Replies

1. 
   splintergroupie | Sep 05, 2007 02:05am | #1

   You want polymer resin, equal parts resin and hardener. It's not cheap. Here's a source: http://www.klockit.com/products/dept-94__sku-GGGEE.html

   If you use cheaper polyester resin with a bit of catalyst, the finish is more brittle and likely to crack.

   If the bartop isn't really thick, you'll need a matching coat on the bottom surface to prevent the wood warping as the plastic shrinks. This can be polyester, however. Good idea to finish the bottom side of the slab anyway.

2. 
   junkhound | Sep 05, 2007 03:22am | #2

   plain ol' boat epoxy resin works. 

   dont overdo the hardener.

    

   This is really great stuff, but likely a bit past your price range, even though described as 'low cost'.

   http://www.pr.afrl.af.mil/successes/transfer/ss51_96.htm

    

1. 
   loucarabasi | Sep 05, 2007 01:12pm | #10

   Carefull with the boat epoxy, If your sustrate is not dry you may have some blushing going on.

   My forte, Lou

3. 
   JeffBuck | Sep 05, 2007 03:33am | #3

   pretty sure the last one I helped my painter with he bought everything at HD.

    

   Jeff

       Buck Construction

    Artistry In Carpentry

        Pittsburgh Pa

4. 
   DonNH | Sep 05, 2007 04:08am | #4

   This is the cheapest place I've found:

   http://www.cherrytreetoys.com/prodinfo.asp?number=24-100-6&aitem=6&mitem=7

   I've used it for coating wood tv tables, etc. which my wife has painted scenes on with acrylic paints.  Behaves virtually identically to the Envirotex epoxy which seems to be the most commonly available at paint & hardware stores.

   Don

5. 
   DanH | Sep 05, 2007 04:18am | #5

   Used to be that something called "bar topping" was sold in craft shops. It was two parts, and came in containers from a few ounces to gallons.

   So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin
1. 
   DanH | Sep 05, 2007 04:19am | #6

   (And I never seem to have trouble imbedding stuff in it. Not always the stuff I wanted, though.)
   So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin

6. 
   Blacky | Sep 05, 2007 04:28am | #7

   So I was gonna ask this same question a week ago. A client asked me about making a top with this resin....so about pricey what would the resin do to build a 40' top?
   Thanks
   Dan

1. 
   DonNH | Sep 05, 2007 04:54am | #8

   When I coat a tv table (the folding wood tables you can get almost anywhere to put your dinner on while you enjoy the modern version of family mealtime watching TV),  I use about 10 oz. to cover the approx. 1.25 square feet. 

   I believe they call for about 8 oz. per sf, so that works out about right.  That gives you about a 1/16" coating - usually pretty sufficient, but sometimes I get spots which don't wet out, and end up putting a second coat on (which can be a little lighter).

   At 8 oz per sf, that gives 16 sf per gallon, but you should allow a fair amount extra in case you need to go multiple layers, if the top is out of level, etc.   If you're talking 40 square feet, I'd get a 4 gallon kit for the $128 plus shipping from Cherry Tree:

   http://www.cherrytreetoys.com/prodinfo.asp?number=24-100-6&aitem=6&mitem=7

   Unless your design allows you to dam it up around the edge, you usually just let it drip off the edge & trim/sand off the drips after it's hardened.  There's also the issue of using a propane torch to pop the bubbles, and finding a way to keep dust off it for the several hours it takes to harden enough to not have the dust leave permanent marks (I figure 36 hours before I want to really handle the surface).

   You'd definitely want to do some smaller tops first to practice.

   As far as the OP's wanting to embed shells or other things in the finish - that implies a much thicker coating, so there might be cheaper options.  Or, one could rout out holes in a wooden top to drop the object down.  Bubbles would probably be an issue with just about anything embedded - might want to encase irregularly-shaped objects first, then put that down & coat it.

   Don

7. 
   vinniegoombatz | Sep 05, 2007 05:57am | #9

    

   also called lucite resin    think i'm gonna build a coffee table for my mom and embed all the kidney stones i've passed and saved over the years     was gonna have them set in gold loops onto a necklace for her, but it could be a problem in damp weather   she owns a gun

    

8. 
   TWG | Sep 06, 2007 11:58am | #11

   Probably not the best place to get it, but this is the stuff I've used.

   http://woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=4140

    

9. 
   wizardmc | Sep 06, 2007 04:47pm | #12

   Thanks for the great info. As always I knew I could get an answer here.

   Marc

1. 
   DanH | Sep 06, 2007 04:53pm | #13

   Of course, if you'd wanted a CORRECT answer we assume you'd have gone somewhere else.
   So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable Creature, since it enables one to find or make a Reason for everything one has a mind to do. --Benjamin Franklin