Thread: Help! Drilled through a laminate top ( my new router table).

Drill a blind hole approx the same size as the hole in the laminate, fill with epoxy resin, trim when set....done deal

You could try sealing it with some thin CA glue.

Rwbuild could you elaborate? Drill a blind hole in laminate? Then glue it to the hole I want to fix with epoxy resin? Cheers

Also just curious, where would you buy plastic laminates/ false wood laminates often used in cheaply furniture?

Originally Posted by hellofellow

Rwbuild could you elaborate? Drill a blind hole in laminate? Then glue it to the hole I want to fix with epoxy resin? Cheers

Also just curious, where would you buy plastic laminates/ false wood laminates often used in cheaply furniture?

Drill the hole thru the laminate into the MDF then fill with epoxy resin

You can often get good size laminate off cuts from any kitchen manufacturer

Originally Posted by rwbuild

Drill the hole thru the laminate into the MDF then fill with epoxy resin

You can often get good size laminate off cuts from any kitchen manufacturer

If you want a small piece of laminate then you can alwyas get samples from a kitchen place. They usually have display boards with pegs with lots of small samples on.

As a third party I think I can see some confusion here. What rwbuild is advising is that you drill a hole where you have impacted the surface of the laminate. Make it slightly Larger then the hole left by the screw. 'Blind' simply means it doesnt go all the way through. Fill it up with epoxy, in fact overfill it a bit. When set, sand it level with the table top. The epoxy is your new surface - you arent cutting a plug from laminate and sticking that on - probably end up with a ridge if you did that.

Cheers
Arron

Never worked with epoxy. But sounds like its worth a shot. I'll probably start a new thread on epoxy for specifics, but might as well ask here: what brand would you use and is epoxy resin the same as epoxy adhesive ? Can you use the epoxy resin I would use for moulds or in this case my bench top, as a glue?

0) Make sure you're not confusing epoxy and polyester resins. Epoxies are mixed in quantities like 1:1, 1:2, 1:5 while polyester is like 6ml per litre.
1) There's araldite, but that's an awfully expensive way to buy an average epoxy ($53 for 200ml)
2) Then there are the boat building marine epoxies ($36 for 750ml to $666 for 30 litres). I use Botecote and West brands.
4) Boat building epoxies come unthickened. This means they are about as runny as honey on a warm day; this assists good penetration and grip in timber, and you can use a variety of things (sand, wood sawdust, aluminium powder, stainless steel powder, tea leaves, chalk, flour) to thicken it up if required.

I would:
Check that I had removed any up-set wood (that little bulge that forms on screw breakthrough) so the area around it is nice and flat.
Slap a piece of duct tape or insulation tape over the hole on the top surface.
Turn the table over.
Place on flat surface to provide support for the bit of tape.
Fill the hole from behind with unthickened epoxy.
Voilà!- no sanding required on the top as the epoxy was held level by the tape!

Thanks very much guys.

I obviously have a lot to lean about resins. Can I confirm a few points:

1. Resins used for moulds are polyester resins?
2. Araldite is one of many epoxy resins, I can use the other ones as adhesives for cheaper solution?
3. Epoxy resins can also be sprayed onto flooring and furniture for as a finish? These are still the same adhesives as above?
4. They come with a hardening agent? So the thin boat epoxy resin in question will come with its respective hardening agent?
5. Where can I buy epoxy resin?
6. Having a quick look at Bunnings, would something like Selleys fix it epoxy putty be suitable? $8 50 grams ( should be enough for this job)

Thanks guys, all suggestions really appreciated, and I'm learning while I do the fix!

Originally Posted by hellofellow

Thanks very much guys.

I obviously have a lot to lean about resins. Can I confirm a few points:

1. Resins used for moulds are polyester resins?
2. Araldite is one of many epoxy resins, I can use the other ones as adhesives for cheaper solution?
3. Epoxy resins can also be sprayed onto flooring and furniture for as a finish? These are still the same adhesives as above?
4. They come with a hardening agent? So the thin boat epoxy resin in question will come with its respective hardening agent?
5. Where can I buy epoxy resin?
6. Having a quick look at Bunnings, would something like Selleys fix it epoxy putty be suitable? $8 50 grams ( should be enough for this job)

Thanks guys, all suggestions really appreciated, and I'm learning while I do the fix!

some answers:
1. Not necessarily but usually. Because they are cheap and easily obtainable.
2. Yes it is. If you go to 2 Dollar shops you will see many knock-offs of araladite. Most work OK, probably not as good as the real thing but close enough for most uses. I don't see any reason you couldn't use them. Stiffen it up a bit with something like what splinter suggested if need be - though generally having it pourable is good for filling.
3. Epoxy is generally not sprayed - though it is sometimes done. Problems with spraying epoxy include that it is very toxic, a bit too viscous and is not self levelling. I think you are more like thinking of '2k' or '2 pack' finishes which are pretty standard in large scale furniture making. They are 2 pack polyurethane.
4. Yes. they do. Usually you buy the two together in separate containers.
6. depends on its purpose. Marine epoxies at boat supply places and chandlers. Epoxy adhesives almost anywhere. Specialised epoxy coatings at specialised paint outlets.
7. I had some of that and it worked well. It does stay a bit stiff though, even after being kneaded, so I'm not sure you'll be able to get it into a long thin hole.

cheers
Arron

Good Morning Hellofellow

For a great primer on epoxy have a look here:
Marine Epoxy - WEST SYSTEM Epoxy - WEST SYSTEM by ATL Composites

Essentially WEST resin is used both as a paint and a filler. Your just add thickeners as required. Read up on the safety rules as epoxy is nasty - its effects are cumulative - I am just starting to get a twitch in my eye when I use it, a friend reacts severely. Cured epoxy seems benign.

Best sources of supply are from a marine chandlery or from a specialist fibreglass shop.

If you want assistance, then ask a teenager which of their mates makes the best surfboards - the level of skill with epoxy molding of some kids is phenomenol.




Fair Winds

Graeme

Thanks guys

In regards to "2" can you use boating epoxy instead of araldite as an adhesive?

Regardless I'll have a look around to find some to fill this hole!

Cheers all

Originally Posted by hellofellow

Thanks guys

In regards to "2" can you use boating epoxy instead of araldite as an adhesive?

Yes. It (marine) is a better quality epoxy than the others. Who would want a boat to come unglued??

Basically, for good flat surfaces use strait epoxy. If the glue line is uneven, then thicken epoxy as needed - it becomes gap filling.



Fair Winds

Graeme

In fact you should use a marine epoxy anywhere you can use araldite.

Why? It's cheaper, and more than likely has better physical performance, and you can use it thin*, to get into all the little holes in wood, then thicken the rest of the mix (with flour or silica or stainless steel powder or...) to fill gaps structurally.

I haven't seen any 50 meter yachts built with araldite as the fastener holding the entire hull together, but they exist for the marine epoxies.

*Why is thin important? Epoxy creates a mechanical bond, not only at the gross '80 grit sanded' level, but also at the micro 'this is why geckos can grip on glass' level of Van der Waals forces. Thin means less surface tension and more wicking into the surface for better grip.

NB. With epoxies, you MUST be accurate. 'She'll be right' only applies if your guestimation skills are accurate to within 6% or so with the 5:1 ratio epoxies.

Thanks again. Good note on the accuracy.

So when using one epoxy you will always add hardener to a certain ratio but you can choose how thick or thin to make it with fillers as mentioned above? I assume you should not alter the amount of hardener to thicken it as mentioned with accuracy above? In my case shouId I mix it thick or thin? Or just standard ratio as per box and fill up the small hole...

Cheers all