I really like the finish product. Now I just need a workspace big enough to do projects like these (life goals). I love wood working and this definitely speaks to my creative side. Great job!!!
I’ve been doing Stainglass for 20 years and have enjoyed it. I was introduced to your work just a few days ago. I’ve been watching all that you have been producing but I’m still having some issues with all my work and my tools and have been for Stainglass. Just went out and bought a handsaw, a router, and router table. This is almost the amount of tools that I have. I have very little money and trying to find out what I could use that would do the job but be less of a chore due to the price. I retired and will have more time to do such things. I’ve been in the ministry for 50 years and would love to give items to friends that I have met in those years.
I am about to embark on such an adventure! Will start on a smaller scale, so as to get a feel for it, and at the same time, see the associated cost. You have made a gorgeous table top, and you walk through was excellent. Thank you
Gentlemen, thank you so much for making this video. I've made several other smaller epoxy pour over projects using the suggested amount from the manufacturer and it was always way too much. Besides the waste and the cost that goes with it, it would cause sags on the edges because it would continue to self-level for hours all the time running over the edge. I tried several things to address it and the manufacturer was no help. It just seemed like there was just too much epoxy. I tried your 3oz. per Sqft. calculation, and it worked "PERFECTLY"! The manufacturers recommended amount came out to 10oz per square foot??? I can tell you that about 1/3 would end up on the floor. It wouldn't be that bad if the edges were perfect, but they aren't. The square notch trowel is a stroke of genius as well! Thank you and all the best! Chuck
I do have one question though, where can I get me a "Cousin Eddy"? Don't get me wrong, my wife is an immense help, but man, Cousin Eddy is on it! 👍 And thanks to all the "Cousin Eddy's" out there for having our backs! 😎 All the Best, Chuck
How do handle the drips on the underside of the project?? We did a concrete river bed hearth with epoxy finish and had to sand down the annoying drips on the bottom. Getting ready to make a river bed bar top but don’t want those drips to deal with.
Great tutorial. Your narration was spot on. Thanks for speaking in clear English ;) Nice shop too. Your Cousin Eddie was my job, my husband and I had a cabinet job on the side for 30 years. Mica is mesmerizing, isn't it? The color was beautiful and the reflective flakes makes it exceptional. Oh I miss the smell of wood and the anticipation of what it will turn out to be ;) Thanks for sharing!
Subbed ! Love your laid back vibe with no music to ruin it. Nice early Saturday morning watch this was. Came out amazing too. Great job mate, and cousin Eddie 👏🏼
Instead of using house wrap tape,we use contact paper...worked perfect...thank for the video.!! GREAT work guys...also you can use dish soap as a mold release..
Excellent job guys! I love it how you explain the process step by step especially if you're beginning and/or beginners like myself. I thank you for doing a awesome job ! I would like to learn on how to do ocean river tables. Hopefully, both of you can do a video on that. Again, thank you for doing a fantastic review
I enjoyed watching this! You should research C channels with slotted holes . Epoxying metal bars into the bottom of the table is sure to lead to expansion and contraction issues later on. Also, using a regular Festool sander, I have no issues getting the router lines out. May be a bit safer that way. Good luck!
Hello! Why do metal bars lead to expansion issues? I got the idea from Stone Coat Countertops who has made these professionally for some time now...so I’m curious. What grit did you use with your festool sander? I have used one but, perhaps did not have a low enough grit because I could still see some router lines lightly show after epoxying on other projects. Thanks!
Congratulations for the very well described video, it's a pleasure to listen especially when you explain the "why" of the different steps, wish more people would do that 👏🏻👏🏻💪🏼
Cedar should work out just fine. I would definitely seal the edges before pouring the river…but should work just fine. I have a friend that uses cedar quite often. Good luck and thanks for watching!
Mike, after you used the grinder with 50 grit did you do further sanding on the piece with a sander before the pour, and it doesnt look like you put too much glue on the piece when you laid it on the tyvek. I am trying to figure out how fine a grit to sand with before the pour.
Yes, I used 60 grit with an orbital sander to sand out the grinder marks and then sanded my way through a progression to 220. I usually only go to 220 for epoxy pours. I also just hit the previous epoxy layer with 220 before pouring another coat.
beautiful table, can't wait to try it. can i ask how you manage treating the bottom of the table? is it the same finish all over, or is the bottom left rough?
this was very helpful! I am doing a faux live edge river table for my kids.....I am going to stain the wood, should I epoxy seal that wood first before putting it in the mold for the river pour? Thanks!
I would definitely seal the edges before a river pour. You might want to do a coat on the top of the wood as well if you’re doing a dark color pour as it could stain your wood. Good luck and thanks for watching!
Just got into woodworking again after retiring from the military and I came across this video. It is beautifully put together and informative, so thank you for that! I have a question about the drips on the underside of the table after your flooding coat. How do you get those drips smoothed down? Do you wait a few hours for the coat to harden up a bit? Or do you wipe them as they form until they form no more? Thanks again!
Great question. If time allows, I’ll scrape the bottom with an old credit card or something like that about 4 hours after pouring. If I have to sand a bunch of drips, I’ll use a 4 1/2 grinder with a metal sanding disc and then sand smooth. Thanks for watching and good luck with your reconnection to wood working!
I’ve tried taking the router marks out with an orbital sander and 50 grit, but it is very slow. Router marks can be very deep, especially on wood like the oak I used in the video. The grinder is very fast and the swirl marks it leaves behind are much easier to remove. Thanks for watching!
@@northernridgedesigns thanks for responding bro. Been in the furniture game for awhile. Thinking ,only thinking rn, of epoxy products because people pay for them. But hey, awesome video, thank you!
Hi guys...absolutely stunning table, beautifully made. Congratulations from across the 'pond'. I noted that you placed metal bars under the table to counter any warping or movement that may occur, and others have commented that the way you did this was incorrect. This leaves me a little confused. My understanding of why movement occurs in wood is because of changes in the wood's moisture content brought on by fluctuations in relative humidity. As the wood in your table has been encapsulated with resin, I cannot see how any changes in humidity could affect the timber as the pores in the wood have been effectively sealed with impermeable resin and can no longer take on (or release) any moisture. Of course I stand to be corrected, but I can't see why any type of 'anti-movement' bars are required at all.
