a pore-fill) will eliminate any bubbles originating from the wood. This may take 2-4 applications depending on porosity (sanding between). Shellac can similarly be used, but I have more faith in the robustness of epoxy. Zpoxy takes about 8 hours to cure (unlike the days for deep pour). Then you need to make it perfectly flat. You have a drum sander and a festool -- shouldn't be an issue. But no end grain should be exposed before proceeding!!! After that it's about the correct curing temperature for your finishing epoxy. This too WILL take multiple coats to get flat, but bubbles shouldn't be an issue.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 9 ай бұрын

That’s for the tips. What exactly is zpoxy?

@Davidrcobb 9 ай бұрын

@@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Idk what zpoxy is but I use sanding sealer/shellac and rarely have any probs with epoxy finishes. providing temp and humidity isnt real high.

@schiacciatrollo 9 ай бұрын

tell me about the waste .. and a bit of the environment

@georgeyoung613 11 ай бұрын

I think your best bet is to first, completely seal the wood. Then mix your epoxy and stick it in a vacuum chamber to remove the air before pouring. It may be a longer process, but it almost always guarantees a perfect result. Don't give up on the process, the results are definitely worth the effort.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 11 ай бұрын

That’s exactly what I did🤷‍♂️ 😂 maybe I didn’t know it well enough in the video. Anyways thanks for watching!!

@georgeyoung613 11 ай бұрын

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 really? Wow, now I'm totally dumbfounded. If you're able to figure out what happened, could you please make a video? I know more than a few people who would like to see it. Also, I didn't mention this in my other comment, but great video.

@tomvedra5405 11 ай бұрын

In the video you said you put it in a pressure chamber. So meant vacuum chamber?

@bonniestephens208 7 ай бұрын

You did an amazing job. So very pretty.

@uniqko 11 ай бұрын

Amazing projects

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 11 ай бұрын

Thank you!!

@GMan-yv8cb Жыл бұрын

VERY NICE Table!! Quick question: I REALLY like shellac. When you were applying it, you put the 'thickest' down first, followed by increasingly diluted cuts. Wouldn't you want the higher amount of denatured alcohol to carry the shellac deeper, THEN build up the % of shellac? (Don't know if I made that as clear as it is in my head) :-) THANKS for a Great vid !!

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

That’s a good question, and to be honest I think the shellac is so this to begin with that it’s going to penetrate deep even with a more concentrated solution but I’m not totally sure. I just know if you start with a diluted solution you’ll never get about on for a finish. You’d have to do like 20 coats 😂

@cicballa 11 ай бұрын

Try mixing the clear coats by hand rather than electric mixer, also once it’s poured out go over with a heat gun or a torch to pop the bubbles left over. When adding color you can get away with electric mixing because the color hides the bubbles

@ttfahd 9 ай бұрын

power mixing is fine with solid colors, hand mix when its a clear job

@ThePissedConsumer 9 ай бұрын

Oh, and the shellac looks great!

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 9 ай бұрын

Thanks!!

@ciderbella127 10 ай бұрын

Absolutely stunning 😍

@lisaklenke-murphy5501 Жыл бұрын

What pressure chamber do you use and did you find it a hard process? Seems intimidating to me, just because so unknown. Is it truly worth investing in on to take your projects to the next level? Thanks!

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

amzn.to/3o7G8jB This is the link to the one I bought. It works great super easy to use. I highly recommend. But it’s not absolutely necessary to get good pours it just helps!

@amazinga.f.artwork9047 Жыл бұрын

I would really check your shore D hardness on the table top vs casting resin. You could have stopped and polished the casting resin if you wanted to. If it’s that epoxy resin store stuff , I don’t think it goes much past 76 on the hardness meter for the table top. You could call Sean or rich and find out. Plus watch wooden. He’s like an Italian guy that does a bunch of cookies with resin. I think he just lets the Rubio soak in without the hardner. Plus what’s worked for me is water popping the cookie first thing , then go at it with 60 grit on the orbital. I have like 5 20 inch or so cookies I need to get going on. The walnut comes out so dark though. I’ve been looking for some maple or hickory ones. Anyways good luck man. I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Hope your doing well.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

That’s for the info I’ll look into that!

@Paul.Douglas 7 ай бұрын

That came out awesome! The center makes me think of Star Trek's City on the Edge of Forever.

@dottyjyoung 11 ай бұрын

Thank you for this! I've got an end-grain black walnut burl that is REALLY cool looking. I didn't know that I'd need to do deep-pour on the surface, so you just saved me a ton of time & mistakes.

