if you want to achieve a professional looking flat finish on porous woods, you must fill the grain before finishing. there are two methods. first you can fill the grain with the finish you are using. this is not a very practical approach when finishing with epoxy as it involves sanding back to bare wood between coats of finish until the grain is filled. this is very time consuming method if you are not using something like a precat lacquer that is sanding dry in 15 minutes and sands very easily. forget sanding back epoxy, not an option. the second method, and the one that would work in an epoxy application is to fill with a grain filler before staining. on something large like this, i would use a hardwood flooring grain filler like bona that flows very easily. it trowels much like the way you applied the epoxy. let it dry, and sand back to bare wood. then stain and finish. as far as the cupping of your top. bracing is not going to be strong enough unless it is steel. there are a few ways of preventing this, and one way of dealing with it. obviously to prevent something like this the wood should be properly dried to something between 8 and 12 percent. and even in that case, with good dry lumber, you should alternate the end grain orientation from board to board. so if you look at your slab at 11:30 and you will see from left to right the first 3 boards share the same orientation, while the last 2 share the opposite. now sometimes this can cause issue and sometimes its a nonissue. personally, i dont worry so much about my board orientation as i am choosing faces for their character/aesthetic, but it can be an issue with thick tops. most common issue for cupping tops is not finishing both sides of the slab. that thick coat of epoxy puts a lot of tensile stress on the top surface. the bottom should be finished in the same way to equalize that force and prevent deformation. a good method of mitigating a cupped top is to make a series of kerf cuts on the underside of the top, along the grain, the entire length of the top. google kerfkore plywood images and you will see what i mean. make the cuts about 3/4 the depth of the top and make them about 1/2 apart. you can do this with a circular saw and a straight board, just make sure that the cuts remain parallel to the edges of the top as well as each other. this will relieve enough material allowing you to flatten the slab with bracing or simply by screwing it to the cabinets, or sometimes allowing it to flatten out under its own weight. only problem is you would have to remove the top, and reinstall.
Quick tip to fix your bubble problem, you can add a coat or 2 of polyurethane before you add the epoxy and the poly will seep down into the pores sealing them up and it can be sanded to a smooth finish if you want before adding the epoxy. BTW those countertops look amazing and you have definitely got something to be proud of there! Keep up the good work!
I wonder if anyone has done a similar project and used seal coat shellac? Seems a few coats of that might help, maybe? You See, I have a similar project coming up with 100 year old white oak, but I won’t be using epoxy. Any suggestions for finish. It is a big kitchen table. Any comments on OsmoCoat?
@@MJ-nb1qn using a nice polyurethane base to seal it then adding a 50/50 mix of boiled lin seed oil and bees wax you can polish it to a nice finish that's food safe, fairly durable and cheaper than epoxy.
I would have never used such a dark stain. But i was pleasantly surprised with the finish. Looks awesome. Also it makes perfect sense because your walls are a lighter color , and the contrast is beautiful. Plus , momma bear is happy and thats all that matters.
I completely agree with the dark stain. I think it was the wrong choice. I have always loved White Oak because you actually do not need to stain it at all. When the top coats go on, the White Oak takes on a beautiful honey color and is so much easier to maintain. Not all woods will do that. Red Oak, for example, looks harsh and brassy without some stain. Just my two pennies.
I am with you. I understand after seeing the Pine paneling. I wouldn't have had the heart to stain it that dark. You have to admire the beautiful kitchen.
pre-seal the wood with a thin layer of the same epoxy and a sponge brush on porous materials like wood. Then pour the epoxy on the next day when dry. It helps with preventing large air bubbles with end results.
I'm afraid this worktop will fail. It will curl upwards at the outer edges. It is a principle of finishing timber that the same finish should be applied to the underside as to the top, otherwise there will be a differential uptake of moisture on one side compared with the other. Putting braces on the underside will actually make things worse, because you will have grain crossing. Timber expands and contracts across its grain, but (almost entirely) not along it, so with seasonal changes in temperature and humidity, the braces underneath will remain the same length, whereas the worktop itself will seek to get wider or narrower. This inevitably leads to cupping or splitting. To do this properly, take it off again and out to the workshop. Run relieving cuts along the length of the underside, two thirds of the depth of the timber, and two per board. Then encapsulate the underside in epoxy to match the top. It'll probably still fail, because you have no idea of the moisture content of the timber, but at least you'd have a better chance than you have now. I'm afraid this video is pretty much a "how-not-to-do-it" lesson.
One approach for stiffeners is to use angle iron with slots instead of holes for the screws; don't tighten the screws too much and the countertop will be allowed to expand and contract seasonally with moisture. The screws on one side or the center can be holes and fixed tight. That will help with the warping though direction will largely be dictated by grain; the alternating cup up and cup down method is important to avoid large scale warping. I concur bIscuits would help provide a longer life. I've done solid hardwood plank top counters before as a base for barrier, lath, portland cement plaster and tile. That counter still looks good at 30 years old. In my present home I switched to double layers of Hardyboard and big tile.
Mack you are dead nuts on. Two passes with a grain filler, sanding in between, and a static temp (no applied heat) for a day before the pour would eliminate any chance of gassing. The end product was amazing.
Mate !! That's what you call, "But, I made this" if someone points it out. Not some factory made slab that was brought from a retail shop. Stand up and have pride in what your done. A awesome timber-gain top will always command respect.
