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

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!

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.😊

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

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.

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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

That home made router tool is awesome man

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!

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. 😊👍

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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