best alternative to epoxy for inlay - cheap, easy, fast
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- Опубликовано: 10 июл 2024
- If you're into woodworking, you're probably familiar with epoxy as a popular material for filling gaps and inlay work. However, there's a natural alternative that's gaining popularity in the woodworking community - baking soda!
Baking soda, also known as sodium bicarbonate, is a versatile material that can be used in a variety of woodworking applications, including inlay work. In this video, I'll explore the advantages of using baking soda over epoxy for inlay work in wood.
Firstly, baking soda is a more eco-friendly option compared to epoxy. Unlike epoxy, baking soda is a natural material that doesn't release harmful chemicals into the environment. Additionally, baking soda is readily available and affordable, making it accessible to everyone.
Secondly, baking soda is easier to work with than epoxy. While epoxy can be messy and difficult to clean up, baking soda is a dry powder that can be easily mixed with CA glue which can be used to fill gaps and create intricate inlay designs.
Finally, baking soda creates a strong and durable bond with the wood. When mixed with CA glue, baking soda creates a chemical reaction that results in a rock-hard substance that can withstand heavy use and wear.
** DISCLAIMER **
1. There is no magic mix ratio formula. Add as much pigment as you feel necessary to achieve your desired color
2. Fill in small increments --- powder, glue, powder, glue until you fill the inlay completely
3.. When sanding, don't get aggressive. The more aggressive you are with your sanding the more likely you'll be to gum up your paper
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Хобби
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This is an awesome idea. I'll be trying it out in a couple weeks or so. THANKS!! 👊
Be patient when you attempt. Your inlay doesn't need to be much more than 1/16". Fill in stages to avoid "craters" and pitting.
Thanks 😊 I've been trying the mica powder and ca glue without the baking soda. 🙃 I'll try it with the soda 😊
I appreciate this option. I've fixed a lot of broken plastic pieces with this method. Thanks for bringing it to our attention that it is a good substitute for epoxy. I haven't really seen anyone do what my cash-strapped project resulted in; I put down "utility oak" hardwood floors and used "dust-less" sheetrock mud to fill all the cracks. I wiped it down with a wet cloth, then sanded per usual, stained, and varnished, and 10 years later I do not have a single crack in that floor. I love how the lines of sheetrock mud are slightly darker than the actual oak. I wondered if this might also work instead of epoxy, and be even easier, and even cheaper. If you try it before I do, I hope you'll post a video. Thanks for your content.
The mud option is interesting. I don't think there would be any "food safety" issues, but I'd be curious about how well the mud would flex with potential wood movement. Not a bad idea to test
I have also seen people mix mica powder with Titebond wood glue. Fill the space and sands down easily. I have not tried it yet but super budget friendly.
Great video, I'll give it a try. Will this bleed into the wood like epoxy? Did you pre-coat your wood with anything? Thanks again brother, this should save me some time!
This method doesn't leech into the wood like epoxy. With that being said, the mica powder may get into nooks and crannies and can be tricky to sand out if you're not careful. In this video I didn't pre-coat, but I have been using either shellac or lacquer (whatever I have at the moment) to prevent any unwanted top stains as well as painters tape to mask off areas I don't want the mixture to get into. Give it a try and let me know how it goes
Brilliant video. Have searched for thin ca glue which all seem to be expensive. Can I use clear Elmer's glue and mix it with water to thin it down.
Interesting question. Unfortunately, I don't have an answer, but I'm working on a follow up where I'll address some of the questions that this video has generated
Can the inlay be buffed to get a higher gloss? I make my wood rub and it buffs the wood to a very nice shine and removes a lot of the minute scratches. Thanks for the video. Also, I use a flycutter router bit to remove the excess and it works great.
Naturally the baking soda has a chalky matte like finish. I almost exclusively use hard wax oils for finishes, but an epoxy finish would obviously give you a much higher sheen. As far as buffing, I've never used this method in an inlay large enough to justify using a buffing pad with compound and polish.
Just seeing this great video. My question is can you apply stain to the wood after sanding without discoloring the fill. Ex will with red then stain the wood black.
I have stained over epoxy and had no issues with discoloration. I haven't done a stain over the baking soda. I would think you'd have to have a sealed up inlay before stain just for added insurance to protect from any stain bleed. It would be an interesting test to attempt.
Had a bowl i just finished turning that had knot on the wall. Had a nasty catch after the knot gave way, breaking off my tenon and leaving me to figure out how to remount it alongside what to do with the void the knot left behind. I ended up using epoxy, which made a mess and took two pours, but after seeing this, i'm curious to learn whether this would cut clean on a lathe after curing like epoxy would?
Good question. I don't have a lathe, so I can't give you a detailed answer. All I can say, is after roughing your piece, this concoction should sand and accept finish like any other part of a turning
how about weather resistant. i want to make an all out sign using epoxy, but now i want to try your baking soda mix. Will that stand up to the elements of weather? [pssst, maybe ask your wife also] thanks
That's a great question. I know thar epoxy itself doesn't hold up well in direct sunlight. It will eventually crack and delaminate. I'm now curious to see how the backing soda will hold up. I'll whip something up and run it through some tests. Maybe I'll have something worth reporting in a few weeks
Just saw the vid. If you put inlays on a charcuterie (don't know how to spell that word) board, is this stuff considered "food safe" ? i know the baking soda is, but what about after you add the CA?