Nice 👍. To eliminate those bubbles, either seal it with Varnish or a thin coat of epoxy. Had this happen to me. Now that I seal the timber on both sides I've had no problems. All part of the learning process. Cheers from Tasmania Australia 🇦🇺 👍 😁
I've built a few small boats, and learned that there is a way to deal with the bubbles, which are caused by off-gassing. Here's what works really well: bring your shop up to temperature, and then let the temp begin to fall. As the temp falls, the wood will reverse its off-gassing, and now is the time to apply the epoxy, as the wood will suck it in rather that push it out, eliminating the bubbles. Or, lightly sand between coats and roll the second coat on with a epoxy roller from a boat supply store, such as West Marine. This works for small boats and the finish comes out very nice and smooth.
go over to Next Level Carpentry and build a set of his Journyman's Sawhorses. At the end of the vid he stress tests 1 pair, and they stop adding weight at 15,000 #'s (yes fifteen thousand pounds) .. you only need 6 2x4's and some select constructions screws, they stack and they are easy to cary.
The “pot holes” are just conversation pieces, I have a great deal of admiration for anyone that can tackle such a large project with the most basic shop tools. Awesome job Sir. Congratulations and remember, you simply do not need a MASTER workshop to turn out MASTER work. Again, very impressed.
aren't you worried about the inevitable water damage on that unsealed b-side? not trying to be rude, but your customer is going to see warp in less than a year
Regardless that your wife likes it, that could change when your hard work starts to come undone. Yes, you used Tite Bond, but in just a few years' time you'll have small voids between the boards you've laminated together because they are going to continue drying out. Regardless of Thanksgiving, I would have taken at least another week to finish this project. Biscuit joints, even simple dowels would have prevented or slowed the eventual separations you will see. I also agree entirely with other commenters who said you should have put at least a thin coat of epoxy on the underside. As for the top, two ultra-thick coats a day apart is begging for disaster. A half dozen thin coats would have given you a much more beautiful finish. Now before you think I'm a total curmudgeon, I must thank you for your honesty and for sharing this.
Gussy, regardless of-the stupid response you are on the money. When the timber does react to the conditions they are going to be very disappointed and pissed off as it won’t be able to be repaired.
I'm glad someone else has mentioned those points. Hopefully they will learn from this and the next table will be able to last longer when properly done.
My points are completely valid. Thousands of experienced woodworkers, young or old, would unquestionably agree. I suspect that with such a vitriolic defence, DeWitt is actually the video's creator.
Awesome fine job! Just a FYI - - a coat or two of sand and sealer before the epoxy would have probably made your counter top turn out like you wanted. Me and my podnuh own a TimberKing 1600 and do all sorts of projects incl building his new home currently - on the Bayou. You did good and thanks a million for sharing!!
Those imperfections are yours and only yours you only know where they are, keep them a secret other people will see only what you tell them. It's perfect for the average person most likely will see something in question and tell themselves, "how artistic." I think it's beautiful nice to see how dedicated to the project you are, that must have felt amazing once you all set it in and finished off the sink. Excellent!! Don't be so hard on yourself, think of the Brillant food that's going to be made there for your family and friends all the best Cheers!! and just enjoy!
I do epoxy all the time on river tables and some countertops.. I usually do three really thin seal coats of epoxy and then I a fload coat.. rule of thumb is 1oz of epoxy per square foot on seal coats and 3 oz per square foot on fload coats.. I usually add a little extra on the fload coat to make sure it doesn't have thin spots.. but a light sanding between seal coats and it normally seals.. if not I keep doing seal.coats until it seals.. really expensive but looks great when it lays out like glass..
I either use stone coat countertops epoxy or if I'm trying to save money I've tried almost all the different brands and promarine on Amazon is the best less expensive epoxy ive ever found.. but if I'm doing river tables and need a deep pour casting epoxy I always buy stonecoats deep casting epoxy..
Thanks for sharing such a great, complex project! I think it turned out well, maybe not to your expectations, but I think character was born, and a job well done sir! Again, thanks for sharing!
I learned early on, if I'm laying a clear coat resin on to any type of bare wood, always spray a seal coat first. Never had trouble with bubbles since.
Sure this is some fine wood to be just wasted.. personally I try to waste zero wood as much as I can, always keeping in mind that this was a tree (or trees) that got cut down so I can do my thing
A tip for people doing expoy/resin pours on tables, If you want to remove bubbles easily just spray the surface lighlt with rubbing alcohol and the bubbles will dissapeaer
like to see it after 1 year. Epoxy is soft and you can see every scratch easily. Anyway, I admire what you have done and the big efforts spent on this countertop.
Don't feel bad. My epoxy countertops did the same thing. I struggled with it for several weeks and then changed brands of epoxy. That did the trick. Good job meeting that deadline!
Hi. Can I ask how you find the durability of the epoxy top coat in terms of scratching, watermarks and heat damage from general use please. Do you require to make any form of small repairs by filling etc. once the epoxy is fully cured and in daily use?
I used a bunch of old white oak to make 20 rudders for show boats. I finally learned that if you brush the first coat on pretty thin and take care of your bubbles just as you did then let it set up and sand it the second coat will usually come out clear. If not the by doing the same thing and sanding it after it sets then by the third I never had anymore bubbles.
After staining, it’s always best to seal porous timber with a fine coating of bees wax/linseed oil mix before applying epoxy coat, to prevent air bubbles.
@@felixronin3622 Yeah you're right! It's so cool. I always wanted to hack my friend's facebook account. Dream come true and life goal fulfilled. Now I can move on to my next life.
