All You Need to Know About Resin

Boy, there are A LOT of resin products available in the marketplace, and they’re not inexpensive. Just like you want to choose the right tool for your woodworking tasks, you also want to choose the right resin for your resin work. The right product for a resin table isn’t necessarily right for other resin or wood epoxy work. And yes, the words resin and epoxy can be used interchangeably.

Resin Products Such As…

• – Penetrating resin: Acts as a sealer and helps prevent bubbles
• – Table top resin: For a thin pour; remains flexible so it can move with the wood
• – MakerPoxy: Artistic epoxy; these products generally have better clarity than other resins and accept tinting better
• – 2:1: Products in this family are very thin and are good for filling deeper voids like knots or cracks
• – Casting resin: Poured into a form to make things like turning blanks, coasters, or other objects

What does the ratio mean?

You’ll find resin in 1:1 mixes, 2:1 mixes, 5:1 mixes, and more. Each of those products has a different application, and using resin in the wrong application can be disastrous. Looking at the bottles, resin, and hardener will tell you tell you what the ratio is, but nothing beats reading the manufacturer’s directions.

Other parameters

The depth of your pour is a HUGE factor in choosing the right resin. To make the resin work correctly, be sure your shop is the right temperature. If you have any questions, contact the manufacturer.

Where to get it

You can find many of the products we talked about in this video at TotalBoat’s website.

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4 Responses to “All You Need to Know About Resin”

1. Dsn April 15th, 2020

   Looking to find out what I need for a bathroom vanity wood top.

   Reply

   • Jess Crow May 10th, 2020

     Hi Dan,

     Making a vanity is a great project, and you can find the basics in the new Epoxy class we have done here on WWGOA. The basics involve using a good priming bonding primer, and then 3-4 coats of epoxy. Also, make your cut out prior to starting any epxoy work.

     Jess

     Reply

2. Frank Kirschner March 26th, 2020

   Can I use the same compressor for pneumatic tools and the resin pressure pot, or is something special required?

   Reply

   • Customer Service March 27th, 2020

     Hello Frank,

     Here is what George had to say regarding your question:

     “Yes, you can use the same compressor. My pressure pot only goes to 45 pounds, so it doesn’t take much to get it there.”

     Sincerely,

     Julia
     Woodworkers Guild of America Video Membership

     Reply