Thank you for the compliments. Most of the people that comment that it is done wrong, feel they have to comment to make themselves feel right…when most have no idea what they’re talking about. From my own experience the embedded bars work….there are other ways to do it, such as c channel, but the bars do work. You’re right, relative humidity and temperature changes can make wood move. All wood moves, but if the wood has reached the equilibrium moisture level, movement should be minimal. This table was not sealed on the bottom, as from my experience I felt it was not necessary due to the bracing and how the top was being secured. Even if the slab was completely encapsulated, I feel temperature changes could still cause the wood to swell and shrink (move). Thank you for watching!
Typically I remove all of the bark. There have been a few instances where the bark was in great shape and the table was getting an epoxy finish, so I left it on…not a problem because the epoxy soaks in and glued it on permanently. Thank you and thanks for watching.
Love it, what kind of isolation do you use before mounting the wood in the form, can I use any tape or any other common material. I'm in Brazil and I don't recofnze that brand tape, thanks.
Great questions! With this sort of river table there was no need to calm the dust because you would never see it in the green river. When I did the flood coat over everything that’s a different story…you want to be very dust conscious. That is house wrap that I used…I have heard of people using regular packing tape, but I have never tried it so I can’t say for sure.
Congratulations, very nice table. I would like to ask you a couple of questions that came to mind when I saw the video. I can’t avoid getting holes in the epoxy resin when I use the router sled. Could you tell me the depth of each passes and the speed of the router? I can’t figure out why I always get this kind of chains of holes in the epoxy and I thought i could be that. Thanks a lot in advance.
Hello and thank you for the compliment! I’ve had the holes happen that you’re describing. I believe it was from a dull router bit. It is very frustrating! Best of luck!
Great question! It is self leveling to an extent...for instance it will pool in low spots. But, when you run the trowel the teeth of the trowel create high and low spots with the epoxy in the form of lines. If you don’t chop out the lines you will more than likely see some of them once the epoxy has cured. It’s insurance to make sure the epoxy lays out smooth.
It depends on the piece. This particular one was going to be secured to a base and kept in a climate controlled environment, so in my opinion it was not necessary to do the underside. Thanks for watching!
I'd love to know how this is holding up? I do this for a living and I don't seal the edges because I WANT the epoxy to soak in, it turned out great.. I love seeing how others do things
I too want the epoxy to soak into the edges…I sealed the edges with epoxy to eliminate the risk of bubbles in the casting epoxy. I sanded the sealed edges so there is still mechanical bond between the sealed edges and casting epoxy. This is my process, but I have seen plenty of people pour right into unsealed wood edges. I think the only time you’d have a problem is when people deal with something like polyurethane and then use casting epoxy…there would be no epoxy soaked into the wood in this case. Best of luck!
Mike, how close are you getting the torch to the epoxy? I have been getting about 6-8 inches away, I keep it moving, but I still don't quite get all the bubbles. Should I be holding the torch closer?
I probably get a little closer than 6 inches with the torch, but it’s important to not stay in one spot too long. Try warming your epoxy up some before you use it, I find this helps the bubbles release much easier. Thanks for watching!
Epoxy is basically really really good glue, so no chance anything is coming apart on this table. I also embedded steel tubes on the backside to help stabilize the wood. Thanks for watching!
Do multiple powders end up mixing together to make 1 color? I'm looking to make a marble type of river. Do powders come in opaque and translucent? As I'll need opaque because I won't want to see through it.
The more powder you add the more opaque it becomes. I suggest mixing the powder into the epoxy in a large container, then using a clear cup dip out the colored epoxy to the depth your table will be. That will give you an idea of how opaque or translucent the river will be. Good luck and thanks for watching!
Also how much and what kind of glue did you put on the pieces before setting them on the tyvek? I am going to attempt my first river table and like how you did yours. I am using white oak and the piece I am working on has a lot of cracks that I am trying to fill.
I just used enough epoxy to seal the edges and whatever ran off the edges was used to “glue” down the piece to the tyvec. I would make sure my edges and cracks were sealed with some clear epoxy before filling the voids. Also, lightly sand with 220 before filling. I used Stone Coat Countertop epoxy and their deep pour epoxy.
Sorry, I have one more question, I have some live edge maple with the bark still attached. i'm planning on making a coffee table and 2 end tables. Can I do a river table with them? do I have to remove the bark? I had them cut during winter to make sure the bark is still on them.
@@StephanieHoward-qk1gk I would suggest you remove the bark before you turn it into the river table. The epoxy could hold he bark on, but then the whole table would be putting force on the bark bond. Feel free to ask whatever questions you might have…I’ll answer them as best as I can.
Love your work, thanks for the video. One question, is it a good idea not to allow the wood to expand and contract? I've always been taught that something will give up and break in that case... curious about your comment.
My thoughts are wood is going to expand and contract if it wants to and there is no way to totally stop it. In these large slabs it can be drastic. In my experience the best things you can do to mitigate it is make sure the wood reaches equilibrium moisture and embed supports. Of course this is all IMHO. Thanks for watching!
I have always used tyvec type tape, I’ve seen lots of instance where epoxy has somehow really stuck to bare melamine. I’m sure you could get away without the tyvec tape some, but I’ve never had a problem with a table when using tape, so I’ve stuck with it. Thanks for watching!
@@northernridgedesigns that's not what I'm asking. I don't want to have to go buy melamine if tyvek tape will do the same thing on MDF. Because I have a lot of MDF and won't need to buy any.
Ohhh I see…I have never used plain mdf with tyvec tape…I’ve just always had melamine, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work, since the tyvec tape is the actual barrier. Just make sure the seams overlap and when you make your sides, I’d cover them with tyvec tape before attaching them to the base of the mold. Anywhere there is bare mdf, the epoxy will soak in and you’ll have a big problem. Good luck!
