In this part, we will see how to achieve, step by step, this famous creation of wooden resin table which knew how to unite the innovative material (epoxy resin) and the traditional (wood). This app makes it possible to create truly amazing artifacts and can be made with any material (fabrics, caps, metal, etc.).
Once you have chosen your WOOD (with a thickness of 2 to 3 cm), sand it with sandpaper. The finer the sandpaper (300-400), the smoother the sanded wood surface will be, but also “closed” reducing the absorption of the resin and therefore you will preserve the natural color of the wood. On the other hand, if the grits of the sandpaper are “coarse” (60-80), the tone of the wood will be darker (it depends on the taste!).
Cut the part into 4 parts (quantify the parts as you want) and then clean them using compressed air, or just a soft brush, to get all the dust out.
Let the wood dry in the sun (or in the cold season near a heater) for 24 to 48 hours. It is necessary to avoid contact with water for at least 24 hours;
- NOW WE ARE READY TO START! Assemble a wooden frame (this will be the shape of the table) 3-4 cm high. This used frame will be removed afterwards, so don't waste too much time with it.
Take a sheet of ordinary nylon or packing polyethylene and put it in the frame so that it is well placed on the edges and nooks (The resin does not attach to the polyethylene, so it will be easy remove the table from the mold once it has hardened). You can use double-sided tape to help you with this task. The resin will take the form of nylon so put everything on a perfectly smooth work area. Take care that the nylon does not move (you can fix it with the tape of the bi-adhesive).
Try to position the wooden planks in the frame however you prefer (You can also add other objects, stone or metal).
Mix a limited amount of resin (A + B) (300g for example) and with a brush go generously on all sides of the wood, then turn them to the other side (obviously using gloves) and continue to brush. Make sure you soak up the irregular parts of the wood. This operation serves as a “seal”, it prevents the formation of air bubbles when the wood is immersed in the resin. Finish this operation by positioning the wood in the frame in the final chosen way. Wait until hardening (minimum 8 hours).
Prepare the rest of the resin, mix it well in a large container and let stand for 10-15 Min.
- Pour uniform resin to the desired level. Equip yourself with a hair dryer (or an industrial hot air blower) to eliminate the bubbles rising to the surface. After 24, everything is ready to be removed from the frame.
Remark. Nylon is the most economical solution for a more uneven surface. To grid the table perfectly, you can use sandpaper (or hacksaw). Once the irregular parts have been abraded, the surface will be opaque, but don't worry! Just apply a thin layer of resin with a brush to make it transparent again! If you want “perfection” instead, you will have to buy a plexiglass tank as a container.
This way the table will come out perfect already and you will get it done much faster.
The resin consumption, if the table was pure resin, for (60x60x4) more than 10 kg of resin would be needed. But since half of the volume is occupied by wood, only 6 kg is used.
It was the first table and I think it was good enough (tell me!). So I think it's doable for everyone, as long as you pay attention to the preparation of the mold and have all the tools available). Anyway, I'm going to prepare another one! Good work!
