This guy is refreshingly lucid and nonsense-free - thousands of other youtubers should take note.

Just stumbled across your channel and I work in the Marine industry , I have laid many " New top decks " over existing rotten decks on commercial long line fishing boats . I was taught by an old timer to seal and harden the wood usually 3/4 " plywood using a mixture of Correctly measured resin and harder according to manufacturers instruction . And then thin with Styrene, we thin at 30% by volume. This makes a rather watery consistency that actually soaks into the wood and gives a depth of protection. Styrene evaporates quickly and an extra splash to the resin mixture must be made to keep it thin if doing larger pieces on both sides 4'x8' . We usually apply a second coat of un thinned resin after it drys, and the result is petrified wood. Our oldest deck is 18 years old and it is as hard as stone , and these decks take abuse. Well , you probably know all this already but maybe someone reading comment might be able to use our recipe.

What i have found that works really well is misting denatured alcohol on the epoxy after rolling it or spreading it on breaks the surface tension and then torch it or use a heat gun about 5-10min after, gets rid of all the bubbles and unevenness!

The flatness vs solvent type mostly likely has to do with the surface tension of each one solvent: the more polar you go the more round it will get, as the surface tension can be though of the amount of energy that it has to spend to wet the surface, the order I guess would be (from less polar to more polar): Xylene, Acetone, Methanol, Ethanol, Water Xylene for instance, is the preferred solvent used when spraying hotels old bathtubs with white epoxy in order to renew them (instead of changing the bathtub that is way more expensive), xylene is an exceptional solvent for oils.

I've been using a 60/40 mix with denatured alcohol for my deck project. I like the Xylene finish better, but I had read about Xylene weakening the resin. One thing that really helped with the rippling was to go back with the brush and re-wipe it when it really starts to get tacky. It will re-destribute the epoxy and the brush marks will still level out of it. At least it worked for my deck.

Surfboard manufacturers and repair experts use a mix of xylene and liquid wax (only a few drops) of this is enough to thin and create a smooth finish. 25% is way too much additive and prevents full chemical cure. Try looking at minimum additive to achieve optimum viscosity for releasing bubbles before the epoxy gells.

There are KZfaq videos of guys who stabilize turquoise before they cut, and shape cabochons, and then buff them out. They are using a mix of 1 qt. can of acetone to a two part epoxy (.85floz) mixed together, and then the stones are placed in the mix or 7+ days to off-gas. The other way is using about the same mix ratio, but to then place the mix with the stones into a vacuum chamber for about 24 hours. I think wood could be possibly be treated in the same way, but to get the same sort of stabilizing effect, you actually need to use heavier stock lumber and saturate the wood so that when it sets up, you then (cut and shape the wood) mill the wood and then fashion the wood into whatever you are making. This would be super expensive so stabilizing the wood with some sort of harden first might be an idea. I'm always a sucker for the experiment process videos. Good video. Thanks for sharing this.

I just wanted to say this because it seems to be lacking in a lot of people's approach, and I think it makes for a better result in controlling as well as assessing, and manipulating, the outcomes. Your presentation was pretty tight scientifically. Even assessing the smoothness of the finish in the planter, and identifying a difference in how it was treated. Nice work. Thanks. It would also be interesting to see how the finishes change over time, so, thank you.

Always great to see these real life experiments, really advancing the knowledge and so helpful. Thanks and hope for followups as to how they perform.

I know this is a pretty late response, but I just viewed your experiment. I have used acetone to thin epoxy when wetting out fiberglass that was being applied to marine plywood in stitch-and-glue boatbuilding. First a WARNING. Acetone is both highly flammable (explosive when mixed with air) and poisonous to breathe. Be careful us use it only in a well-ventilated area and away from any possible source of ignition (especially anything electrical). After sufficient experimentation, we found that using less than 10% acetone by volume does not seen to have any negative effects on the hardness of the cured epoxy with fiberglass, but made the fiberglass much easier to wet out. We were able to achieve the desired resin density using less resin and less effort to squeegee out excess resin. In boatbuilding, we would never use the thickness of plain resin used in your application. I believe that acetone evaporation from such a thick layer would be so slow as to leave enough excess resin dissolved in the cured epoxy as to impair its strength.

very helpful! I'm trying to epoxy up some cracks on my canoe, and your tests are great!

Just the information I was looking for to finish a wood bowl with epoxy. Great video.

When coating wood with epoxy resin you should warm the wood first. As the wood cools it will actually draw in the epoxy. Out gassing and bubbles can occur when the wood starts out cool and warms. A good example is coating the wood in a cool environment then putting it in the sun to get it to cure faster. I have done this and walked away only to come back to a real mess of bubbles. Thinning the epoxy will help the out gassing escape without bubbles but also compromises the epoxy properties

Great! Exactly the info I needed! Nice job.