I'm not claiming CA glue to be "food safe" at all, but safe for food contact once fully cured, I think you're good. The greater question at hand concerns what kind of finish you intend to apply. Practically all wood finishes are safe for food contact once fully cured. If using a film finish (poly, lacquer, epoxy, etc) you'll have a safe for food contact layer over the CA glue. If using an oil or oil/wax finish, they need to be reapplied often to maintain a safe for food contact surface. Hope that helps
Timing, not often I do wood, even less epoxy, just finishing an epoxy sign and already had enough of doing a bit and then the wait... I can't see how it is financially sensible, you can't really charge for the days inivolved.
This might be the better solution and viable on a profit/loss perspective.
My initial worry would be black, how solid a black is it?
I’m thinking the more powder you mix in the darker it would be
Black mica is going to go black. The baking soda/mica mixture always looks a bit drab before hitting it with the CA glue. Best practice is always to test your mixture until you get the right shade you're after.
@@inlandwoodandresin It occurred to me, you could also use the epoxy powders, so plenty of options.
Great idea, maybe I missed it but what is the ratio of baking soda to the mica powder? Thanks much.
No specific ratio. The more mica you add the deeper the color. Always test and tune before putting into your project. Couldn't be easier. Does require a fair amount of sanding though
You might consider the next level. 1) Incorporate Navajo Sand Painting techniques for adding colors to the v-carve design. 2) You did not use the CNC router to do a final leveling pass before sanding, Will the material not withstand that machining operation?
That's a good question. I've never done a fill using this method large enough to warrant using a router sled. Normally I knock the surface down with my rotary sander, before heading to the drum sander to do final leveling.
Can i ask can these alternative be used to make a diy particle board with Coconut husks or banana fibers instead of Resin because it is too expensive and this for our research project?
I've seen people recycle saw dust wood glue to make diy MDF, so anything is possible through trial and error. I wouldn't suggest using CA glue if you need a large panel
Can you use gold mica powder for a gilded effect? If so, how "golden" will the final sanded effect be?
I've used every color under the sun, so a gilded gold effect is totally doable. The sheen of the inlay is all dependent on the type of finish you use. I usually stick to matte or satin, but I would expect a deeper effect with a higher sheen like semi or full gloss. No clue if you could use an automotive polish
Can this be used for a table that is 5ftx 18in, Iam trying to create an agate table.
As I say in the video, this is a great method for small inlay work, nothing more.
Artwork aside, this is a really good method just for repairing items. Refilling cracks, connecting plastics back together, or even adding to items to make them more functional. Also ashes work in place of baking soda, so does cornstarch. You can even make small items with this as you would with a 3D printer. Just make a mold for it. It's really an incredible substance.
I should mention also, one caveat with this technique is that it's very difficult to work with. In this example using it to fill it's pretty easy, but doing more delicate or intricate repairs with it can be tricky. Just because it hardens so quickly. Also when you drop the glue on it it tends to form a bead and roll off of the powder if it's on an angle. It doesn't mix readily with the baking soda. But if you're on a flat surface like this filling something then it's no problem.
Absolutely. I've been playing around with other "fillers" just to see what happens, and as long as the medium is fine enough, practically anything will work
Very true. There is a fair amount of delicacy in applying the glue. Large drops leave pits in the mica, and it's better to go thinner layers to get full penetration of the glue, than the heftier fills I did here. All part of the learning process
I assume it would machine fine on a cnc as well?????
I am yet to do an inlay within an inlay (and many have asked this same question). Over the summer I'll try and do a follow up to this video and address some of those questions
What is the ratio of baking powder to colour?
That's the nice thing about this method, there isn't one. Just keep adding mica to get the desired shade. Keep in mind, the color will ALWAYS be a lot darker than the dry mixture, so test and tune before filling your inlay
@inlandwoodandresin I came back to watch this a third or fourth time as I'll be giving it my first try Tuesday "after work". Thanks, Sir!
@@LYTOMIZE_Woodshop you GOT THIS!!!
@inlandwoodandresin You were right! I did a small test yesterday and went for it today - a small chunk of baking soda reared its head during sanding but other than that it worked out perfectly. I overestimated how much mix I needed and will be looking to get bigger bottles of thin CA glue in the future. I love it! Out of the blue someone reached out to me today for something else for which I'll need this technique so off I go.
This is awesome. Thanks!!! 👊
@LYTOMIZE_Woodshop like anything, there's test and tune. Glad this worked out for you. I think you'll find more and more reasons to keep this technique in your grab bag of tricks
Now do Styrofoam and lacquer thinner.
Styrofoam and practically anything makes for a "good" time
CA glue is expensive.
:
As is epoxy, especially when you factor in the value of your time and space required to allow for your piece(s) to cure. There are many less expensive off brand CA glues on the market that are significantly lower in price comparative to the name brands, all you need to do is look
Found you via youtube.com/@startmaking1
Thank you for this "resin" tip as im just starting out , learning .
My wife is the genius behind the video. Her background in the sciences has been tremendously helpful in finding out about these little workarounds. Give this process a shot and let me know what you think
Da fuq is this sorcery? 🪄 😂 that’s crazy! I assume you obviously pre-mix the powder and the soda? And where do you get mica powder?
My wife has a chemistry background (and is a hell of a baker), She mentioned using Baking Soda and water to make a paste that could be frozen in a mold. I tried it once, and it sorta worked. I figured if water would do the trick, then maybe CA glue would produce a stronger bond. Sure as hell it does. The reaction is instantaneous and is friggin solid. I totally guestimate the amount of Baking Soda and amount of mica. Mica goes a long way. A cup of Backing Soda with maybe a Tablespoon of mica, and you've got your mix. Put it in a sealed container, give it a shake to blend, and presto...... budget friendly epoxy slayer!!!