@dottyjyoung 11 ай бұрын

Also, where did you get the base? That's really cool, & might work well for a furniture flip I'm working on.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 11 ай бұрын

Happy to help! I think if the gain is filled in shellac is definitely the superior finish; in looks and ease of application

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 11 ай бұрын

The base of from Flowy line design on Etsy! It’s very high quality!

@fngrusty42 Жыл бұрын

Personally I love the looks of a shellac finish. Then take it a step farther and learn a French polish. It just doesn't get better. There is a reason all the best furniture are not epoxy finish.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

I think I’ve heard of that, it’s where you use steel wool to bump up the sheen right?

@JohnSmith-om3dk 9 ай бұрын

I really like your choice to go with the shellac. It's a beautiful piece of wood and the epoxy hides that natural beauty. I'm not a huge fan of the epoxy color in the middle. It looks really cool but for me it clashes with the wood. It's got a futuristic space look to it that takes away from the earthy organic look of the wood. Both really cool in their own right but together is not really flowing into one cohesive look. I think straight black would go nicer. But that's just like my opinion man, I'm def not a pro. Anyways overall it's a really beautiful piece

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 9 ай бұрын

Thank you that’s really helpful and I agree! I think a more basic color like black probably would have looked more cohesive

@michaelsolano8733 6 ай бұрын

Thank you for this. Absolutely going with shellac for my project.

@RavenVargas27 9 ай бұрын

Beautiful piece the center looks like ice very cool

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 9 ай бұрын

Thanks!!

@RavenVargas27 9 ай бұрын

@@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Your welcome

@HaDeZs1 11 ай бұрын

Shellack finishes for side tables or tables with a lot of use aren’t the best and are only used for show piece furniture. You will get rings and other finish issues when using it. It will always be sensitive to light solvents like alcohol as well. A good brush/wipe on poly would be the better “in kind” finish. The next step up would be to invest in a small spray gun and spray or brush on a better poly finish. 2 part poly finishes are readily available. Even a 2 part floor poly would work like Bona brand and it can be brushed on with a sponge.

@NikosEliopoulosmain Жыл бұрын

Hey Bruce thanks for the video. Nice technique and perfect flattening table. The only annoying thing is the music playing in the background which I couldn't mute because I would lose your comments.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

Thanks for the feedback this is exactly the type of stuff I want to know!!

@diegobrown19 7 ай бұрын

I'm no expert on any of this lol but i really like the base you picked for this project. It suits that tabletop very well. Also Chat GPT says: "To remove air bubbles from epoxy resin before pouring, consider using the following methods:" Warm Water Bath: Place the container with mixed epoxy resin in a warm water bath, not exceeding the manufacturer's recommended temperature. Gently warming the resin can reduce its viscosity and help air bubbles rise to the surface, making it easier to remove them. Heat Gun or Torch: Use a heat gun or a torch designed for epoxy resin work to carefully apply heat to the surface of the resin after pouring it into your project. The heat will help to release and pop any air bubbles that have formed. Mixing Technique: When mixing the epoxy resin, do so slowly and avoid introducing excess air into the mixture. Vigorous stirring can introduce more bubbles, so a gentle, methodical approach is usually better. Degassing Chamber: For professional or high-precision applications, a vacuum or degassing chamber can be used to remove air bubbles from the epoxy resin. This method is highly effective and ensures minimal bubble presence.

@libbylueders3069 Жыл бұрын

Awesome, inspirational and great job..😮

@WhiskeySavage0331 7 ай бұрын

1. Don't use deep pour to seal. Use regular epoxy 2. Don't pour globs to seal it, just brush it on. 3. Don't sand it and router it after sealing. Thet defeats the purpose of sealing as it's now raw wood again 4. Use a good epoxy, like stone coat, ecopoxy, etc. If you have to buff the flood/top coat it's not good epoxy. 5. Watch other people's videos. You did like 12 additional steps than you need to. I've done several dozen epoxy projects from cookie slab tables like this, live edge bookmarked tables, root ball tables, bars, countertops, shower walls, sinks, even epoxyed 5 toilets. Is one the easiest and most forgiving products to work with. Just gotta educate yourself a little bit first.

@vesna9978 8 ай бұрын

Stunning

@Robert-bm2jr 8 ай бұрын

That is a beautiful piece.

@bilalnkoana914 Жыл бұрын

*Warning dont use epoxy* BUT YOU USED EPOXY

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

Did you watch the video? Pretty sure I used shellac at the end

@cargasm383 Жыл бұрын

It's called click bait. Clicked on the video looking for an epoxy alternative. "use this instead" All I see is a dude using epoxy then covering it with shellac.