Thank you so much! Just entered this world recently and now I know, I have way more to learn than I thought I did. I love a good challenge. Showing the effects of a torch/ignition source when you went to the safe place would have been a great addition to your production.

Excellent Video....very thorough!

Thanks for the great video. Very clear and useful. I had these questions in my mind. Your video helped with the answers. Maybe you should try using a hot air blower after applying the thinned epoxy?

What a help man. Really appreciate it. Keep doing great jobs

I was hoping to see them cut in half to see how much penetration there was 😁 great experiment man. Going to check out the others

Congrats, you just made another derivation of vinylester resin by mixing epoxy with xylene, somewhat stronger version of styrene.

I think that a better way to test these solvent mixes would be to coat a non absorbent and non reactive surface like glass. From what I have read, the ratio of hardener to resin is critical for strength because within the polymer lattice there is only enough room for so much hardener and any excess forces bigger voids in the lattice. The same goes for any solvent additive. A solvent may be able to evaporate before hard gel state but it certainly will penetrate the substrate, causing the mass of epoxy mix to shrink, therefore causing ripples. I think that the problem trifecta of Strength/Bubbles/Ripples can be solved by maintaining the ratio of additive/resin peculiar to that resin, and add heat to compensate for less hardener.

Great info. Just what I needed to know. Thanks!

Great experiments, I have tried all kinds of crazy things through the years with auto paint of every type. The one thing I found that worked accross all rhe paint types was a product called smoothie or crater eliminator, it floated out dust and bubbles along with a super smooth finish. Most paints other than lacquer took up to 30 days to properly cure without hardener. Different thinners flash or cure at different rates sometimes causing the orange peel which the smoothie would also control. I believe the smoothie is now called smoothie 2.

There are many different epoxies out there. Rather than thin West System with 206 hardener, I would try using West System with the special clear hardener. Or, if that is not good enough, then try a different epoxy that is not so difficult to get clear and bubble free. Also they say that it is better to heat the wood before you apply the epoxy. Rising temperatures tend to make bubbles. Falling temperatures tend to inhibit bubbles. So they say.

If you first pre-treat the surfaces with the various solvents you will get a much better finish. Also preheating the surfaces will minimise bubbles.

If you stir the epoxy aggressively, it introduces more oxygen into the epoxy creating more bubbles. If you fold the epoxy slowly and mix it slowly and soft there will be a lot less small bubble trapped in the epoxy. And you won’t need any solvent to thin the epoxy. Thanks for the video still very interesting

Some (cheap) commercial epoxy based paint I have recommends 5% xylene dilution. And comes with it in a separate container, with instructions to mix it in only after one hour pre-reaction time of the hardener with base. The epoxy itself is nothing special in this paint: bisphenol A hardner + Epichlorohydrin, which forms BADGE. Following those instruction I get glassy finish with no softness in about 4-5 hours, in the rather hot summer here (30C ~ 85F). And only a minute buble (

Im thinking of mixing epoxy and cement dry mix. I want to figure out the durability of dry mix straight with the epoxy. Then make varieties the same mix but with things like metal shavings, sheats of Kevlar and loose fiber kevlar. Love to test durability with hammers and different caliber firearms.

I had this happen in boatbuilding.....advice from me is,,DON'T thin epoxy

I either do and initial squeegee coat, or seal with lacquer before epoxy. Mind that mostly im doing veneer on curved veneer auto parts.

Nice video. I’ve used west system 105 with 207 hardener for nearly 2 decades. In my experience if I’m looking for a bubble free(ish) finish on wood a little prep is essential. Wipe & vacuum surface, wipe surface with rag damp (not dripping) with acetone. For a finish coat, like a substitute for a hardening varnish, I’ll put a little warmed unthinned epoxy down, spread it evenly with an auto body spreader, give it a few minutes to seep in and squeegee the majority off. Just a skim coat. This seals the surface not allowing air bubbles to surface and mostly fills the majority of the pores. For the best finish I let it cure, scratch lightly with a green scrubbie and apply the next (usually final) unthinned thin coat, never just poured on. Interior projects, out of the sunlight, may never need refinishing due to discoloration. I have thinned west with acetone to 5% for skim coat, and didn’t notice a difference in the end result. Refinishing smoky or smelly drawers I use a different finish that’s thinned with Alcohol, 3 coats, applied in less than 3 hours b/c of cost. I swear by west systems products, have used it for bonding, also with fiberglass & Kevlar, as a finish.. just about anywhere I want the best. Done properly it’s never let me down.