Hey I know this was a long time ago now, but when you cut out the piece for the sink I thought, "Man he should save that piece and make a matching cutting board with it!! :)
The top needs to be sealed 100 percent. That means all edges and under neath as well. If your having cupping it’s because of the wood absorbing moisture unevenly. Also need to pay attention to how you glue up the boards with alternate grains. The finish is unacceptable.
When you constructing your top, alternating the growth rings will keep the top flatter. Another thing I wouldn't use 1.5" or 2" material I would use 3/4" wood and only use the thicker stuff at the front edge.
I used the west system now, I have used others but had the best luck with the west system. Only draw back it’s sooooooo expensive. Here in New Jersey in the states one day it could be 60 degrees F with 40 percent humidity and next day it could be 80F with 100 percent humidity. So the west system is very forgiving with that type of weather.I always put poly as finishing coat good luck
I’m definitely not the most knowledgeable woodworker. But would sealing the top with thinned polyurethane before doing the flood coat epoxy work to stop the bubbling?
I've done a couple of poured epoxy countertops for my customers and the place where I buy the epoxy told me to buy a butane or propane torch and pass the flame lightly over the bubbles after I had finished applying the epoxy. Works like a charm; epoxy looks as smooth as glass. (No, it doesn't catch the epoxy on fire)
Stone Coat Epoxy recommends two coats at 1oz per sq ft sanding between then a thicker flood coat at 3 oz per sq ft to get a gloss finish. Love the oak!
I would have thought you would have stained and epoxied the inside edge of your sink cut out because water can migrate and rot it out there and also i would have sealed/stained the bottom to keep the underside from warping and splitting due to humidity changes.
The most important thing is that your number one client loved it, so congratulations! Here's a few constructive comments to help with your future projects: 1. Spend time straightening the edges of the boards so they'll mate together better. 2. Get yourself some heavier clamps, as it's very important that the edges are firmly held together during the glue-up. 3. To reduce the possibility of warpage, finish the underside of your countertop with at least one coat of the same finish you're using for the top face. 4. To get a better finish, after your first coat of epoxy has set, sand it down (P80), then fill any voids (usually caused by bubbles) with epoxy, then sand out all imperfections with P120 grit sandpaper. You'll have to lay down another coat of epoxy to deal with any remaining problems, after which - you guessed it - you should sand again with a finer grit (P220) so that you don't sand through the epoxy. Once the epoxy has fully cured, give it another, fine grit sanding (P220) then top it off with a high quality varnish. Nice bandsaw mill!
Better clamps are indeed in order. squeeze type are just not going to give you the pressure you need. A screw type clamp will be far more dependable and won't skip or back out if the resistance is too great. I agree with Marty too on the biscuits or dowels. Unless the wood was kiln dried, it is going to shrink some for a while. Overall though, that is a mighty fine looking counter and you ought to be proud of the job well done.
Thanks for the video. The portable mill used as a rough joiner was very interesting. I was wondering why you didn’t use biscuits, or pegs to join the boards together? I will make the assumption you heat with wood in your home. The glue and epoxy alone won’t prevent the “lifting” of the boards. Especially around the sink where the conflict of sink moisture and dry winter wood heated air will make wood go silly. Treating all sides, ends, sink cut out (especially) will help stop the bowing you are creating clamps to avoid. Treating only one side won’t stop moisture coming into wood from below. Enough of the armchair criticism, I think it looks very nice and I understand you were under the “honey-doo” gun to get it done. Thank you and be safe.
@@BlackMountainCycles that's a weak come-back. and the fact that someone doesn't have link or a YT profile with vids, doesn't mean they never made anything. Plus, the end result was not up to scratch so people are allowed to point it out. if you don't like it, don't post YT vids
The pock marks could of been avoided by letting the first coat set a little longer ,not sure about your brand the stuff I use is like 3 hours. We call it the seal coat just for the reasons you see . After it’s somewhat dry and sealed then your second coat will level out perfectly. I didn’t see if you sealed the sink edges but better if you let the epoxy run down sink edges. But you have a beautiful counter top nonetheless. 👍
Hey buddy looks great, what a beautiful kitchen! You experienced “out gassing” which occurs when the timber is heating up with the air around it causing expanding air from the timber to push the resin out. Always complete epoxy coatings in a falling air temperature.
Is that the same for ANY epoxy project or just large projects such as tables etc? I'm considering making an epoxy river countertop for my bar and something like this would really wind me up because it wouldn't be right in my eyes and 'I'd always know' it wasn't quite perfect.
@@Dan_TheMedic - "out gassing" can occur any time you apply epoxy over wood where the ambient temperature is increasing. The secret is to apply the epoxy when the temperature is falling.
Tip. When gluing up strips like that what you want to do is look at all the ends at one end and look at the end grain. You want the cup on each piece to be opposite to the one next to it. One piece you want the grain cupping down and the next cupping up. This will keep the end product flat and the whole piece won’t cup.
I just finished posting the tip below when you started talking about tops warping or cupping! Follow my tip and they won’t warp. Also as a general rule of thumb whatever you finish the top with you have to finish the bottom also otherwise the finish will pull the wood at one side only and this also creates problems cupping. Since you epoxied you should put a heavy finish on bottom not necessarily epoxy to balance the top. I woul at least put a couple good heavy Coates of sealer if epoxy is not feasible or would be over budget.
That looks like “fish eye” and not air pockets. Fish eye can be from un-cured stain oil in the soft grain of the oak reacting with the epoxy causing the slight separation or pulling of the epoxy.
Those pock marks add character! Don't be ashamed of them! You did and great job! I think rubbing parafin wax on the tops of the base cabinets might have made it easier to slide it in...