Hi guys. Great video, thanks. I have a question. I heard you saying that when you pass the Router to flatten the wood you only do 1/8 of an inch or less each time. I guess this is around 3mm, right? Can I ask you at what RPM do you set your router and if you use any special router bit for that? What size of bit do you use? Thanks a lot in advance.
Hello, glad you liked the video. Yes, 1/8 of an inch is usually the max and probably like a 1/16 for hardwoods such as oak. I do not know what the router speed is exactly, but I will say I do spend time figuring out which speed seems to work best for the particular bit and wood I’m working on. I usually get cheaper 1 1/2 to 2 inch blades because even more expensive ones don’t seem to hold up to this much routering and especially if I’m routering epoxy. I recently got some rotational carbine bits, but haven’t used them much yet. I hope this helps.
@@northernridgedesigns yes, I’m building my first river table, and I’m trying to gather as much information as possible. I just thought it would have been easier to pour that last coat while it was still in the mould .
Oh, you’re talking about the last 1/8” or 1/4” over the river itself…got it! Yeah, it definitely would have been easier…it was a learning experience. The original plan was to just plane the wood down to the epoxy level of the river…it was low because it tends to shrink a little as it cures….but I decided after removing it from the mold to just pour a thin layer on the river to bring it up to the wood level. This was a much easier solution. Good luck to you!
Beautiful Job. Wouldn't you eliminate your router lines if you had rails adjusted to be perfectly flat and true? Seems like this happens as a result of your bit being slightly tipped.
I’m sure it is not perfectly flat. I don’t think I have never seen a router sled that didn’t leave lines…even the commercial ones leave some it seems. With that said, I’m sure I could tinker with it and make them a little better, but I honestly don’t think they’ll all go away. Thanks for watching!
Good question…the epoxy is perfectly capable of keeping the two sides together, but I embedded a couple tubes of metal to help keep the wood from moving over time.
Not all epoxy brands are the same…there are good ones and bad ones. I have had good luck with Stone Coat Countertop epoxy. Once fully cured you can set really hot items on it, it can take blunt force and doesn’t scratch real easily…but it will scratch up over time under normal to heavy use. Good news is, it is easy to sand and buff or just recoat. Thanks for watching!
Have you thought about making one with shark teeth that are millions of years old. I've been pulling shark teeth out of a creek in Texas and have over 3,000 now. I always thought it would be cool to have a river full of shark teeth in a table
Cant you see the bars through the epoxy you placed on the bottom to prevent warping? Maybe not clearly, but do they create a dark line in the epoxy from above? By the way, amazing first attempt, looks like you have done this 100's of times.
You cannot see the bars through the epoxy. I added coloring until it was not see through. You can check the mixed epoxy in a clear plastic cup at a depth similar to the river in the table. Thanks for watching!
I honestly haven’t tried that many brands. I strictly use Stone Coat Countertop epoxy and additives. They have very good customer service and I’ve never been let down by their additives. They don’t sponsor me, I just trust their products.
Thank you for taking the time to make this video! 12:27 - Where did the slight lip come from between the wood top and epoxy top? Did the epoxy shrink that much? Also, I see other methods that finish the top by using a buffing/polishing method. You didn't go that route. Was there any particular reason? It's hard to find a step by step video that includes the ENTIRE process. Thank you very much, again, for taking the time to film your method!!
Great questions! The slight lip was a combination of a couple things...the fact that casting epoxy does shrink a little as it cures and that we didn’t have the table perfectly leveled off before pouring. We weren’t concerned about this, because we knew we would have to plane both sides anyways after pouring. We had a choice to plane it a bit further and make the table another 1/8 inch thinner or leave it. Knowing we were going to finish with epoxy on top and the lip would be a non-factor...we left it. If we were going to use a buffed in oil product we would have planed it flush. We chose epoxy because of the durability and for the ability to use this table for other videos. For instance, we will be releasing a video in the near future about how to sand and polish an epoxy top to a matte finish...we will be using this table. I do like the look of oil rubbed finishes and they’re fun to do, so stay tuned for a future video on that. Thanks for watching!
Great question…I used Stone Coat Countertop deep pour epoxy. It depends a bit on temperature of the room and epoxy, but I’d say you have about 4-6 hours in a liquid state. Thanks for watching.
@@northernridgedesigns Much thanks. So many people don't understand the differance between pot life and working life. I am thinking about changeing my resin system. I don't want to deal with exotherm issues with large amounts of resin. Your video on this table is great.
It's better calling him Cousin Eddy rather than calling him Cousin It! Ha ha ha ha 😁 Like the video. Especially like the torching every 1/4". And I haven't ever heard of adding the tubing. Makes perfect sense.
The epoxy top coat is the finished coat. I would say, when you use quality epoxy and do it correctly, it is as durable as poly…probably better. It will scratch…like most finishes, but for instance the kind I use you can set a pan of boiling water right on it once it’s fully cured. The good part is, it is very easy to sand and buff or recoat as the years go by if necessary. Thanks for watching!
@@northernridgedesigns thank you for your reply. I just built my live edge wood (first time) and I've used a lot of epoxy to get the same finish but I was nervous if it's safe to use right away, if there's a long curing time before it hardens or if I have to seal it with another product before use.
What can you do when you get bubbles in your first coating ? After you torch and you still get bubbles , is it OK cause the other coats will cover or like I ask what can you do
Bubbles in the first coat is totally normal...that’s why you do the coats. Sand to pop the bubbles and reseal coat. I usually do 3 seal coats before my final flood coat. Each coat will hide the scratches and imperfections left in the epoxy by the sander.
Quick question, can I use one brands table top epoxy to seal the live edges, and another brand to do my pour? Also, do I need to sand the live edges after sealing with the tabletop epoxy before the deep pour?