@madb132 Жыл бұрын

@@cargasm383 He removed the EPOXY RESIN and replaced it with Shellac. Not click Bait at all.

@cargasm383 Жыл бұрын

@@madb132 I still see a lot of EPOXY RESIN. Title says "DO THIS INSTEAD" implying instead of epoxy use something else. The video shows him pour epoxy, remove a layer of bad epoxy with bubbles in it, then shellac over the remaining epoxy. I read the title and CLICKED on this video too see what to use INSTEAD of epoxy. I didn't want to watch an epoxy pour video. I was BAITED into watching an epoxy pour video. click bait. get it?

@andrewnewby1918 9 ай бұрын

That’s a great video, I loved it. Really liked the Shellac finish that was a good call…well done

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 9 ай бұрын

Thank you!!

@linda4702 8 ай бұрын

Beautiful!

@stevemoriggi2076 Ай бұрын

I like the leg/support!

@michaelchipps7264 5 ай бұрын

Cool piece. Great video

@23mooseknuckle 19 күн бұрын

That router sled is sweet!

@TheWind213 6 ай бұрын

I enjoyed watching your build, and of course I prefer the shellac finish.

@soulfurnitureanddesign Жыл бұрын

Great video! Keep up the good work!

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 Жыл бұрын

Thank you!

@blackhorse2947 11 ай бұрын

Great information and demonstration….THX

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 11 ай бұрын

Absolutely thanks for watching!!

@lynnstepp1704 Ай бұрын

Beautiful I love it

@DavidAdamsen 2 ай бұрын

Great video. I feel your pain with the tabletop epoxy. In all honesty I am a TotalBoat ambassador, but I also struggle with the tabletop epoxy getting those micro bubbles not before but after the epoxy has cured. There are a lot of potential causes, including moisture in the wood, humidity in the shop environment, curing too quickly, or putting too thick of a layer down so bubbles exit the wood and have nowhere to go. It’s probably all of the above causes to some degree.

@timadams3975 Ай бұрын

That table knocked my eye balls out several times before you even done the complete finish. Lol. Good vid and good work.

@scottlandb6579 5 ай бұрын

Dude that router sled so sick. 👍🏼

@oseanmc 9 ай бұрын

I use Super Clear deep pour epoxy. I de-gas with a vacuum chamber like you did but I only mix with a power mixer for 5 gallon bucket pours. Slow hand mixing almost like your making salt water taffy slow to prevent air from being introduced into it. Also it really helps to add a very thin seal coat to the wood before doing a thicker coat. It helps prevent those small micro bubbles. I have noticed any wood that has been either charred or laser engraved gives off even more bubbles and I sometimes will do two or three really thin seal coats before a deep pour or table top. Epoxy can be very rewarding. Kinda like sanding, you have to be patient and go though all the time consuming steps for it to look right.

@bruceburnswoodshop1620 9 ай бұрын

Thanks for the info! I’ll have to try just hand mixing for small table top pours. What do you use for the thin coats? Deep pour or do you just thin out the table top with alcohol?

@oseanmc 9 ай бұрын

@@bruceburnswoodshop1620 I usually just use deep pour for the thins seal coat. It tends to dry within 24 hours or less depending on conditions. I have never try thinning it down, seems like to much science for me and risky. I have used some of the casting epoxy like you can find at Hobby Lobby for small stuff and it dries in less than 24 hours but with a much shorter working time. Although Super Clear Deep Pour takes longer to cure it seems to give the flexibility of a longer pot time and fewer bubbles.

@Lifeis211 10 ай бұрын

Gorgeous

@lauriebrainard4456 10 ай бұрын

Very beautiful table

@jimlipscomb3236 11 ай бұрын

The thing I was taught about epoxy is the torches' carbon dioxide draws the bubbles out, not so much the heat. So when we poured a bar top we had 2 people with torches follow the pour as we went. Spend several minutes with the torch, being careful to be close enough to draw the outgassing but not so close as to "skin" or burn the surface. We also used wooden paint stir sticks, which is a bit of work on a large pour.

@LilyK413 9 ай бұрын

Sometimes the wooden stirs can cause bubbles. Seal the wood on the sticks prior to using OR get some silicone stir sticks to mix the epoxy. You can also find silicone spatula sticks in the kitchen section (generally less expensive than looking at epoxy sites). Once the epoxy dries on the silicone you should be able to peel it off and they’re ready for the next project.

@Majesticmountainarts 9 ай бұрын

Denatured alcohol and a torch helps pull out air entrapment.