Isn't that the truth happy wife happy life I pissed mine off after 30 years and she left me over a big house that she no longer wanted happy wifey happy life e
If you alternate the the direction of the grain in each plank, ie one up one down. it should help with cupping of the top. Looks nice, happy wife happy life. Hope you are all safe, its got a bit tense over here in the UK, keep up the videos, lockdown is no fun.
Wow, I’m glad you’re happy with this because I would go bankrupt if my epoxy jobs looked like that. The glue-up had big gaps and the final finish was less than stellar. (Me being nice).
Yeah I mean did he not just say, let me sand this back down and start over. That would have been way better than the shitty installed result. I would never let my work be seen with those flaws. (Me being semi nice
Tell her it is wood porn. You: Ohhh mama.... look at that nice tight fit. Her: Really? If he had measured better it would just slide right in. What guy needs help putting it in? You: Ok, I hear you honey, yes in but sometimes you are going to want some friction, something to grab. Her: Hey babe, all this talk... it's uh.. got me worked up... you thinking what I am thinking? You: Hell yeah, let's go make some cabinets !!!!
if you want to achieve a professional looking flat finish on porous woods, you must fill the grain before finishing. there are two methods. first you can fill the grain with the finish you are using. this is not a very practical approach when finishing with epoxy as it involves sanding back to bare wood between coats of finish until the grain is filled. this is very time consuming method if you are not using something like a precat lacquer that is sanding dry in 15 minutes and sands very easily. forget sanding back epoxy, not an option. the second method, and the one that would work in an epoxy application is to fill with a grain filler before staining. on something large like this, i would use a hardwood flooring grain filler like bona that flows very easily. it trowels much like the way you applied the epoxy. let it dry, and sand back to bare wood. then stain and finish.
as far as the cupping of your top. bracing is not going to be strong enough unless it is steel. there are a few ways of preventing this, and one way of dealing with it. obviously to prevent something like this the wood should be properly dried to something between 8 and 12 percent. and even in that case, with good dry lumber, you should alternate the end grain orientation from board to board. so if you look at your slab at 11:30 and you will see from left to right the first 3 boards share the same orientation, while the last 2 share the opposite. now sometimes this can cause issue and sometimes its a nonissue. personally, i dont worry so much about my board orientation as i am choosing faces for their character/aesthetic, but it can be an issue with thick tops. most common issue for cupping tops is not finishing both sides of the slab. that thick coat of epoxy puts a lot of tensile stress on the top surface. the bottom should be finished in the same way to equalize that force and prevent deformation.
a good method of mitigating a cupped top is to make a series of kerf cuts on the underside of the top, along the grain, the entire length of the top. google kerfkore plywood images and you will see what i mean. make the cuts about 3/4 the depth of the top and make them about 1/2 apart. you can do this with a circular saw and a straight board, just make sure that the cuts remain parallel to the edges of the top as well as each other. this will relieve enough material allowing you to flatten the slab with bracing or simply by screwing it to the cabinets, or sometimes allowing it to flatten out under its own weight. only problem is you would have to remove the top, and reinstall.
Sean Wimpfheimer That is loads of good information. Thanks for taking the time to type it all!
Great information
Lots of people like the wood finished with the porous and wormy finishes left exposed . Nothing nicer than wormy butternut !
My guess is you have a ton of woodworking experience, wow! Thanks for sharing!!!!
Can I hire you?
Brush on the first coat of epoxy. Let it completely dry and then pour and no more porous bubbles. 444
I was thinking the same thing, or use a light coat of urethane Poly to seal it first.
Totally agree. Glad do see and learn on how not to ruin my own work. I know a lady who is a bit more demanding.
Quick tip to fix your bubble problem, you can add a coat or 2 of polyurethane before you add the epoxy and the poly will seep down into the pores sealing them up and it can be sanded to a smooth finish if you want before adding the epoxy.
BTW those countertops look amazing and you have definitely got something to be proud of there! Keep up the good work!
I think if using the poly you need to add a day of drying time.
@@onedrop7967 depending on the polyurethane, yes. Some quick drying urethane can be done in about 2-3 hours.
I wonder if anyone has done a similar project and used seal coat shellac? Seems a few coats of that might help, maybe? You See, I have a similar project coming up with 100 year old white oak, but I won’t be using epoxy. Any suggestions for finish. It is a big kitchen table. Any comments on OsmoCoat?
@@MJ-nb1qn using a nice polyurethane base to seal it then adding a 50/50 mix of boiled lin seed oil and bees wax you can polish it to a nice finish that's food safe, fairly durable and cheaper than epoxy.
i like using shellac for sealing.
I would have never used such a dark stain. But i was pleasantly surprised with the finish. Looks awesome. Also it makes perfect sense because your walls are a lighter color , and the contrast is beautiful. Plus , momma bear is happy and thats all that matters.
I completely agree with the dark stain. I think it was the wrong choice. I have always loved White Oak because you actually do not need to stain it at all. When the top coats go on, the White Oak takes on a beautiful honey color and is so much easier to maintain. Not all woods will do that. Red Oak, for example, looks harsh and brassy without some stain. Just my two pennies.
AHHHHH!! I cried a little when that dark stain went onto that beautiful white oak!
I am with you. I understand after seeing the Pine paneling. I wouldn't have had the heart to stain it that dark. You have to admire the beautiful kitchen.
pre-seal the wood with a thin layer of the same epoxy and a sponge brush on porous materials like wood. Then pour the epoxy on the next day when dry. It helps with preventing large air bubbles with end results.