Great questions! As long as the seal coat epoxy is decent stuff I’d say you’re probably fine…I have used different brands like this myself. Yes, you need to sand the edges as well…this is how the next layer of epoxy mechanically bonds to the last. Thanks for watching and feel free to share a pic!
@@northernridgedesigns I'm using famowood epoxy. It says to use a torch to remove air bubbles. Does that mean it's safe to use in the basement with a furnace?
Good vid and lovely table and good technique.so no polishing the epoxy just 3 coats of clear epoxy or 2 seal and a flood coat you wasn’t quite clear at the end .did you do another pour after or just that one coat of clear ? cheers mate that was an easy watch 👏
Glad you enjoyed it! I did three seal coats and one final flood coat. No polishing afterwards…I take some precautions to mitigate the dust bunnies. Thanks for watching!
@@northernridgedesigns Yeah the dust is a thorn in my side . I cover my ones up with a home table dust cover , does the job Thanks for replying Take it easy 👍
We were swirling right away to see what it would do. We kept swirling for about an hour into the process. The next time I do it I’ll just wait until quite a bit later to do it...like hours later. However, the swirls held up quite well to the long curing process.
The final top coat is countertop epoxy. Not all epoxies are created equal and I usually use Stone Coat Countertop epoxy. It can be touched after about 24 hours and continues to cure towards its max strength at about a month. At that point it is quite scratch resistant, but yes it will scratch like most finishes will. Thanks for watching!
The epoxy used for the river is different from the final coat epoxy. The river epoxy is known as casting epoxy and is not as strong or durable as the top coat epoxy. I use Stone Coat Countertop epoxy.
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I really like the finish product. Now I just need a workspace big enough to do projects like these (life goals). I love wood working and this definitely speaks to my creative side. Great job!!!
Yes, it’s tough to find the space for these large pieces! Thanks for watching!
I’ve been doing Stainglass for 20 years and have enjoyed it. I was introduced to your work just a few days ago. I’ve been watching all that you have been producing but I’m still having some issues with all my work and my tools and have been for Stainglass. Just went out and bought a handsaw, a router, and router table. This is almost the amount of tools that I have. I have very little money and trying to find out what I could use that would do the job but be less of a chore due to the price. I retired and will have more time to do such things. I’ve been in the ministry for 50 years and would love to give items to friends that I have met in those years.
What sort of issues are you having?
I really appreciate how you explained every step along they way along with hints of do’s and don’ts
I’m glad you found it helpful…thanks for watching!
This deserves at least a million views if not more!
Thank you and thanks for watching!
I am about to embark on such an adventure! Will start on a smaller scale, so as to get a feel for it, and at the same time, see the associated cost.
You have made a gorgeous table top, and you walk through was excellent. Thank you
I’m glad you found it helpful…thanks for watching and best of luck!
Gentlemen, thank you so much for making this video. I've made several other smaller epoxy pour over projects using the suggested amount from the manufacturer and it was always way too much. Besides the waste and the cost that goes with it, it would cause sags on the edges because it would continue to self-level for hours all the time running over the edge. I tried several things to address it and the manufacturer was no help. It just seemed like there was just too much epoxy. I tried your 3oz. per Sqft. calculation, and it worked "PERFECTLY"! The manufacturers recommended amount came out to 10oz per square foot??? I can tell you that about 1/3 would end up on the floor. It wouldn't be that bad if the edges were perfect, but they aren't.
The square notch trowel is a stroke of genius as well!
Thank you and all the best!
Chuck
So glad you found the way we presented the information helpful! Best of luck!
I do have one question though, where can I get me a "Cousin Eddy"?
Don't get me wrong, my wife is an immense help, but man, Cousin Eddy is on it! 👍
And thanks to all the "Cousin Eddy's" out there for having our backs! 😎
All the Best, Chuck
@@toolchuck you can’t replace a Cousin Eddy!
How do handle the drips on the underside of the project?? We did a concrete river bed hearth with epoxy finish and had to sand down the annoying drips on the bottom. Getting ready to make a river bed bar top but don’t want those drips to deal with.
Run a 1" or wider strip of blue painters' tape underneath the edge before pouring. There are many videos on it.
All the Best, Chuck
Great tutorial. Your narration was spot on. Thanks for speaking in clear English ;) Nice shop too. Your Cousin Eddie was my job, my husband and I had a cabinet job on the side for 30 years. Mica is mesmerizing, isn't it? The color was beautiful and the reflective flakes makes it exceptional. Oh I miss the smell of wood and the anticipation of what it will turn out to be ;) Thanks for sharing!
Thank you very much!
I love that greenstone turquoise color y’all chose it’s brilliant.
Thank you and thanks for watching!
Subbed ! Love your laid back vibe with no music to ruin it. Nice early Saturday morning watch this was. Came out amazing too. Great job mate, and cousin Eddie 👏🏼
Thanks for the sub and for watching! Cousin Eddie and I appreciate it!
Instead of using house wrap tape,we use contact paper...worked perfect...thank for the video.!! GREAT work guys...also you can use dish soap as a mold release..
Good tips!
I really like that green with pearl flake in it awesome job also I like how they adapt and improvised their plainer table genius 🤯
Glad you enjoyed it…I agree…love that color!
Wow that came out beautiful. Nice to see someone taking pride in their work.
Thank you so much!
Excellent job guys! I love it how you explain the process step by step especially if you're beginning and/or beginners like myself. I thank you for doing a awesome job ! I would like to learn on how to do ocean river tables. Hopefully, both of you can do a video on that. Again, thank you for doing a fantastic review
Thank you for watching!
Stonecoat Countertops has a huge number of videos on Ocean Tables and even floors like one in Hawaii.
Great tip on the angle grinder.
Yes, that’s a total game changer! Thanks for watching!
Excellent in techniques, video work, and presentation. Thanks for not putting in a soundtrack of teenager music.
Haha I will never put on a teenager soundtrack! Thanks for watching!
I enjoyed watching this!
You should research C channels with slotted holes . Epoxying metal bars into the bottom of the table is sure to lead to expansion and contraction issues later on. Also, using a regular Festool sander, I have no issues getting the router lines out. May be a bit safer that way. Good luck!
