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I promised my son Carter if he collected enough shells and rocks this summer we'd make them into a table top.

I'm thinking of spreading the shells and rocks out over a table top, build a 1" lip and then pouring in epoxy to cover everything.

Two things. I'm hoping to get supplies locally so he can come to the store with me rather than but online. Also would like any tips on pouring in the epoxy without having everything shift? When it's done we'll probably leave it outside to use as a play table for the boys.

Any ideas?

That sounds like fun! I would use System Three mirror coat for the epoxy. Glue the shells and rocks to the table with 5 minute epoxy so they don't move. You'll need to use a clear coat over the epoxy to give it some UV protection.

http://www.systemthree.com/store/pc/MirrorCoat-c13.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Cam

Peter,

You'll want specifically a casting epoxy with a 1:1 mixing ratio.

You need to do the pour in an absolutely dust free environment and the table top has to be perfectly leveled. When mixing the epoxy do everything possible to minimize stirring in air. The epoxy has a very long pot life so take your time to get a complete mix. Have another mixing container of the same size and pour the mixed epoxy back and forth between the two containers numerous times to both insure the mix and help reduce bubbles. Your two biggest enemies are bubbles and dust...

Any shells and their placement that will have the ability to trap large bubbles should be pre filled with any resin to make them, in essence, solid items.

It's best to work in layers in order to keep all of the components in place. For a sand background, pre coat the surface with an 1/8" of epoxy, pour in sufficient sand and press it into the epoxy. Pour in another layer of epoxy and place your rock/shell arrangement. The depth of the epoxy for this layer should only be deep enough to trap the component items. Let this layer tack up for several hours before proceeding. It'd be a good idea to cover the project with a sheet of plastic to keep dust from settling on the epoxy surface.

After the tack up has occurred, mix your final pour epoxy, as before, and slowly fill the rest of the void. There will be tiny bubbles that are too small to float to the surface. To remove those bubbles, use a propane torch with a soft flame and pass the flame lightly, but touching the epoxy, to reduce the surface tension allowing the trapped bubbles to migrate to the surface. You can also use a heat gun to do the bubble release but that heat gun will inevitably introduce dust to the surface. Every dust speck will create a little crater that you can't get out short of individual removal before the epoxy begins to gel. Epoxy isn't flammable as long as it hasn't been thinned with a volatile liquid like alcohol or acetone. Do not thin casting resin...

This project will be a good item to get past the learning curve to later projects that you want to have a higher degree of perfection, but even here you may want to do a much smaller test object just get the basic feel of the technique. Something around 1' x 1' x 1 1/2" deep.

Be aware also there is zero UV protection in any clear epoxy and it won't take long for the epoxy to turn yellow in even indirect sunlight.

Have fun!

Thank you both. We are collecting a gallon of shells per beach trip. Even a large table shouldn't need to much epoxy to cover it. A slow cure would be good that way I can have him participate more.

It's a way for me to start to learn to use epoxy but carter having fun and helping make something that takes time and planning is hopefully the lesson here.

I did a 4'x2' bar top about 1/8 inch deep with a resin from Ace hardware. Pretty expensive, about 100 bucks to do the bartop but it came out nice.

I've used Kleer Koat Table Top Epoxy from US Composites on numerous occasions, most recently on Hancock's B31. Never a problem, currently $67.00 for a two gallon kit... http://www.uscomposites.com/epoxy.html#kleerkote" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Recommended reading, (instructions): http://www.uscomposites.com/pdf/kkote.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I'm calculating a 2x3 table with a 3/4 inch deep tray to need about 3 gallons? That would be with no contents.

Peter,

That's about right; I'd go for two 4 gallon kits so that you have some material to play with before the real deal...

How would you guys go about covering not only the top but also the sides? I've been thinking of doing the same to my worktable and like the way the epoxy also covers the table sides that I've seen in some restaurants.

You can build a tray that removes after curing. Depending on the product different parts can be used for the removable edge that will not adhere. See the TAP product video on you tube.