Good Job, thanks

I used total boat penetrating epoxy it's made for exactly that sealing off porous wood so as to not get air bubbles

If your goal is to prevent the bubbles from absorption into the wood. Would it help to use a very thin layer of epoxy first to seal the pores of the wood. Because the first layer is thin, it wouldn't have the depth for bubbles to form. Once that is done, you could pour your finish, deeper coat, and not have to worry about bubbles from absorption anyway.

I use pioneer marine epoxy and lacquer thinner to waterproof the wood of my boat, it is fantastic.😁

The xylol xylene .. you said you mixed 50% hardner and resin with 50% xlene correct? if thats th case how did the piece turn out a week later?

As a person with many years of Epoxy use - when it comes to application on/in wood / composite substrates is you must give them a fighting chance to prevent bubbles and off gassing effects during cure time.... FIRST - heat the Area / Room / Environment, Wood product/composite and Epoxy Mix to about 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix epoxy completely and gently using correct Hardeners as to not induce bubbles of any kind into the mix, Apply epoxy in one thin coat being careful as possible not to agitate epoxy during application process. Slowly let the heated space cool down to no less than about 75 Degrees Fahrenheit while epoxy cures...that first Three or Four Hours of slowed environment area cooling is really important to get the best Low to No Bubbled and thin epoxy Finnish coat while epoxy greens. For the practical application of your herb garden planter box and your use of Everclear this is as good as expected and will serve you well for many many many years. Personally Birdseye Maples and Pines have some of the best aesthetics to my eye...nice job and thanks... Sometimes a heat gun can get rid of early bubbles forming and get them to rise to the surface and then pop....but they need a slow cure to even out or the pitting effect is sure to stay when cured....again no big deal when talking about sealing a planter box such as this but other applications require flawless outcomes.

Would a more flexible combination make an outdoor wooden structure less prone to failure?

Two comments: - brush the piece with pure epoxy to avoid bubbles - use a heat gun instead of a torch Then you'll be able to apply epoxy on your furniture, even thinned down a little.

What about JB Weld steel epoxy thinned so that it can be brushed on? JB Weld co. states its epoxy can be thinned.

The weather has been affecting polyurethane sealant. My gorilla glue epoxy resin is over 27 hours now and still not rock hard? Maybe humidity?

✧ Nice & clear visuals & audios & you even kept the wood to see if it changes over time ~ I would love to see an update vid on that, perhaps 3+ month later, as it seems to take usual resin that long to begin to yellow so I'm curious how the thinners change this process (darkening, staying tacky, etc) ~ thank you for this video ! ✧

I did a similar test. The thinned epoxy never hardened to more than silicone like substance which is not satisfactory to me as I need all the rigidity and hardness I can get from my epoxy finish.

I want to protect metal from rust with the epoxy coating but it needs to be resistant to gasoline. Would an acetone thinner or petroleum based thinner be more resistant to gas? Again, world petroleum based thinner make it more or less resistant to gas

Well the bubbles arenfrom the brush ... you need to ne applying it by pouring a few thin lines on it and then spreading it with a credit card maling sure you change angles when smearing it and going over several times... make sure you get it thin as possible... like your basically trying to scrape it all off .. Sand 150, 220 ... tjen apply second coat the same way.. same again same way . Third time if you want same way except go down to 320 sandpaper... then spray or paint your finish ... But as long as you keep using a brush, you will have bubbles..unless you thin it to the point to where its never going to fill tje pores without applying a zillion coats

Based on your clear corner and the anecdotal comment that it might be from blowing on it... I wonder if blowing on the surface with say a hair dryer would smooth that orange peel.

very good work

For epoxy covering consider using isophorone diamine as curing agent. The result will surprise you😉

How about pure epoxy on the first coat and then a second coat with acetone?

Would be interesting to probe the lower range from 25% down to a few drops.

As with priming on plywood and sealing edges, which of these would you thin would wick into edges and penetrate deeper in the surface better? Say in a marine FRP laminate application

I wonder if you could pre-soak the wood in those solvents to get rid of trapped air before using a regular epoxy pour.

One commercial thinner is not a solvent at all: it reacts and hardens so there is no issue of shrinkage and orange peel, or of impeding the epoxy reaction.

The solvents (and other) that end in ‘ol’ are alcohols, and as such, not only absorb water , they exhibit some similar properties of water. Xylene does not have such properties. Other potential solvents include pentane, hexane, cyclohexane, and many others

i use rubbing 91% alcohol to thin lucite epoxy spayed out of gravity feed sprayer clean with alcohol than water ,,on furniture dont let anyone tell you cant be done .doing for 15 years no bubbles

I like these test. More in the future by chance?

use Smooth On products

I’m a bit late to these videos, but the guy in the store I bought my resin from told me to warm the resin in a bath of heated water on a stove/range. Have you tried that? I’m yet to look through your channel, so I apologise if I’m repeating… I cannot recall the temp suggested, but I feel it was between 40 and 70 degrees C

Could u do this with JB Weld then spray it thru a LVLP spray gun ? I want to use it for lip seal on a paint job around a filled neck on my motorcycle gas tank to prevent gas from getting under the paint

I have epoxy resin with 10mt working time base on it spec, can I increase working time by add Acetone? Thnk you for share.