I'm afraid this worktop will fail. It will curl upwards at the outer edges. It is a principle of finishing timber that the same finish should be applied to the underside as to the top, otherwise there will be a differential uptake of moisture on one side compared with the other. Putting braces on the underside will actually make things worse, because you will have grain crossing. Timber expands and contracts across its grain, but (almost entirely) not along it, so with seasonal changes in temperature and humidity, the braces underneath will remain the same length, whereas the worktop itself will seek to get wider or narrower. This inevitably leads to cupping or splitting.
To do this properly, take it off again and out to the workshop. Run relieving cuts along the length of the underside, two thirds of the depth of the timber, and two per board. Then encapsulate the underside in epoxy to match the top. It'll probably still fail, because you have no idea of the moisture content of the timber, but at least you'd have a better chance than you have now. I'm afraid this video is pretty much a "how-not-to-do-it" lesson.
Yup. Experience is expensive. On every project, your either winning or learning. Short-term win, but long-term complete redo.
One approach for stiffeners is to use angle iron with slots instead of holes for the screws; don't tighten the screws too much and the countertop will be allowed to expand and contract seasonally with moisture. The screws on one side or the center can be holes and fixed tight. That will help with the warping though direction will largely be dictated by grain; the alternating cup up and cup down method is important to avoid large scale warping. I concur bIscuits would help provide a longer life. I've done solid hardwood plank top counters before as a base for barrier, lath, portland cement plaster and tile. That counter still looks good at 30 years old. In my present home I switched to double layers of Hardyboard and big tile.
No. Oak and steel don't mix. Any steel in contact with oak needs to be stainless, and that includes screws.
@@MikeAG333 Good point, Mike. I work in maple and cherry and forgot about oak and steel corrosion.
always do to the top what you do to the bottom :)
brush on a seal coat of epoxy let it dry halfway the do second pour - also do all sides so it does not warp.
A grain filler my help with those pock marks.Especially with oak.
Have a great night and Thank you for making this video
Mack you are dead nuts on. Two passes with a grain filler, sanding in between, and a static temp (no applied heat) for a day before the pour would eliminate any chance of gassing. The end product was amazing.
Nice to watch a project without background music
Bill Gooch I love the fact that he doesn’t use background music. It’s more enjoyable to hear the wood working sounds
Mate !! That's what you call, "But, I made this" if someone points it out. Not some factory made slab that was brought from a retail shop. Stand up and have pride in what your done. A awesome timber-gain top will always command respect.
KEY WORDS HERE: 'SEAL COATS'
Nice 👍. To eliminate those bubbles, either seal it with Varnish or a thin coat of epoxy. Had this happen to me. Now that I seal the timber on both sides I've had no problems. All part of the learning process. Cheers from Tasmania Australia 🇦🇺 👍 😁
Live and learn! Appreciate the tips!
Yep. Needed a seal coat first.
Glenn Cobern same here i seal both sides from encountering the same and now no more problems
Yayyyy Tasmania! I was there in 1986 with the US NAVY. Hobart.
Would a grain filler followed by shellac effectively seal oak,? Can shellac be used under epoxy?
I've built a few small boats, and learned that there is a way to deal with the bubbles, which are caused by off-gassing. Here's what works really well: bring your shop up to temperature, and then let the temp begin to fall. As the temp falls, the wood will reverse its off-gassing, and now is the time to apply the epoxy, as the wood will suck it in rather that push it out, eliminating the bubbles. Or, lightly sand between coats and roll the second coat on with a epoxy roller from a boat supply store, such as West Marine. This works for small boats and the finish comes out very nice and smooth.
I like it but you definitely need some sturdier saw horses.
go over to Next Level Carpentry and build a set of his Journyman's Sawhorses. At the end of the vid he stress tests 1 pair, and they stop adding weight at 15,000 #'s (yes fifteen thousand pounds) .. you only need 6 2x4's and some select constructions screws, they stack and they are easy to cary.
The “pot holes” are just conversation pieces, I have a great deal of admiration for anyone that can tackle such a large project with the most basic shop tools. Awesome job Sir. Congratulations and remember, you simply do not need a MASTER workshop to turn out MASTER work. Again, very impressed.
@Doctor Buga lol
Looks really nice. It passed the inspector so be happy. lol
Yep, that's all that matters!
I thought it would be something it was 1:45 meaning gray aged surface.
That gap between the boards hurt more than the sanding to my ears
and the stain..... it hurt my soul.
Looks like he had all the tools to mill the wood perfectly square too and just decided to only go halfway.
I’ll loose sleep over that gap
Yeah but when you’re filling with epoxy does it really matter?
@@brandoncarver4494 I like the color, but if you want walnut - get walnut.
aren't you worried about the inevitable water damage on that unsealed b-side? not trying to be rude, but your customer is going to see warp in less than a year
Jordan R I thought he said this was for himself? No?
Regardless that your wife likes it, that could change when your hard work starts to come undone. Yes, you used Tite Bond, but in just a few years' time you'll have small voids between the boards you've laminated together because they are going to continue drying out. Regardless of Thanksgiving, I would have taken at least another week to finish this project. Biscuit joints, even simple dowels would have prevented or slowed the eventual separations you will see. I also agree entirely with other commenters who said you should have put at least a thin coat of epoxy on the underside. As for the top, two ultra-thick coats a day apart is begging for disaster. A half dozen thin coats would have given you a much more beautiful finish. Now before you think I'm a total curmudgeon, I must thank you for your honesty and for sharing this.
