A piece of rotten wood, marked by time, is thoroughly cleaned and placed in a mold. It’s then poured with epoxy resin, finely polished, and finally transformed into an artistic and practical desktop piece. The rotten wood, encased in crystal-clear resin, looks like a solidified time specimen.
This type of process video often creates the illusion that it’s simple and easy to learn. It seems as long as you master the resin ratio, bubble treatment, and polishing skills, you can succeed. However, in actual operation, there are five key technical difficulties in the epoxy resin tables process:
1. Curing Problem: Accurate Ratio is the Key
Epoxy resin is a two-component material, and the standard ratio is usually 1:1, which requires accurate weighing with an electronic scale. However, in actual operation, you should also pay attention to:
- Make sure that the residue on the wall of the measuring cup is completely scraped off.
- The stirring must be sufficient and uniform.
- The shelf life and opening time of the material will affect the curing effect.
Any slight deviation in the ratio or insufficient stirring may lead to incomplete curing.
2. Bubble Treatment: Multiple Technologies Are Used Together
A common misunderstanding is that bubbles can be eliminated with a propane spray gun alone. Professional treatment solutions include:
- Add defoamer (0.1%-1% concentration), suitable for flat surfaces.
- Vacuum degassing is required for porous materials.
- Surface bubbles are treated with a propane spray gun.
It is difficult to achieve the desired effect with a single method.
3. Surface Quality Control
- Environmental control: Must be operated in a dust-free workshop.
- Pouring margin: Reserve enough material to compensate for curing shrinkage.
- Mold processing: Ensure levelness and prevent overflow.
4. Casting Skills for Complex Structures
- Use layered casting process.
- Appropriate curing time for each layer.
- Special structures require customized casting solutions.
5. Anti-Yellowing Solution
- Select special resins containing UV stabilizers.
- Add hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS).
- Avoid direct sunlight and other ultraviolet rays.
Note: Ordinary resins will inevitably yellow.
