...And I fucked it up. I didn't have enough epoxy on hand (not entirely my fault; the back of the box said a quart of the mixed stuff can do 6.4 ft^2 of material, and the instruction card said 9 ft^2, so I only had 2 quarts on hand; I should have erred on the side of caution and dropped the cash for the gallon containers, or at least bought another box) when I initially poured, so I ran to Home Despot to get some more. In the meantime, the stuff I already poured had leveled off and started curing past its work time. Being the genius that I am, I go and mix the entire quart I just bought, and dump it on the table instead of accepting the outcome of the half gallon I'd already poured, or just mixing enough to fill spots and move on. Approximately 1/4 proceeded to run right off the edge onto the floor because of how I did the sides, and as I try to work it around to level off as best I can, I am "reminded" that the first coat is past its work life in in the form of nasty looking streaks.

Now it seems I either have to accept it the way it is, or buy some more and respray. Hopefully it won't turn out to look too horrible.

I'm beginning to think I should have just gotten a cheap HVLP gun and some spray varnish. Nowhere near as fast, but so much simpler, and probably cheaper. (I might just do that on the next 2. Haven't decided yet.)

“Wisdom comes from experience. Experience is often a result of lack of wisdom.”

Create multiple on-line accounts and start posting "awesome" reviews about this "new technique" on places like etsy and pinterest, and then post it on ebay and make thousands of dollars.

"I call it the V-RAD table topping technique. Just buy the epoxy, mix it up properly, and then completely ignore common sense when you pour it."

I actually have to say, now that it's set up properly, there's one or 2 spots that are still soft (likely from improperly mixed epoxy), but the screwed up section isn't terribly noticeable unless you catch glare in just the right way, though the "shelf" where the second coat didn't flow into the first completely. I could probably sand it smooth; instead I'll just pour another coat of the stuff, but not until I have the next table finished.

Set up the edges right, sand the top after it sets up, re-pour a thin coat of the same epoxy. It should blend in and level out.

Thanks for the tip. I'll be fixing it when I get everything else set and ready for the next one; right now the behemoth is getting stacked against a wall to await its larger brother.

quote:

Originally posted by vulrath:
"I call it the V-RAD table topping technique. Just buy the epoxy, mix it up properly, and then completely ignore common sense when you pour it."
...

If I have a nickel for every time I did that, I could afford to buy your art.

You and me both...

I considered doing an Epoxy desktop.
Watched the YouTube Vids and noted everything must be level and using a torch to smooth out the bubbles.

So I am building a new computer desk with a slab of oak butcher-block.
Pre-stained, stained, sanded and layed (or is it laid ?) on 11 coats of General Finishes Arm R Seal Poly.
Fine sanded 500/100/2000/4000 and now letting it gas out/cure for a week or two.

It looks great but somehow using Epoxy might have been easier and probably a tougher desktop.

Hope your project comes out OK.

It was honestly a lot easier than I thought, but it is really easy to mess it up if you aren't careful (or disregard all sense like I did). I just followed up the pouring with a pass from a heat source (I had a torch on hand, so that's what I used).

The initial pour probably would have been fine. I got weird and decided it needed another coat and now I need to pour another coat to cover that up.

The end result looks beautiful. Super high gloss that gives the wood the sheen i wanted when I chose oak for the project in the first place. Now if it was just flat...

quote:

Originally posted by CPD SIG:
Set up the edges right, sand the top after it sets up, re-pour a thin coat of the same epoxy. It should blend in and level out.

I think this is the right solution.