You are a total butthead. You sound as if you're the perfect /person alive. Thank you for your insight oh great one, troll
Gussy, regardless of-the stupid response you are on the money. When the timber does react to the conditions they are going to be very disappointed and pissed off as it won’t be able to be repaired.
@@dm2781632 another "know it all" He's not claiming to be the world's best wood worker. Go troll on the kids channel, you old goat
I'm glad someone else has mentioned those points. Hopefully they will learn from this and the next table will be able to last longer when properly done.
My points are completely valid. Thousands of experienced woodworkers, young or old, would unquestionably agree. I suspect that with such a vitriolic defence, DeWitt is actually the video's creator.
Absolutely stunning, happy wife happy life. Happy Thanksgiving 🦃🍽🍁 to you and your family and friends take care my friend god bless
The counter top looks great but I like the kid best.
Thanks, Donald!
Awesome fine job! Just a FYI - - a coat or two of sand and sealer before the epoxy would have probably made your counter top turn out like you wanted. Me and my podnuh own a TimberKing 1600 and do all sorts of projects incl building his new home currently - on the Bayou. You did good and thanks a million for sharing!!
Part of your bowing problem might be it didn’t appear you sealed the bottom , do on the bottom what you did to the top. Rule of thumb.
Could be. Appreciate the tip, Steve.
At least finish the bottom with something....maybe not epoxy but at least use poly.
When the epoxy is poured it migrates to the bottom around the edges. There for since poly will not stay stuck to epoxy that is not the best idea.
Agree, untreated wood draws moisture from air and it causes bowing because underside will swell slightly or otherwise dry more.
might also be due not having alternated the planks / grain. ??
Those imperfections are yours and only yours you only know where they are, keep them a secret other people will see only what you tell them. It's perfect for the average person most likely will see something in question and tell themselves, "how artistic." I think it's beautiful nice to see how dedicated to the project you are, that must have felt amazing once you all set it in and finished off the sink. Excellent!! Don't be so hard on yourself, think of the Brillant food that's going to be made there for your family and friends all the best Cheers!! and just enjoy!
If your kitchen is like mine, that countertop will soon be covered up with so much stuff that nobody will see the bubbles.
Man the best part of the video was when you and your dad mounted the countertop..
Nice work!!
I do epoxy all the time on river tables and some countertops.. I usually do three really thin seal coats of epoxy and then I a fload coat.. rule of thumb is 1oz of epoxy per square foot on seal coats and 3 oz per square foot on fload coats.. I usually add a little extra on the fload coat to make sure it doesn't have thin spots.. but a light sanding between seal coats and it normally seals.. if not I keep doing seal.coats until it seals.. really expensive but looks great when it lays out like glass..
Where do you purchase the Epoxy you use?
Great tips! Thank you!
I either use stone coat countertops epoxy or if I'm trying to save money I've tried almost all the different brands and promarine on Amazon is the best less expensive epoxy ive ever found.. but if I'm doing river tables and need a deep pour casting epoxy I always buy stonecoats deep casting epoxy..
Thanks for sharing such a great, complex project! I think it turned out well, maybe not to your expectations, but I think character was born, and a job well done sir! Again, thanks for sharing!
i would of sanded first coat of epoxy before the second coat went on
It's crazy how forgiving the epoxy is when you sand the first coat. Completely turns to a milky cloud and the next coat is crystal clear.
I learned early on, if I'm laying a clear coat resin on to any type of bare wood, always spray a seal coat first. Never had trouble with bubbles since.
At 6:40 somebody sure looks like his daddy. One happy little man. Happy Thanksgiving.
Nice looking except it’s ruined with a top mount sink.
if you sand between coats you'll lose the pot marks
Y
Looks awesome dude! Maybe seal the bottom of the countertop. That way it will take moisture more evenly.
Beautiful project. I would consider using splines in the board edges despite the strength of modern glue.
That cutout would make a nice matching cutting board. Merry Christmas!
Sure this is some fine wood to be just wasted.. personally I try to waste zero wood as much as I can, always keeping in mind that this was a tree (or trees) that got cut down so I can do my thing
A tip for people doing expoy/resin pours on tables, If you want to remove bubbles easily just spray the surface lighlt with rubbing alcohol and the bubbles will dissapeaer
Great video but I am surprised you did not dowel/biscuit joint the boards together prior to glueing, as that would help stop warping!
Beautiful! As they say, if you can't tell from a galloping horse you're good!
Could you have eliminated the buble Mark's by first sealing the wood?
like to see it after 1 year. Epoxy is soft and you can see every scratch easily. Anyway, I admire what you have done and the big efforts spent on this countertop.
Don't feel bad. My epoxy countertops did the same thing. I struggled with it for several weeks and then changed brands of epoxy. That did the trick. Good job meeting that deadline!
Also, do a very thin precoat to fill in/seal the wood for thicker pour
Hi. Can I ask how you find the durability of the epoxy top coat in terms of scratching, watermarks and heat damage from general use please. Do you require to make any form of small repairs by filling etc. once the epoxy is fully cured and in daily use?
Try adding a sanding sealer first and then your epoxy finish.
I was going to suggest this...
You read my mind. Never used a sealer except at work. I was shocked at the color. I hated it at first, but the epoxy made it great.
I used a bunch of old white oak to make 20 rudders for show boats. I finally learned that if you brush the first coat on pretty thin and take care of your bubbles just as you did then let it set up and sand it the second coat will usually come out clear. If not the by doing the same thing and sanding it after it sets then by the third I never had anymore bubbles.
