As EpoxAcast™ 690 series epoxies can be poured in thick layers, they are an excellent choice for “river table”
or “ocean table” type applications. The following document will help you process the material properly for this
type of furniture making technique.
Materials and Tools Recommended:
• Melamine board for base and dam walls
• Live edge slab
• Assorted carpentry tools to nish wood (saw, sanders, routers, wire wheels, vacuum cleaner)
• Temperature gun to monitor resin temperature
• Gloves, mixing buckets, Niosh Respirator, protective clothing, modeling clay, caulking
• Fans and climate-controlled workspace
• Epoxy resin for sealing live edge wood and EpoxAcast™ 690 or 692 for casting
Step By Step Process:
1. Select Piece(s) of wood that you would like to make a table with.
2. Determine the layout and resin inlay design.
3. Mill live edge wood to desired length and thickness, ensuring the thickness is slightly oversized.
4. Prepare melamine sheet with end dam walls.
5. Clamp and or adhere live edge wood to melamine board with mechanical clamps and/or silicone caulk. Seal end dams
to melamine and ends of live edge boards using silicone caulk.
6. Thoroughly clean pour cavity area to prepare for sealing of the wood
7. Apply a thin-coating of EpoxAcast™ 690 or Tarbender™ to surfaces of the live edge wood that will make up the pour
cavity and allow to fully cure. Reapply if needed to seal porous or damaged areas of wood
8. Take several measurements across the pour cavity in multiple locations to nd the average width of the pour cavity
area.
9. Take the length of your piece and multiple that by the number you found above and also multiply by the desired pour
depth.
10. Take your nal number and divide by the Specic Volume of the epoxy, 25 for EpoxAcast™ 690, 25.7 for EpoxAcast™ 692.
You now know the estimated material you need in pounds.
11. Prepare your area with fans to blow down to and across the length of table. See FAN PLACEMENT DIAGRAM on
page 2. Adjust your ambient temperature to 70°F / 21°C.
12. Pre-mix, measure and mix materials per the technical bulletin.
13. Pour epoxy resin into the river section slowly and allow the material to seek it’s own level. Follow directions for
thickness per technical bulletin. After material nds it’s own level you may gently use a propane torch or heat gun to
remove surface bubbles.
14. Monitor temperature using a contactless thermometer to ensure the material does not overheat. Check for any leaks
and seal with Sculptex™ Modeling Clay or similar.
15. Allow material to set up and return to room temperature before tuning o fans.
16. Allow material to harden so it does not deform when nger nail depressed into surface.
17. Remove from the mold box and prepare to nish to desired thickness and sand and polish.
18. Sand and polish EpoxAcast™ 690 or 692 per the instructions on page 2
Creating Epoxy Tables Using EpoxAcast™ 690 Creating Epoxy Tables Using EpoxAcast™ 690
And EpoxAcast™ 692And EpoxAcast™ 692
www.smooth-on.com
Call Us Anytime With Questions About Your Application.
Toll-free: (800) 381-1733 Fax: (610) 252-6200
The new www.smooth-on.com is loaded with information about mold making, casting and more.
072122-LP
Sanding and Polishing EpoxAcast™ 690 or 692
1. Planing wood/epoxy to achieve at surface – what to take o the top? We advise a minimal cut of 1/32” (0.08
cm) or less. Be careful; if you cut too thick, the epoxy will grab the planing knives and throw the piece. A thicker
cut can also generate excessive heat that will aect the surface nish. For larger surfaces a router sled can be
another option.
2. Drum sanding – can even out the top or both sides of the piece, depending on the machine. Feeds should be
quick with grits of less than 120. Finer grit paper of 220 or higher should be used at slower speeds. Sanded depth
will vary, but 1/64 - 1/32” (0.04 – 0.08 cm) per pass should be the maximum. Be careful to make sure sandpaper is
clean and free of material as the epoxy can leave a residue on the paper and gouge the material on the next pass.
3. Random Orbit Sanding – a) use a step up dry sanding method beginning at 60 open grit and proceeding in
ner open grit paper increments; 80, 100, 120, 180, 240, 320, 400, 600, 800, 1000. b) wet sand using closed face or
solid paper at medium speed beginning at 1200 grit and proceeding in nder closed grit paper of 1500 and 2000.
Clean all residue between sanding steps. c) Wet Sand at low rpm using 3000 & 4000 foam backed sanding pads,
using plenty of water at all times. Material should be clear and slightly hazed. Do not over work or overheat.
4. Polishing – use a variable speed, 2000 rpm polisher. High quality plastic polishes are formulated to be used at
specic speeds. We recommend Mirka Polarshine 10 medium-coarse compound. At each step, taking time to
polish and keep pads lubricated with Mirka compound. a) Using a lamb’s wool polishing pad, bu at 2000 rpm
until surface imperfections disappear, b) using a 2000 grit foam polishing pad, bu at 1800 rpm and c) using a
3000 grit foam polishing pad, bu at 1600 rpm.
5. Finishing – apply Mirka Polarshine-UF3 using a clean, new 3000 grit foam applicator pad at 1500 rpm, bu to a
brilliant nish.
When machining, sanding or polishing fully cured epoxy, wear a NIOSH approved respirator, protective eyewear and
clothing to minimize skin contact. Results may vary depending on how closely directions are followed, quality of
equipment and aptitude/experience of artisan. In all cases, Smooth-On is not responsible for the outcome due to the
above variables. If results are in question, we recommend testing on a small test epoxy casting before scaling up to a
large project. For more information, watch the videos at smooth-on.com/epoxytables
FAN PLACEMENT DIAGRAM
FAN
FAN
WOOD
MOLD WALLS
WOOD
EPOXY
