Building an Epoxy Resin Slab Table
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ABOUT THIS VIDEO
In this video we're building a live edge, epoxy, resin, slab coffee table. Our first plan was to make a large dining table using two slabs, but when trying to find a layout, we didn't like anything enough. to commit to it. So when we decided to pivot, we realized we could make two large coffee tables out of our material...and even have enough leftover for another project. We're really happy we decided to make this 11th hour change, because instead of ending up with 1 project we didn't really like...now we have two projects that we do really like!
#epoxyresin #LiveEdgeTable #woodworking
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▸ www.foureyesfurniture.com/for...
WOODWORKING PLANS / PROJECT COURSES
▸ www.foureyesfurniture.com/plans
REFERENCED VIDEOS
▸ Double Slab Dining Table - • I Guess We're Building...
▸ Circle Slab Coffee Table - • They Said This Wood Wa...
▸ Woodworking Tips Videos - • Tips & Tricks Every Wo...
TOOLS & MATERIALS
▸ Rockler Portable Drill Guide - bit.ly/Drill-Guide
▸ Rockler Project Mat (for keeping glue off your workbench) - bit.ly/iiii-ProjectMat
▸ Rockler Dust Right Quick Change Set - bit.ly/iiii-DustRight
▸ Kreg Adaptive Cutting System - bit.ly/FoureyesKPP
▸ The Epoxy We Used
Total Boat - www.totalboat.com/product/thi...
▸ All Those Cool Red Tools
Woodpeckers Tools - bit.ly/wpfoureyes
▸ Where We Got Our Slab
Street Tree Revival - www.streettreerevival.com/
SUPPORT THE SHOW
▸ Support on Patreon! - / chrissalomone
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0:00 Intro
0:33 Picking Slab Layout
2:17 Why Epoxy Tables Now?
3:22 How to NOT Waste Epoxy
4:54 Epoxy Pour 1 & Designing The Base
7:36 Epoxy Pour 2 & Over Engineering
9:27 Big Problem with the Form
10:55 A Big Last Minute Change
12:26 Handling Wood Movement
13:57 Order of Operations
15:41 How To Keep The Top Flat
16:53 Sanding and Finishing
17:40 Final Assembly & Beauty Shots
The author does like to kzhead.infoUgkxkNYRBJuiJ6EwD-tQSAlxg0eFKsnR2cgz from scratch, shaping and trimming wood from large blocks into fine finished products. As another reviewer mentioned, most projects require a lot of high-dollar equipment that most of us don’t have the room or budget for. But, knowing how to do these things, even if we won’t be able to practice the full stack project, is still great.
Brilliant design, well done. Not a huge epoxy fan, but I don’t feel it dominated this piece at all.
Exactly what we were going for! Thanks!
Some design and technical choices seem to be inspired from BlackTail studio?
Yeah man, those large epoxy sections totally make the tables for me. They are SO much more interesting than had they been smaller. I wish I could afford one of these fine pieces, they really suit my tastes.
Great build! I like the bases y’all made on each. I feel like it’s so easy to just buy something and attach it but the fact that you two still made custom bases that look great but don’t take away from the actual top is awesome.
Really appreciate that! We put a lot of thought and effort into both the top and the base for each piece, so that means a lot.
@@shaunb66 I've watched some epoxy tables at the moment and some creators use tape on the melamine to prevent sticking and use caulk in the places where there only is epoxy and seal the edges of the wood so epoxy doesn't run between the wood and the melamine...Edit they use TYVEK tape on the melamine to prevent sticking..kzhead.info/sun/hs2Md5yAe6afe4k/bejne.html
I like everything about this video. The editing, voiceover, animations, music selection, and pacing are top notch. I especially appreciate the lack of saw and router screaming noises. Great job on the coffee table too. That base is perfect. I’d gladly feature that piece in my home.
Really appreciate it! Thanks for watching!
I'd rather hear screaming routers than copyright free generic muzac, but that's just me, each to his own, lol.
@@andynicoll8566 I totally agree. Luckily, I feel like they’ve always used high quality music that seems to put me in a perfectly relaxed mood. Music selection is so subjective - your mileage may vary. 🎶💯
TIP - When creating the mold, first make the two sides (in a 90 degree), lay down the wooden piece up agains the corner of the mold, and THEN create the two other sides of the mold. You will get a perfect fit everytime.
That won’t work if you’re attaching the edges to the side of the form. Only to the face. Which they didn’t do. Also means you need access to the underneath of the form. Which won’t work for many unless you use pocket screws
@@jameslovick-earle3119 you dont even need to screw the sides. i make table like this all the time. all i use is silicon and a few brads
Diggin' the final "finished" look of this. Great job guys!
