Thread: Using epoxy resin on red gum...some tips.

I know red gum has a beautiful natural colour that should be varnished, waxed or lacquered etc. But when the boss lady says "Make it glassy like the hall table", you have to use epoxy resin.

Here are my tips after many, many headaches. Firstly, the piece in question is for a coffee table. I did the usual epoxy resin box up, poured jet black epoxy, filled the cracks etc with the same jet black epoxy.

I have to say this was a nasty piece of red gum. Lots of cracks and heaps of borer holes. So I filled the cracks the best I could with epoxy and sanded it back for a varnish etc finish. But with a flood pour of epoxy on top, you have to seal it and seal it good.

Tip #1. I used Bondall Monocel wood sealer. Slapped it on and did a light (800 grit) sand before the second coat. The fine cracks and borer hole were still clearly present. The sealer has the viscosity of estapol. Too thick to get in to those fine cracks. So I watered it down 50/50. And did a flood pour on the whole piece. I just moved it around with a fine paint brush until it stared to go off. Paint off the excess and let dry...which is quick.

Tip #2 Splash some water on the wood to see if it beads. But red gum lies. So expect the worst.

Tip #3 Work out the volume for the epoxy flood coat. Work on a 2.5mm depth. Use a tile grout spreader to move it over the table. Use your hand to do the sides. Pop "normal" bubbles with a heat gun. Move quick, don't cook the resin.

Tip #4 No matter how hard you try to seal red gum, it will always bite you. I expected the worst from this piece and got it. 2 bubbles. If they are small, try with the heat gun but that tends to heat up the wood, then the air, then bigger bubbles. Wait until the epoxy is starting to go off. Put some dripped epoxy on a tooth pick, heat it up with the heat gun and carefully drip it on the bubble. Hit it with the heat gun quickly. If air is coming out then there is a void that needs to be filled. Takes a while but eventually you will win.

Pics to follow.