Hello! Why do metal bars lead to expansion issues? I got the idea from Stone Coat Countertops who has made these professionally for some time now...so I’m curious. What grit did you use with your festool sander? I have used one but, perhaps did not have a low enough grit because I could still see some router lines lightly show after epoxying on other projects. Thanks!
another great product from my homies in Michigan
Haha thank you and thanks for watching!
Truly a great piece u guys turned out, thanks so much for the video, i will be watching ur videos for more nice jobs from ur shop
Thank you and thanks for watching! Much appreciated!
I'm definitely will try this out! Best video of how to.
Thank you…glad you found it helpful!
Congratulations for the very well described video, it's a pleasure to listen especially when you explain the "why" of the different steps, wish more people would do that 👏🏻👏🏻💪🏼
Much appreciated…glad you found it useful!
Great job guys i am going to attempt one shortly. Can you use cedar for a small river table or is it too porous and soft?
Cedar should work out just fine. I would definitely seal the edges before pouring the river…but should work just fine. I have a friend that uses cedar quite often. Good luck and thanks for watching!
Thanks for your reply, let’s see what happens, again thank you
I was wondering if there were any suggestions on a specific quick ceiling epoxy for the edges. Thank you.
Good question! I like and sometimes use Stone Coat Countertop Quick Coat Epoxy..,sets up pretty quickly and is strong. Thanks for watching!
thanks for the detailed information on your build. wow what a great product. (with hand tools no less)
Much appreciated!
I LOVE the color!
Thanks for saying so and thanks for watching!
Mike, after you used the grinder with 50 grit did you do further sanding on the piece with a sander before the pour, and it doesnt look like you put too much glue on the piece when you laid it on the tyvek. I am trying to figure out how fine a grit to sand with before the pour.
Yes, I used 60 grit with an orbital sander to sand out the grinder marks and then sanded my way through a progression to 220. I usually only go to 220 for epoxy pours. I also just hit the previous epoxy layer with 220 before pouring another coat.
beautiful table, can't wait to try it. can i ask how you manage treating the bottom of the table? is it the same finish all over, or is the bottom left rough?
I usually don’t treat the bottom, but it depends if n different variables. I usually embed metal tubing to fight the warping. Thanks for watching!
this was very helpful! I am doing a faux live edge river table for my kids.....I am going to stain the wood, should I epoxy seal that wood first before putting it in the mold for the river pour? Thanks!
I would definitely seal the edges before a river pour. You might want to do a coat on the top of the wood as well if you’re doing a dark color pour as it could stain your wood. Good luck and thanks for watching!
@@northernridgedesigns got it, thanks for the quick response and the tip!
@@Roadwarrior721 good luck!
Wow -- how awesome to have a partner that's right there with you on the project! :D
Gotta love Cousin Eddie!
Just got into woodworking again after retiring from the military and I came across this video. It is beautifully put together and informative, so thank you for that! I have a question about the drips on the underside of the table after your flooding coat. How do you get those drips smoothed down? Do you wait a few hours for the coat to harden up a bit? Or do you wipe them as they form until they form no more? Thanks again!
Great question. If time allows, I’ll scrape the bottom with an old credit card or something like that about 4 hours after pouring. If I have to sand a bunch of drips, I’ll use a 4 1/2 grinder with a metal sanding disc and then sand smooth. Thanks for watching and good luck with your reconnection to wood working!
At around 2:30 , why not use a random orbital sander with a 50/60 grit? Too slow?
I’ve tried taking the router marks out with an orbital sander and 50 grit, but it is very slow. Router marks can be very deep, especially on wood like the oak I used in the video. The grinder is very fast and the swirl marks it leaves behind are much easier to remove. Thanks for watching!
@@northernridgedesigns thanks for responding bro. Been in the furniture game for awhile. Thinking ,only thinking rn, of epoxy products because people pay for them. But hey, awesome video, thank you!
Hi guys...absolutely stunning table, beautifully made. Congratulations from across the 'pond'.
I noted that you placed metal bars under the table to counter any warping or movement that may occur, and others have commented that the way you did this was incorrect.
This leaves me a little confused. My understanding of why movement occurs in wood is because of changes in the wood's moisture content brought on by fluctuations in relative humidity.
As the wood in your table has been encapsulated with resin, I cannot see how any changes in humidity could affect the timber as the pores in the wood have been effectively sealed with impermeable resin and can no longer take on (or release) any moisture. Of course I stand to be corrected, but I can't see why any type of 'anti-movement' bars are required at all.
Thank you for the compliments. Most of the people that comment that it is done wrong, feel they have to comment to make themselves feel right…when most have no idea what they’re talking about. From my own experience the embedded bars work….there are other ways to do it, such as c channel, but the bars do work. You’re right, relative humidity and temperature changes can make wood move. All wood moves, but if the wood has reached the equilibrium moisture level, movement should be minimal. This table was not sealed on the bottom, as from my experience I felt it was not necessary due to the bracing and how the top was being secured. Even if the slab was completely encapsulated, I feel temperature changes could still cause the wood to swell and shrink (move). Thank you for watching!
Question please.
When doing a live edge, is any of the bark left showing when you are done?.
The table really looks great.
Typically I remove all of the bark. There have been a few instances where the bark was in great shape and the table was getting an epoxy finish, so I left it on…not a problem because the epoxy soaks in and glued it on permanently. Thank you and thanks for watching.
Do you use table top epoxy on the bottom of your tables? Or just lacquer to seal them?
If I seal the bottom, I will typically use table top epoxy. Thanks for watching!
Beautiful work!
Thank you and thanks for watching!
Try a no 7 jointer for cleaning up ridges from the spoilboard bit
Good idea!
Love it, what kind of isolation do you use before mounting the wood in the form, can I use any tape or any other common material. I'm in Brazil and I don't recofnze that brand tape, thanks.
