Epoxy Table Top
 

Hey,
I'm planning on making a table with beer caps embedded in it. I'm thinking the epoxy will be 1/4"-3/8" thick. I was wondering if anyone had any experience making a thick epoxy table top, any advice, and if anyone could recommend an epoxy. I have found a couple online that look promising.

Thanks

I used a 2 part epoxy specifically designed for bar tops. Heck, it might have even been called "Bar Top. Don't remember.

What is super duper abso-fuckin-lutely CRITICAL is to mix it well. If you don't, you will end up with a soft, sticky spot that will not cure. Then you are FUBAR. I had to throw away the first top I tried for this very reason. Don't be like me.

Make an edge around your perimeter with masking tape, with a fourth of the tape sticking up. The tape will form the walls of the "cup" that you will fill with the epoxy. When it is dry, simply remove the tape. It should come right off, revealing a nice, clean edge.

Just remember the second you get married your wife is going to throw it out ;)

I like to think I've got a little while before I worry about that :paranoid:

Thanks for the advice Clavus!

Make sure to use in a weeeellllllllll ventilated area. That stuff is powerful.

My other tip is that during the mixing process, air bubbles are created. Once you pour the mixture on the table top you can wave a blow torch over the top of the epoxy to get rid of the bubbles. Just wave it a few inches above the epoxy and watch the bubbles come to the surface.

wait...isn't this stuff highly flammable until it cures?

I never had a problem with the stuff I used. I couldn't begin to tell you the name of the product, it was so many years ago. We used to make plaques for graduation presents. We would put senior pictures on a plaque and then pout the two-part mixture over the top of it. we would then use the blow torch as described above to remove the air bubbles as it was setting up.

Construction has started. Pictures on Flickr:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3118/...ca99cc9dbe.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3275/...6ebbd94ca7.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1119/...13780fdf5c.jpg

Very cool...just one problem...isn't "Tec" spelled Tech?

It's still in progress. Eventually the entire thing will be covered in caps.

This is gonna really cool, I love the idea!

No worries. Use the torch. I did it and I did not erupt into a fire-ball of death. the directions even tell you to do it this way.
-----Added 11/1/2009 at 05 : 09 : 38-----
Holy shit.! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!DANGER DANGER DANGER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Do a small test first. Make sure your bottle caps do not float to the surface due to the air trapped beneath them. You may need to weight them down or glue them in place, or do a thin first pour to hold them where they belong.

I saw a thing about companies that make the plaques. They heat the stuff in an oven at a pretty high temp to get the bubbles out. Sounds like the torch method should work as well since you sure won't find a bar top sized oven! They also mixed in colors which might be interesting to do as a swirl effect in different areas of your top.

Mixing in colors is something I hadn't thought about. I know i don't want to do anything too distracting from the designs in the caps. We're currently still figuring out the little details of the design and hopefully will be laying epoxy this week or the next.

fiatguy, I want an update dammit.

Hey! Could you use a blowdryer instead of a blowtorch for releasing bubbles?

Im interested in this stuff (for use other than a bottle cap table so no competition). What is it and where does one purchase it?

Haha unfortunately we've been burdened with school work and have not finished yet as we had hoped to. We've updated the design to just a big G and T, I'll try to post pictures by the weekend. The frame has now been stained and the back board painted black on one side, still have to do the other.

The epoxy we chose is from USComposites, we will be using 4 gallons by our calculations:

Epoxy :omgKleer Koat Table Top Epoxy

It was basically the cheapest, made specfically for this purpose and I saw at least one similar design using this that seemed to turn out well. Hopefully we'll be finishing up in the beginning of May and I will try to post more pictures soon and as we go.

you should mark the beer pong cup spots with bottle caps ;)

Thanks Rekna, we are actually doing that. We're going to have a different group of caps for each cup marked out :) It's not evident in the previously posted pictures, but more are coming tomorrow, I promise.

Ok, sorry it took so long, but here is the updated table design. Photos on Flickr

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3619/...f9094c65_b.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3581/...8f1342ca_b.jpg

There is some progress on the frame and base board, but I'll post pictures when we get them finished up. Hopefully in a couple weeks.

An unfortunate update: the project is currently on hold while I'm moving about and getting a job (just graduated from school). Hopefully I will be finishing up after I get settled back down.