This is about how to make live edge boards into epoxy resin cutting boards! But really, any boards will do. I'm using some air dried walnut and total boat epoxy with black diamond pigments to make these live edge epoxy cutting boards.
These are for sale, see below for the link if you want to buy these or my other cutting boards and for the discount code for TotalBoat epoxy!
To join the Patreon contest for the Ridgid Octane Jigsaw, head over to Patreon.com/youcanmakethistoo for more information! Contents and prizes change monthly.
My boards were pretty rough, so I had to mill them first. I used a planer sled to get a flat face and then planed the opposite side.
After they were planed, I removed the bark, cut the boards to length, and split them down the middle. This created the two sides for each cutting board.
I used 1/2” plywood for my mold. To make sure the epoxy won’t stick to it, I wrapped the whole thing in tuck tape. Taking care to seal the corners. If there’s anywhere for the epoxy to get out, it will!
The mold was basically a bottom piece, and then side pieces screwed to the bottom piece and each other to create chambers around the boards.
3. Mix and pour epoxy
I knew I would use a lot of epoxy to do three boards, but not how much. In total I ended up mixing 64 ounces for these three boards. I started with 32 ounces, which I knew wouldn’t be enough. After the first board, I had a good idea how much epoxy I would use.
Along the way I experimented with different epoxy pigments. Changing how much pigment, mixing pigments, etc… there’s a lot of creativity to be had here!
The most important thing is to watch for leaks, and be sure to follow the epoxy mixing instructions! If the ratio is off, or if it’s not mixed well enough.. it won’t cure properly!
4. Sand and finish the boards
After the epoxy had plenty of time to cure, I removed the boards from the mold and started flattening them. I used my drum sander, but a hand sander would be fine.
It’s important to go slow, sanding builds heat which can turn the epoxy into a gummy mess and clog the paper. In hindsight, it would have been better to leave the boards and bit thick and underfill the epoxy slightly, then sand the wood to meet the epoxy - instead of sanding the epoxy down to the board.
To get the clarity back to the epoxy I used a micro mesh pad kit and wet sanded through all the grits.
Finally, the boards got a mineral oil bath! They were allowed to soak for a day, and then I wiped off the excess. #woodworking #cuttingboards #epoxy
