The patron Saint of us ignorant people

Next time...

John in NM

Just use masking tape. Not blue (or green ) just regular cheap masking tape. Use lots and go far past the void edges. Works great, I worked in a mesquite shop for a couple years and we did a lot of this.

We also used 2 hour epoxy rather than longer cure. Just more time to leak the longer the cure. Large voids you use less hardener as the epoxy is usually exothermic and large masses will go off quicker. The quicker they cure, the more likely you are to get cracks on cooling or even bubbles if the stuff boils (seen both).

Re: Next time...

J Barrett Irby Jr

Isn't hindsight wonderful? /the stuff I stuck on there is not tape. It does not have paper or fabric reinforcing in it. It did not dawn on me that there was no way to peel it off until it was too late. The guy at 3M was pretty funny, he gave it thought and check his research and checked with his fellows and finally said It's not designed to come off.

I went on YouTube and found lots of videos on "10 Things Not to do pouring epoxy". Most of them mentioned Do not try to tape off the bottom. Lots of people said to build a form and flood it top and bottom and just get it over with. At the cost of epoxy I could not stand that idea. That looks like a better idea now.

I could have poured a 1/2" of 2 hour stuff in the bottom and then topped it off with the good stuff.

WHY

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

were you using such long hardener? I do what you're doing all the time and have no issues with 3 hour hardener. I paint the reverse side with Anchor Seal wax and while wet apply plastic food wrap. I put the piece on a flat surface with a layer of paper towels to give a bit of pressure.

Any leaks get controlled within a short distance from the crack and the paper and plastic come right off.

Re: The patron Saint of us ignorant people

William Duffield

I use clear plastic packing tape. The flatter you can put it down, the better.

the epoxy will seep into any wrinkles, but if you flatten them with a J-roller, not much will work its way in, much less, escape, and you can easily scrape or sand that off. It peels right off when the epoxy has kicked, leaving a flat, smooth surface. Any places you don't have any wrinkles, especially on the bottom of your slab, are now finished. Any little ridges left from tape overlap sands or scrapes off as easily as tracks left from hand planing the surface. The dispenser for strapping cardboard boxes is very convenient, because it leaves minimal wrinkles.

I think the epoxy you want to use is made by Alumilite. It is significantly less expensive and more flexible after it cures than West System.

Re: Alumilite

William Duffield

Alumilite makes several epoxy and other resin products. I think what you want to try is called "Amazing Clear Cast."

Of course, you are also going to need the Part B.

Mark, how do you ....

Barry Irby

Get the wax off? Doesn't it interfere with any finish you might treat the underside with?

I like this idea. Just wondering?

Easy

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

When it sets up overnight, peel off the paper and plastic and then use a scraper. Any epoxy "spread" comes right off and most of the wax does as well. Remember, the wax does not penetrate the wood and Anchor Seal retains the emulsifier so the rest of the residue comes off with water and a scrub/rinse.

William, this is all your fault...

Barry Irby

I went and looked up Alumalite with Google. Now I am getting ads for it on Facebook. That and every other epoxy as well. They're on to me.

Re: William, this is all your fault...

William Duffield

Don't blame me! I'm not even getting a kickback. That arrangement is between you and Google. People I know who are paranoid advise clearing your cookies after every internet session and setting up a VPN. It would probably help to also wear a tin foil hat while browsing.

Tin Foil

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

Doesn't work!!!

Aluminum, however, is a different story provided they're broadcasting on the proper frequency. You must be adamantly grounded and avoid facing west between the hours of 3:45 and 6:13 pm.

Or.....

John in NM

Don't use google if it bothers you

Other search engines are gaining popularity, simply by being "not google"....

Re: Tin Foil

William Duffield

Of course you use aluminum foil. "Tin foil" is just a figure of speech, I would guess derived from the Tin Man in Over the Rainbow. It probably really works, in some fashion, as a Faraday cage.

Check

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

with Magneto

Result

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In New Jersey

After the Anchore Seal wax is scraped and scrubbed off and a bit of sanding, I got this with a Red Maple crotch