Great questions! With this sort of river table there was no need to calm the dust because you would never see it in the green river. When I did the flood coat over everything that’s a different story…you want to be very dust conscious. That is house wrap that I used…I have heard of people using regular packing tape, but I have never tried it so I can’t say for sure.
Congratulations, very nice table. I would like to ask you a couple of questions that came to mind when I saw the video. I can’t avoid getting holes in the epoxy resin when I use the router sled. Could you tell me the depth of each passes and the speed of the router? I can’t figure out why I always get this kind of chains of holes in the epoxy and I thought i could be that. Thanks a lot in advance.
Hello and thank you for the compliment! I’ve had the holes happen that you’re describing. I believe it was from a dull router bit. It is very frustrating! Best of luck!
Thanks for your answer. I’ll check up my bit. Keep creating. Very nice stuff indeed.
If it's naturally self leveling, why do you have to use the paint brush to get the square trowel marks out?
Great question! It is self leveling to an extent...for instance it will pool in low spots. But, when you run the trowel the teeth of the trowel create high and low spots with the epoxy in the form of lines. If you don’t chop out the lines you will more than likely see some of them once the epoxy has cured. It’s insurance to make sure the epoxy lays out smooth.
Do you seal coat and flood coat the underside of the table as well? Or just the top?
It depends on the piece. This particular one was going to be secured to a base and kept in a climate controlled environment, so in my opinion it was not necessary to do the underside. Thanks for watching!
You guys did a beautiful job on this, I hope to do one someday in the not too distant future!
Thank you! Good luck!
Wow wow that look so good man 👍
Thank you!
I'd love to know how this is holding up? I do this for a living and I don't seal the edges because I WANT the epoxy to soak in, it turned out great.. I love seeing how others do things
I too want the epoxy to soak into the edges…I sealed the edges with epoxy to eliminate the risk of bubbles in the casting epoxy. I sanded the sealed edges so there is still mechanical bond between the sealed edges and casting epoxy. This is my process, but I have seen plenty of people pour right into unsealed wood edges. I think the only time you’d have a problem is when people deal with something like polyurethane and then use casting epoxy…there would be no epoxy soaked into the wood in this case. Best of luck!
@@northernridgedesigns yeah I agree! Well beautiful table! And to many many more!
Mike, how close are you getting the torch to the epoxy? I have been getting about 6-8 inches away, I keep it moving, but I still don't quite get all the bubbles. Should I be holding the torch closer?
I probably get a little closer than 6 inches with the torch, but it’s important to not stay in one spot too long. Try warming your epoxy up some before you use it, I find this helps the bubbles release much easier. Thanks for watching!
Great job but what keeps the wood Together from falling off
Epoxy is basically really really good glue, so no chance anything is coming apart on this table. I also embedded steel tubes on the backside to help stabilize the wood. Thanks for watching!
Do multiple powders end up mixing together to make 1 color? I'm looking to make a marble type of river. Do powders come in opaque and translucent? As I'll need opaque because I won't want to see through it.
The more powder you add the more opaque it becomes. I suggest mixing the powder into the epoxy in a large container, then using a clear cup dip out the colored epoxy to the depth your table will be. That will give you an idea of how opaque or translucent the river will be. Good luck and thanks for watching!
Also how much and what kind of glue did you put on the pieces before setting them on the tyvek? I am going to attempt my first river table and like how you did yours. I am using white oak and the piece I am working on has a lot of cracks that I am trying to fill.
I just used enough epoxy to seal the edges and whatever ran off the edges was used to “glue” down the piece to the tyvec. I would make sure my edges and cracks were sealed with some clear epoxy before filling the voids. Also, lightly sand with 220 before filling. I used Stone Coat Countertop epoxy and their deep pour epoxy.
You Guys did an amazing job with this river table!!!.
What do you use as a sealer coat on the live edge? Before you pour?
All the seal coats were a table top epoxy…just applied in thin layers. Thanks for watching!
Thank you
Sorry, I have one more question,
I have some live edge maple with the bark still attached. i'm planning on making a coffee table and 2 end tables. Can I do a river table with them? do I have to remove the bark?
I had them cut during winter to make sure the bark is still on them.
The live edge is only on one side
The other side is squared
@@StephanieHoward-qk1gk I would suggest you remove the bark before you turn it into the river table. The epoxy could hold he bark on, but then the whole table would be putting force on the bark bond. Feel free to ask whatever questions you might have…I’ll answer them as best as I can.
From this gloss where you finished, if i want a satin or semi gloss , simply sanding off with 1500-2000 is enough , right ?
Yes, you can start as low as you want (if you had scratches or something) and go as high as you want…2,000 would be quite matte.
Love your work, thanks for the video. One question, is it a good idea not to allow the wood to expand and contract? I've always been taught that something will give up and break in that case... curious about your comment.
My thoughts are wood is going to expand and contract if it wants to and there is no way to totally stop it. In these large slabs it can be drastic. In my experience the best things you can do to mitigate it is make sure the wood reaches equilibrium moisture and embed supports. Of course this is all IMHO. Thanks for watching!
With all that tyvek tape covering the melamine, does it (melamine) have to be used? Because I have all kinds of MDF laying around.
I have always used tyvec type tape, I’ve seen lots of instance where epoxy has somehow really stuck to bare melamine. I’m sure you could get away without the tyvec tape some, but I’ve never had a problem with a table when using tape, so I’ve stuck with it. Thanks for watching!
@@northernridgedesigns that's not what I'm asking. I don't want to have to go buy melamine if tyvek tape will do the same thing on MDF. Because I have a lot of MDF and won't need to buy any.
Ohhh I see…I have never used plain mdf with tyvec tape…I’ve just always had melamine, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work, since the tyvec tape is the actual barrier. Just make sure the seams overlap and when you make your sides, I’d cover them with tyvec tape before attaching them to the base of the mold. Anywhere there is bare mdf, the epoxy will soak in and you’ll have a big problem. Good luck!