The only thing that matters is she likes it. And yea it looks awesome good job
After staining, it’s always best to seal porous timber with a fine coating of bees wax/linseed oil mix before applying epoxy coat, to prevent air bubbles.
You really need to 'seal' the other side. Otherwise, it's going to warp like crazy !
yep, huge mistake...
Actually my experience is that the exposed side tends to dry more, so leaving the downside unsealed may counteract that warping.
So, good move.
@@janhemmer8181 interesting how your experience differs from all the others... are you from "down under" where everything is turned upside down?
@@satman1w I agree, first slabs/lumber needs to be kiln dried to 6-8% moisture max. then you seal bottom with any sealer not necessary to be epoxy.
Forget a planer and jointer when you have a logging machine.
@@felixronin3622 Yeah you're right! It's so cool. I always wanted to hack my friend's facebook account. Dream come true and life goal fulfilled. Now I can move on to my next life.
Awesome job! Happy Thanksgiving to your family from mine!!
Thank you!
Good job I love your work I’m learning and having a good time watching your vids. Keep them coming 👍 and God Bless you and your family
Hey I know this was a long time ago now, but when you cut out the piece for the sink I thought, "Man he should save that piece and make a matching cutting board with it!! :)
I'm embarrassed to feel this way but man enough to say it.....I have a bad case of "planer" envy with this guy.
The top needs to be sealed 100 percent. That means all edges and under neath as well. If your having cupping it’s because of the wood absorbing moisture unevenly. Also need to pay attention to how you glue up the boards with alternate grains. The finish is unacceptable.
His wife accepted it
When you constructing your top, alternating the growth rings will keep the top flatter. Another thing I wouldn't use 1.5" or 2" material I would use 3/4" wood and only use the thicker stuff at the front edge.
Boy, I would love a detailed video on the use of epoxy. I still use urethane and lacquer. Hello from Thailand
Frank Cherry check out laggari epoxies they have detailed applications
I used the west system now, I have used others but had the best luck with the west system. Only draw back it’s sooooooo expensive. Here in New Jersey in the states one day it could be 60 degrees F with 40 percent humidity and next day it could be 80F with 100 percent humidity. So the west system is very forgiving with that type of weather.I always put poly as finishing coat good luck
shouldn't you seal the bottom? it could take in moisture and "cup" it should be evenly stressed.
Yes.
Dumb question... Is it food safe with the epoxy coating? Thanks.
No. Epoxy compounds are strictly prohibited in food industry.
HAPPY NEW YEAR and may GOD bless all your endeavors
My husband wanted to do jobs like this. Although he was talented man, he passed away from agent orange complications from Viet Nam.
Great work!
I’m definitely not the most knowledgeable woodworker. But would sealing the top with thinned polyurethane before doing the flood coat epoxy work to stop the bubbling?
Joshua Thurman i would definitely do that
The piece you cut out for the sink would make a perfect matching cutting board.
Fisher Man 37 That’s what i was about to say! Please tell me he didn’t throw it away or burn it.
I've done a couple of poured epoxy countertops for my customers and the place where I buy the epoxy told me to buy a butane or propane torch and pass the flame lightly over the bubbles after I had finished applying the epoxy. Works like a charm; epoxy looks as smooth as glass. (No, it doesn't catch the epoxy on fire)
Stone Coat Epoxy recommends two coats at 1oz per sq ft sanding between then a thicker flood coat at 3 oz per sq ft to get a gloss finish. Love the oak!
Should’ve done a couple of seal coats instead of just two pours
Didn't your Daddy teach you NOT to do "cross hand cutting" on a miter saw?
ok, boomer.
I would have thought you would have stained and epoxied the inside edge of your sink cut out because water can migrate and rot it out there and also i would have sealed/stained the bottom to keep the underside from warping and splitting due to humidity changes.
Just tell everyone its birdseye maple
haha . . or bird's eye Oak! (just to see what you get for weird looks n' Qs - lolz)
Shouldn't you have put a thin finish on the underside?
The most important thing is that your number one client loved it, so congratulations!
Here's a few constructive comments to help with your future projects:
1. Spend time straightening the edges of the boards so they'll mate together better.
2. Get yourself some heavier clamps, as it's very important that the edges are firmly held together during the glue-up.
3. To reduce the possibility of warpage, finish the underside of your countertop with at least one coat of the same finish you're using for the top face.
4. To get a better finish, after your first coat of epoxy has set, sand it down (P80), then fill any voids (usually caused by bubbles) with epoxy, then sand out all imperfections with P120 grit sandpaper. You'll have to lay down another coat of epoxy to deal with any remaining problems, after which - you guessed it - you should sand again with a finer grit (P220) so that you don't sand through the epoxy. Once the epoxy has fully cured, give it another, fine grit sanding (P220) then top it off with a high quality varnish.
Nice bandsaw mill!
Better clamps are indeed in order. squeeze type are just not going to give you the pressure you need. A screw type clamp will be far more dependable and won't skip or back out if the resistance is too great. I agree with Marty too on the biscuits or dowels. Unless the wood was kiln dried, it is going to shrink some for a while. Overall though, that is a mighty fine looking counter and you ought to be proud of the job well done.
Thanks for the video. The portable mill used as a rough joiner was very interesting. I was wondering why you didn’t use biscuits, or pegs to join the boards together? I will make the assumption you heat with wood in your home. The glue and epoxy alone won’t prevent the “lifting” of the boards. Especially around the sink where the conflict of sink moisture and dry winter wood heated air will make wood go silly. Treating all sides, ends, sink cut out (especially) will help stop the bowing you are creating clamps to avoid. Treating only one side won’t stop moisture coming into wood from below. Enough of the armchair criticism, I think it looks very nice and I understand you were under the “honey-doo” gun to get it done. Thank you and be safe.
sorry I lost it when I saw him applying stain to oak. But with the epoxy everything he did was wrong
blackdogleg I couldn’t find the video of you making a better looking countertop on your profile, can you send me the link?