I think orange skin can be eliminated just by sanding and doing 2nd and potentially 3rd coat. The problem is that 2nd coat won't bond as it is exactly a single layer and potentially may chip off. To avoid that you may apply 2nd coat 30mins or few hours after first coat in that case it may be comparable like a single layer. I wonder how bad gluing properties get worse when use 25% of solvent. I'm thinking to cover my wooden floor with epoxy. The floor is great but noisy. I'd like to dillute so that epoxy will go between planks and glue them. Then I will cover final coat. I do not know exactly will this soak through thin spaces between the planks.

Use diethyl ether as a test solvent.

hello I am wondering if you were able to establish just how much of the full strength epoxy mix hardness was lost in the thinned epoxy test samples. I would think that you would need to wait at least 36 days or longer for a full cure to be sure to get most of the way to a full cure what ever that might be. thanks for any info on this.

How about doing a thin coat with one of these mixes, just lightly brushed on, and then following-up with a pure epoxy coat when the first is tacky?

Is there a rule of thumb for how much solvent to add?

3 yrs. later: Maybe a heat gun or hairdryer for flammable solvent laden bubbles? Xylol sure looks pretty btw.

What about 99% ISO from the drug stores, or on Amazon? You don't even need the purest stuff, just 99% min.. Even this amount of water, 1%, is more than ideal. You can toss some pure pickling salt into your alcohols and shake well. Salt will dissolve in the water, not in the alcohol. Pour off a higher percentage alcohol; so I have read. I have not tried this. I have some 99% from the drug stores. If not on the shelves, ask the pharmacist to order you a box.

I respect the order of tge experamint rather than i preffered the non thined.

What percentage of solvent did u use??

can epoxy be sanded and polished like clear coat on a car?

ripples are due to it not being 100% level. its still trying to level out while some of it is half way cured. the part of the box that has no ripples is the side that the epoxy flowed to and filled up enough to level out nicely. also a rule if thumb is that you never add more than 10% thinner to your epoxy, thats why its still super soft the next day. great informational video tho!

it matters what brand of epoxy{ lucite epoxy }thins great with 91 % alcohol

so you said that after a couple of weeks the epoxy with acetone firmed up just as hard as the control ? Also can't really tell from videos what about the sheen/ glossiness, how did the thinned out samples compare to the control? Also I noticed your control didn't stick to the black surface at all, is that garbage bag? Did it stick to the garbage bag at all??? thx :) Super helpful! Have you tried just using a spray bottle of 99% rubbing alcohol just spraying the entire surface of your a control 100% epoxied subject? That gets AT least for me the SURFACE bubbles to disappear safely without fire :) Have a great day!!!♥☻☺

so when i eat my fresh herbs they are full of chemicals.

It’s 2 years later. Any change in test subjects?

the most bubble-free finish would be a simple vacuum chamber and de-gas the epoxy. Now, you are starting with a gas free epoxy. Not full of gas because of the need to stir.

👌👌👍👍

One thing that is not addressed is that the AMOUNT of epoxy compared is different. There is HALF the epoxy in the solvent samples AND it is more runny. So the comparison seems to be a thick layer of epoxy to a thin layer of epoxy. Something to control for in the future.

epoxy the boards, build the box

what happen if you use kerosene

The orange peel effect could be because your shop might have been too cold for the curing resin.

What one is best to stop runs

They didn't sell a pint? You had to get the handle? XD

The way he whipped it up, no wonder he has bubbles. Epoxy needs to be stirred very slowly, or else you get bubbles. No?

I've never needed to thin epoxy. What's the point.

You don't want mineral spirits in the same room as epoxy, its an oil base, oil is an absolute enemy of epoxy, BAD IDEA. Reducing epoxy or thinning kills its strength. ask any boat builder. or manufacture. Also in thinning anything over 10% is really frowned on. and 50-60% loss in strength..more you add weaker it gets. thanks for Video.

Xylene and Xylol are not the same. You have Xylol which says it is an ‘alcohol’ of Zylene. Mixing/thinning anything like epoxy more than 10-15 % is the usual limit. So, that is the most likely the reason for the cupping of the wood. The box area that is smoother is the probably due to the change in the grain in the wood which is likely a sap area in the wood. 😎

alcohol based epoxy no bubbles ,man dont make it to complicated ,dissolve in alcohol

"Erb" garden ? don't you mean Herb garden ?

I wonder how deoxygenated water would mix work out?