Hi guys. Great video, thanks. I have a question. I heard you saying that when you pass the Router to flatten the wood you only do 1/8 of an inch or less each time. I guess this is around 3mm, right? Can I ask you at what RPM do you set your router and if you use any special router bit for that? What size of bit do you use? Thanks a lot in advance.
Hello, glad you liked the video. Yes, 1/8 of an inch is usually the max and probably like a 1/16 for hardwoods such as oak. I do not know what the router speed is exactly, but I will say I do spend time figuring out which speed seems to work best for the particular bit and wood I’m working on. I usually get cheaper 1 1/2 to 2 inch blades because even more expensive ones don’t seem to hold up to this much routering and especially if I’m routering epoxy. I recently got some rotational carbine bits, but haven’t used them much yet. I hope this helps.
Thanks for your prompt response. It helped a lot. Regards from Spain.
@@eduardovigil5609 anytime!
cousin eddie is the goat
Truly!
Length x width x depth = epoxy needed.. Beautiful table.. Nice job
Thank you and thanks for watching!
It looks great, but why didnt you pour the epoxy while you had the table in the jig?
Do you mean the top coat epoxy over the entire piece?
@@northernridgedesigns yes, I’m building my first river table, and I’m trying to gather as much information as possible. I just thought it would have been easier to pour that last coat while it was still in the mould .
Oh, you’re talking about the last 1/8” or 1/4” over the river itself…got it! Yeah, it definitely would have been easier…it was a learning experience. The original plan was to just plane the wood down to the epoxy level of the river…it was low because it tends to shrink a little as it cures….but I decided after removing it from the mold to just pour a thin layer on the river to bring it up to the wood level. This was a much easier solution. Good luck to you!
Where did you get the sanding disc you used on your angle grinder? It looks sort of flexible.
They are disks used for sanding metal that you can pick up at any big box store.
Beautiful Job. Wouldn't you eliminate your router lines if you had rails adjusted to be perfectly flat and true? Seems like this happens as a result of your bit being slightly tipped.
I’m sure it is not perfectly flat. I don’t think I have never seen a router sled that didn’t leave lines…even the commercial ones leave some it seems. With that said, I’m sure I could tinker with it and make them a little better, but I honestly don’t think they’ll all go away. Thanks for watching!
Wow nice job guys.. Beautiful
Thank you and thanks for watching!
Its really nice work .
Thank you and thanks for watching!
Looks great. And an awesome job explaining the process. 😊
Thank you and thanks for watching!
Very very interesting indeed , I want to learn how to do this . Absolutely beautiful
Thanks for watching!
Hi just wondering is it the expoxy in the middle of the table that keeps it together?
Good question…the epoxy is perfectly capable of keeping the two sides together, but I embedded a couple tubes of metal to help keep the wood from moving over time.
Wow, Thats really high quality work! Fascinating to watch it come to be, step by step!
Thank you and thank you for watching!
Excellent job, beautiful table top! I sure hope my first attempt at making on of these tables turns out as good as this.
Good luck and thanks for watching!
are you using different products for the final coat?
The seal coats and final coat are the same product…just different amounts. Thank you for watching!
Which dewalt router are you using with the sled?
That is the 1 3/4 horse power Dewalt router. Thanks for watching!
Does the steel tubing work like a C channel?
Right…same principal…thanks for watching!
Greate idea to finish with epoxy!!
Thank you and thanks for watching!
Getting the thumbs up/subscribe/engage out of the way, because my sense of WTF is at max. Gorgeous project and thanks for sharing!
Haha thank you for watching!
Extreme beautiful table. Well done!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you!
Does this finish scratch easy or is it pretty durable?
Not all epoxy brands are the same…there are good ones and bad ones. I have had good luck with Stone Coat Countertop epoxy. Once fully cured you can set really hot items on it, it can take blunt force and doesn’t scratch real easily…but it will scratch up over time under normal to heavy use. Good news is, it is easy to sand and buff or just recoat. Thanks for watching!
Have you thought about making one with shark teeth that are millions of years old. I've been pulling shark teeth out of a creek in Texas and have over 3,000 now. I always thought it would be cool to have a river full of shark teeth in a table
That sounds very cool…thanks for watching!
You're probably just pulling fossilized bobcat shit
Cant you see the bars through the epoxy you placed on the bottom to prevent warping? Maybe not clearly, but do they create a dark line in the epoxy from above? By the way, amazing first attempt, looks like you have done this 100's of times.
You cannot see the bars through the epoxy. I added coloring until it was not see through. You can check the mixed epoxy in a clear plastic cup at a depth similar to the river in the table. Thanks for watching!
What brand of black liquid epoxy color have you found to be the best?
I honestly haven’t tried that many brands. I strictly use Stone Coat Countertop epoxy and additives. They have very good customer service and I’ve never been let down by their additives. They don’t sponsor me, I just trust their products.
Thank you for taking the time to make this video! 12:27 - Where did the slight lip come from between the wood top and epoxy top? Did the epoxy shrink that much? Also, I see other methods that finish the top by using a buffing/polishing method. You didn't go that route. Was there any particular reason? It's hard to find a step by step video that includes the ENTIRE process. Thank you very much, again, for taking the time to film your method!!
Great questions! The slight lip was a combination of a couple things...the fact that casting epoxy does shrink a little as it cures and that we didn’t have the table perfectly leveled off before pouring. We weren’t concerned about this, because we knew we would have to plane both sides anyways after pouring. We had a choice to plane it a bit further and make the table another 1/8 inch thinner or leave it. Knowing we were going to finish with epoxy on top and the lip would be a non-factor...we left it. If we were going to use a buffed in oil product we would have planed it flush. We chose epoxy because of the durability and for the ability to use this table for other videos. For instance, we will be releasing a video in the near future about how to sand and polish an epoxy top to a matte finish...we will be using this table. I do like the look of oil rubbed finishes and they’re fun to do, so stay tuned for a future video on that. Thanks for watching!
@@northernridgedesigns Thank fro the quick reply and explanation!
What is the pot life on the resin you are using?
