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Sealing the inside of vessels to hold water.

T

Tom Rice

Joined
Jan 30, 2026
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Kula Maui, HI
I am wanting to turn vases, small ones, large ones, oddball ones, just functional vases.
Have seen folks use test tubes and 3D printed tubes to hold stems and water.
Have any of you all sealed the inside with resin so flowers and water can be placed directly into a wood form?
What possible drawbacks to this?
Should it be a twice turned totally dry form or can it be a once turned from green then left to sit a bit and dry piece. I know fresh turned from green would be bad, would definitely delam.
Was thinking something like laminating either a polyester laminating resin or west systems type epoxy, mostly because thats what im familiar with.
Just a curiousity, will most likely give it a try no matter what but was curious if anyone ever did this.
Mahalo
 
Possible drawbacks are a material that changes shape every season and covering that material a product that hardens and gets brittle over time. Cracks in the epoxy will create a disaster. Also cleaning out the vase after the water goes bad from having a natural material sitting in the water over time and it goes rank. That could require bleach and soap and water. Neither very good for the outside of the vase.
 
Richard Coers said:
Possible drawbacks are a material that changes shape every season and covering that material a product that hardens and gets brittle over time. Cracks in the epoxy will create a disaster. Also cleaning out the vase after the water goes bad from having a natural material sitting in the water over time and it goes rank. That could require bleach and soap and water. Neither very good for the outside of the vase.
Click to expand...
Might be better to just figure out inserts, i suppose a good excuse to get a 3D printer 🤫,
But at least the inserts can be removed and cleaned. On larger vases, originally had considered using PVC pipe with an end cap and a cut off coupling at the top to match size of the cap and turn the opening to fit the diameter of the coupling close but still loose enough to pull it out. The fittings can be kinda spendy, but i suppose still cheaper than buying borosilicate straight wall beakers and more flexible size wise. Can go long/short/wider pipe etc
 
Another thought is seal the inside with epoxy, leave a drain hole in case of spills and use a glass insert to hold the water Example attached.
 

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