I want to learn what equipment is required for turning epoxy and how it can be incorporated into projects. What are the best types and brands of epoxy? Are there any groups with a great deal of experience in this?
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Turning Epoxy
- Thread starter Scott Faulkner
- Start date
For turning solid epoxy, most people tend to use carbide tools. If you're just filling a small void, then your regular favorite tools should be fine. Alumilite is very popular for turning. If you're casting your own epoxy, you'll need a pressure pot to eliminate bubbles. There are a lot of pen turners who use resin blanks, so you might visit the IAP at https://www.penturners.org/
Thanks. I'm hoping to be able to do bowls and vases that incorporates wood and epoxy I've seen some real beautiful works. I've seen where some convert harbor freight pots to be a pressure pot wasn't sure if it was worth the effort over getting ones that was already set up.
Pressure pots is one of those things people argue about endlessly. Lots of people have had good luck converting the HF pots. Lots of people have had problems, or weren't comfortable. I tried it and could never get it to hold a seal well enough. Ultimately I wound up buying a California Air pot and am happy with it. You'll find multiple threads hashing it out at the pen turners forum, although I don't know if that will make things clearer or muddier!
Always multiple opinions appreciate you sharing yours. I am happy to goon the cheap side if I can get good results, but also don't mind spending a little extra to avoid frustration. Always a fine line.
You don't need a pressure pot for just filling voids or covering wood for a finish. Before a pressure pot I would pick up a heat gun, they're great for popping bubbles. I have a HF pot that I "converted", I sealed up the extra openings and made sure it would hold pressure, but I've owned it for more than a year (maybe two?) and I've only used it a couple of times. Turning resin is a lot of fun if you can put up with the resin threads and ribbons getting everywhere. You can go crazy with tints and dyes for the resin too. I like alumilite clear but I do small turnings (less than 12"). Almumilite is expensive. Others use marine clear epoxy, there are tons of clear epoxy on the market.
I've found Zac Higgins' videos to be a good resource, here's a pressure pot playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLoeB-EPC_91uBZHKS1mbeoy9AZyjjZmrA
Keith Lackner https://www.jacquardproducts.com/keith-lackner
Look up Nick Zametti on YouTube. He does a lot of resin. Another good one to watch is Heath Knuckles.
I can’t remember who said it recently on here, or on another forum, “avoid the plastic”. 
@Scott Faulkner You might get some different type “plastic blanks”, or a resin blank made by someone else, or some type of plastic - whatever is cheap - and turn several pieces before you go down the rabbit hole and spend much $. As some others have mentioned, I also consider the stuff a pita to turn. Doesn't turn like wood, forms long stringy chips that wrap around the work, the chips are a pita to clean up, resin is EXPENSIVE compared to diy harvested wood, etc.
I know people that turn it a lot, and others that don’t like it - its an individualized thing - test the water before jumping in.
I know people that turn it a lot, and others that don’t like it - its an individualized thing - test the water before jumping in.
One thing to watch out for. I don't compost the resin turnings, I trash them. Like may others I use my wood shavings and sawdust in the garden and around my property. I don't do that with resin and I try to make sure I don't mix them either, like in a dust bin. The resin may be inert but I don't want to chance it.
This is why I have resisted the urge to use resin. All the YouTube videos with the piles of resin threads...I won't say never, but just not now....
You can get old bowling balls from the bowling alley cheap or free. I have turned a couple of bowls from them. If you can handle the mess from that you can handle anything.
Dang!
Nice bowl! Now I'm tempted to try one!
Turn it on slow speed.
You can also get bowling ball samples and turn pens. The center two pens are from that material.