Great question…I used Stone Coat Countertop deep pour epoxy. It depends a bit on temperature of the room and epoxy, but I’d say you have about 4-6 hours in a liquid state. Thanks for watching.
@@northernridgedesigns Much thanks. So many people don't understand the differance between pot life and working life. I am thinking about changeing my resin system. I don't want to deal with exotherm issues with large amounts of resin. Your video on this table is great.
@@CarolynDePrima thank you!
Fantastic. My next project.
Awesome! Best of luck!
Excellent presentation, i’ll be looking for your next installment. Well done!
Thank you very much!
Nice work!
Thank you and thanks for watching!
It's better calling him Cousin Eddy rather than calling him Cousin It! Ha ha ha ha 😁 Like the video. Especially like the torching every 1/4". And I haven't ever heard of adding the tubing. Makes perfect sense.
Haha glad you enjoyed it and thanks for watching!
Fantastic video thanks 🤠
Thank you and thanks for watching!
how durable is the epoxy top coat? Do you need to have a finishing coat on top of the epoxy coat?
The epoxy top coat is the finished coat. I would say, when you use quality epoxy and do it correctly, it is as durable as poly…probably better. It will scratch…like most finishes, but for instance the kind I use you can set a pan of boiling water right on it once it’s fully cured. The good part is, it is very easy to sand and buff or recoat as the years go by if necessary. Thanks for watching!
@@northernridgedesigns thank you for your reply. I just built my live edge wood (first time) and I've used a lot of epoxy to get the same finish but I was nervous if it's safe to use right away, if there's a long curing time before it hardens or if I have to seal it with another product before use.
@@PaulNicolau what brand and kind of epoxy did you use?
@@northernridgedesigns clear casting resin Craft Smart. I assume it's not strong enough?
@@PaulNicolau did you use this on the entire project or just to fill voids?
What can you do when you get bubbles in your first coating ? After you torch and you still get bubbles , is it OK cause the other coats will cover or like I ask what can you do
Bubbles in the first coat is totally normal...that’s why you do the coats. Sand to pop the bubbles and reseal coat. I usually do 3 seal coats before my final flood coat. Each coat will hide the scratches and imperfections left in the epoxy by the sander.
Ok thanks I'll let you know how it turns
Really nice. Great job. I’m getting ready for my 1st table
Thanks for watching and good luck with your table!
Beautiful! How much do you guys think these sell for?
Thank you! It all sort of depends on what we end up attaching it to.
Are you supposed to seal the bottom of table or do something different to the bottom compared to top? Thanks, awesome table!
In my opinion and from my experience that was not necessary in this case because of the embedded tubing. Thanks for watching!
Wow brothers, you did a great job!
Looks Amazing!
Thank you and thanks for watching!
Quick question, can I use one brands table top epoxy to seal the live edges, and another brand to do my pour? Also, do I need to sand the live edges after sealing with the tabletop epoxy before the deep pour?
Great questions! As long as the seal coat epoxy is decent stuff I’d say you’re probably fine…I have used different brands like this myself. Yes, you need to sand the edges as well…this is how the next layer of epoxy mechanically bonds to the last. Thanks for watching and feel free to share a pic!
Absolutely gorgeous. I'll take 7
Where would you like them delivered?
@@northernridgedesigns you know the place
This is so nice. It was a very straightforward video to follow. Where do you get the router sledge from? I’m guessing you could make this?
I’m glad you found it helpful! I made that router sled from some left of mdf board and used a keep jig. Thanks for watching!
Sorry for your loss 🙏🏾
Cousin Eddie is still around…just a poor choice in wording…but thank you!
Is it safe to use epoxy in the basement? Curious if the furnace would/could ignite the fumes.
I mostly use Stone Coat Countertop epoxy and it has zero VOCs…so I use it indoors. Thanks for watching!
@@northernridgedesigns I'm using famowood epoxy. It says to use a torch to remove air bubbles. Does that mean it's safe to use in the basement with a furnace?
That is just amazing!! What a masterpiece!!
Thanks for watching!
Did you have to flip it over and seal the backside?
In my opinion and from my experience that was not necessary in this case because of the embedded tubing. Thanks for watching!
Nice work guys, looking forward to seeing more 👌
Thanks for watching!
What is the final matiere that you had added!
Is it the same epoxy used!
And continue its wonderful
Same epoxy for each step…thanks for watching!
Good vid and lovely table and good technique.so no polishing the epoxy just 3 coats of clear epoxy or 2 seal and a flood coat you wasn’t quite clear at the end .did you do another pour after or just that one coat of clear ? cheers mate that was an easy watch 👏
Glad you enjoyed it! I did three seal coats and one final flood coat. No polishing afterwards…I take some precautions to mitigate the dust bunnies. Thanks for watching!
@@northernridgedesigns
Yeah the dust is a thorn in my side . I cover my ones up with a home table dust cover , does the job
Thanks for replying
Take it easy 👍
Do you make the swirling with the stick right after the pour or wait a few hours so the epoxy is set a bit so that the swirling stays?
We were swirling right away to see what it would do. We kept swirling for about an hour into the process. The next time I do it I’ll just wait until quite a bit later to do it...like hours later. However, the swirls held up quite well to the long curing process.
@@northernridgedesigns Nice...thx for the quick response....i guess the result speaks for itself here....
Thank you!
What final top coat do you use as protection for scratch prevention ?
The final top coat is countertop epoxy. Not all epoxies are created equal and I usually use Stone Coat Countertop epoxy. It can be touched after about 24 hours and continues to cure towards its max strength at about a month. At that point it is quite scratch resistant, but yes it will scratch like most finishes will. Thanks for watching!
Hi sir.. Can i apply for final coating. The same resin i applied for river table
The epoxy used for the river is different from the final coat epoxy. The river epoxy is known as casting epoxy and is not as strong or durable as the top coat epoxy. I use Stone Coat Countertop epoxy.
Okay thanks for feedback sir
Great work! That’s so beautiful. ❤️
Thank you!