@@BlackMountainCycles I am not in the video making business.
@@BlackMountainCycles that's a weak come-back. and the fact that someone doesn't have link or a YT profile with vids, doesn't mean they never made anything. Plus, the end result was not up to scratch so people are allowed to point it out. if you don't like it, don't post YT vids
I spent twenty years doing projects around the house like this. Now everything is worn out, ugly, burned with cigarette butts, etc. and I'm so happy
The pock marks could of been avoided by letting the first coat set a little longer ,not sure about your brand the stuff I use is like 3 hours. We call it the seal coat just for the reasons you see . After it’s somewhat dry and sealed then your second coat will level out perfectly. I didn’t see if you sealed the sink edges but better if you let the epoxy run down sink edges. But you have a beautiful counter top nonetheless. 👍
You should use a grain filler on the wood before you epoxy. It works great.
Hey buddy looks great, what a beautiful kitchen! You experienced “out gassing” which occurs when the timber is heating up with the air around it causing expanding air from the timber to push the resin out. Always complete epoxy coatings in a falling air temperature.
Would kiln dried oak helped the bubble situation
@@joeyward8844 No. See Kevin Agee's comments above.
Is that the same for ANY epoxy project or just large projects such as tables etc?
I'm considering making an epoxy river countertop for my bar and something like this would really wind me up because it wouldn't be right in my eyes and 'I'd always know' it wasn't quite perfect.
@@Dan_TheMedic - "out gassing" can occur any time you apply epoxy over wood where the ambient temperature is increasing. The secret is to apply the epoxy when the temperature is falling.
maybe heat the wood up good and hot before applying
Wrong wrong wrong wrong, WRONG. What is it with people not switching the grain pattern it helps prevent the boards warping
Tip. When gluing up strips like that what you want to do is look at all the ends at one end and look at the end grain. You want the cup on each piece to be opposite to the one next to it. One piece you want the grain cupping down and the next cupping up. This will keep the end product flat and the whole piece won’t cup.
Good tip!
am i the only one that thought: whyyyyyyyyyyy???!!!! when he dropped the epoxy. Great job with the countertop anyways!
I just finished posting the tip below when you started talking about tops warping or cupping! Follow my tip and they won’t warp. Also as a general rule of thumb whatever you finish the top with you have to finish the bottom also otherwise the finish will pull the wood at one side only and this also creates problems cupping. Since you epoxied you should put a heavy finish on bottom not necessarily epoxy to balance the top. I woul at least put a couple good heavy Coates of sealer if epoxy is not feasible or would be over budget.
4:48: Why NOT to drag an item through a saw...!
this is what I want to do build everything my self. I'm going to run a test on m y Bathroom first since its all getting redone. Man love this look
What kind of glue did you use to hold those boards together ?.Wonderful job. Excellent tutorial. Thank you.
Awesome craftsmanship. Recommend thinner coats of epoxy resin when coating. May take longer but less pot marks. I learned the hard way too.
Surface mounted an undermount sink. No seal on the end grain under the sink or on the underside.
Sad, but true.
What a great job! A whole family loves that and that is what you live for.
That looks like “fish eye” and not air pockets. Fish eye can be from un-cured stain oil in the soft grain of the oak reacting with the epoxy causing the slight separation or pulling of the epoxy.
Those have got to be the most rickety saw horses I've ever seen ......
Those pock marks add character! Don't be ashamed of them! You did and great job! I think rubbing parafin wax on the tops of the base cabinets might have made it easier to slide it in...
When mama's happy everyone's happy. Nice job
Isn't that the truth happy wife happy life I pissed mine off after 30 years and she left me over a big house that she no longer wanted happy wifey happy life e
Have you used or considered water-based Sanding Sealer for porous wood to keep resin from getting draw down into it? We've used it with success.
6:43 he did all the job, give credit
If you alternate the the direction of the grain in each plank, ie one up one down. it should help with cupping of the top. Looks nice, happy wife happy life. Hope you are all safe, its got a bit tense over here in the UK, keep up the videos, lockdown is no fun.
Baby stunt actor --- "I'll edit that out..." Great job mate :) thumbs up !!
He constructed a quite effective baby trap. Fell right in.
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Wow, I’m glad you’re happy with this because I would go bankrupt if my epoxy jobs looked like that. The glue-up had big gaps and the final finish was less than stellar. (Me being nice).
Yeah I mean did he not just say, let me sand this back down and start over. That would have been way better than the shitty installed result. I would never let my work be seen with those flaws. (Me being semi nice
During the part when you were installing the top my wife asked if I was watching porn.
Tell her it is wood porn.
You: Ohhh mama.... look at that nice tight fit.
Her: Really? If he had measured better it would just slide right in. What guy needs help putting it in?
You: Ok, I hear you honey, yes in but sometimes you are going to want some friction, something to grab.
Her: Hey babe, all this talk... it's uh.. got me worked up... you thinking what I am thinking?
You: Hell yeah, let's go make some cabinets !!!!
Definitely looks great 👍
6:38 definitely the best part of this video LOL
Awww baby is so freaking cute..
NOW, that's measuring twice and cutting once...very nicely done. bravo on the video...thumbs UP.