• July 2025 Turning Challenge: Turn a Multi-axis Weed Pot! (click here for details)
  • Congratulations to James Seyfried for "NE Red Oak II" being selected as Turning of the Week for July 21, 2025 (click here for details)
  • Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.

Salad bowls and expoxy

R

Ricc Havens

Joined
Feb 21, 2011
Messages
393
Likes
359
Location
Elkhart, IN
Website
www.riccsdesigns.com
OK - let me start by saying that I'm pretty sure it's not a good idea but I'm gonna ask anyway.

I did post this on anbothe forum too but knew there are people with experience who might not go to other forums.

I have a 14" diam walnut salad bowl rough turned. It has come beautiful figure. But a bark inclusion went in way deeper than expected.

With all these river tables people are making with wood and epoxy pours it made me wonder if that might be a viable option. Some of these tables I have seen have the voids in the table filled with colored epoxy, then sanded and finished with poly. Others I have seen where they coat the entire table with epoxy as the final finish. Yet, I never hear of any bonding failures due to wood movement between the wood & epoxy.

But with a salad bowls usually finished with a walnut or other food safe oil and washed and dried after use I was concerned about the amount of potential wood movement.


Has anyone had any experience long term with filling voids or cracks with colored resin/epoxy specifically on salad bowls?
Thanks
Ricc
 
Ric, I've done it numerous times and no issues. I use two part JB Weld epoxy and mica powder for color if desired. My experience is the epoxy is very strong and the wood bond stays in place. I finish with walnut oil and wax same as usual. Another approach, depending on the size of the inclusion, is CA glue and dark sanding dust. If done right it will look just like a knot or solid dark wood inclusion area.
 
I have a friend who epoxies every bowl he sells. He doesnt have an issue with it and he is a retired nurse and his wife is a retired doctor.
 
25yrs ago I made a cedar strip canoe that was fully coated on both sides with epoxy. No problem with epoxy-wood bonding integrity and stands up well to water :)
 
Ron Solfest said:
25yrs ago I made a cedar strip canoe that was fully coated on both sides with epoxy. No problem with epoxy-wood bonding integrity and stands up well to water :)
Click to expand...
Ron, thanks for the input. I wasn't planning on fully coating with epoxy. Iif fully coated I figure there wouldn't be as much of an issue. I was more concerned with just filling a void with epoxy and leaving the rest just natural wood with a walnut oil finish. Wasn't sure if there would be moe movement between the wood and epoxy in that situation or not.
 
Randy Anderson said:
Ric, I've done it numerous times and no issues. I use two part JB Weld epoxy and mica powder for color if desired. My experience is the epoxy is very strong and the wood bond stays in place. I finish with walnut oil and wax same as usual. Another approach, depending on the size of the inclusion, is CA glue and dark sanding dust. If done right it will look just like a knot or solid dark wood inclusion area.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the input Randy. I am glad to hear of some success with the epoxy filled voids. Although I will probably stay away from the CA and dust filled voids. I have heard many state that the CA gets brittle over time. Wouldn't want that to be an issue later.

john lucas said:
I have a friend who epoxies every bowl he sells. He doesnt have an issue with it and he is a retired nurse and his wife is a retired doctor.
Click to expand...
Thanks John! Some day I may try to figure out the process for a complete epoxy finish.
 
I made a 14 inch sycamore bowl 4 years ago that I used alumilite amazing clear cast to fill a large knot hole. I sold it a year later and it was still solid. It traveled to many outdoor shows with lots of humidity changes since I store my wares in a humidity controlled basement. The hole I filled was around 2 inches and 1/4 inch thick.
 
Chris Lawrence said:
I made a 14 inch sycamore bowl 4 years ago that I used alumilite amazing clear cast to fill a large knot hole. I sold it a year later and it was still solid. It traveled to many outdoor shows with lots of humidity changes since I store my wares in a humidity controlled basement. The hole I filled was around 2 inches and 1/4 inch thick.
Click to expand...
Chris - Thanks! That was one of my concerns since I do some summer arts/crafts shows.

Hockenberry - Thans for the video. While finishing with epxoy isn't my original concern I appreciate the video. I will definitely watch it!!
 
Ricc, like Ron’s experience, I’ve made several wood boats (some cedar strip and some marine ply), including two Adirondack guide boats like the one in my avatar (at left). The guideboats are epoxy and glass on the exterior and just spar varnish on the trim and interior. Never had a problem with epoxy delaminating or moving differentially at the edges where it meets wood. Boats in some cases are 30+ years old.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top