Thanks man! Appreciate it.
I have no idea about making furnitures nor did I know I was interested in watching how it is made. Somehow the video wherre you guys made the round coffee table was recommended to me and I watched it full and now this is the third video on this channel that I'm watching. I wouldn't have commented but I realised something when I was watching this video, I didn't want pause or skip any parts of any videos so far I've watched and I watched the whole videos in one sitting without any interruption. Didn't know I was this interested in watching two guys make things out of wooden slabs
I love how there's always something to be learned from these videos, wood related or not.
Im in loveee with the way the epoxy looks paired with the wood, its just gorgeous! Its creative and fresh, but still classy .. your expertise and passion makes it all come together!
Regarding removing the melamine: I would have either (1) used the CNC to do a facing pass to cut off all the melamine (assuming the CNC bed is large enough) or (2) set up one of those slab flattening router jigs to do the same thing. Great video!
Both good ideas! We definitely considered CNC, though our machine is a bit smaller than this table, unfortunately.
I 100% agree. Without a cnc the only viable options are a router sled or handheld power planer, which is what yall did. Btw i love both tables equally. When I come upto an issue like epoxy or not, I try to remember that "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" and therefore doing the absolute best job possible for the paying client. Even as a test piece, its still viable & profitable in what lessons you learn from it.
@@shaunb66 Build a router sled and use a large flat-bottom surfacing bit in your 2200 or even a 1400. Also, I wonder what would have happened if you flooded it with water (wet towels, maybe?) after taking off the laminate... would the particle board have just flaked off?
you could try some kind of wax (carnuba or beeswax for example) as a mold release next time, it works really well for wood/porous surfaces. just melt it down with a heatgun and brush it thoroughly over all the surfaces of your mold. great video as always btw, always a treat to watch you guys design and execute these projects
the base on this one is amazing! it adds so much movement to the piece and it makes the resin blend into the wood more.
I really like the base design. Don't get me wrong the top is gorgeous, but I love the illusion you get standing over the edge and it looks like one leg. It might behoove you guys to build a few small scale epoxy molds and test release products/strategies. The channels that do a lot of epoxy make it look easy, so I appreciate you guys learning for the rest of us.
That is definitely what I was going for with the base! Thanks for watching!
I've enjoyed so many videos from y'all, bought two plans, and it's improved my planning and design process so much. Planning to build the desquire once my work schedule allows. Thanks for making what you make, and helping everyone else along the way.
Really happy to hear that! Thanks the support!
Wow. This is great. The base is spot on and really makes the piece. I think your experience designing furniture really helped figure out a base that looks great and adds (but doesn’t overshadow) the top.
Really appreciate that!
The large table and the coffee tables are beautiful!! My husband would love the desk from that!
This is one of the best designs I've seen on youtube. Just something about this base makes it look right.
THAT INTRO WAS BRILLIANT
You guys are perfect, knowing your issues and resolving them are critical to woodworking. You both exceed with results that exceed expectations. Really enjoy your work.
Thank you!
What a gorgeous table! Really love the round one, too but this one really speaks to me. The legs, the base all together with the top is sublime.
Thanks Heather! Really appreciate it.
Looks great as usual! I like the Elm contrasted by the black "red" oak. The spacing detail between the lower panels sets it apart. Great work!
Really appreciate it! Thanks!
Oh yeah. That rectangular table base is AWESOME. I love that cool angular look. So sleek and modern. Well done!
Thanks for reading and sharing my comment in the video about using tyvek tape to keep the slab from sticking. You guys have great content, skills and style thank you for the vids!
We are definitely going to be trying a few different things on the next one. Thanks for your suggestion!
Does it have to tyvek tape. Will scotch tape work as well?
Great result with this one. Next time you do a form, don’t forget Mike Clifford’s caulk talk and use the fondant ball tool to clean up that excess silicon and cut down on the amount of excess in the corners.
It didn’t make the video, but we actually did do that. But because our main goal was to prevent leaks and no have a nice looking edge, we needed to keep the caulk pretty thick.
This is a great display of how the base of a table can dictate the character of the piece. Amazing work!
Making is an act of creation. There are endless paths to travel, but remember that what you think of as mistakes are actually learning experiences, and an idea in search of a need. All visual artists have less known works, along with their masterpieces. Be ready for your next project, but never reject the previous totally. I actually enjoyed this video, and, wait for it... love the rectangular table. The only problem is that it would have no place in our current setting. And, I would be willing to 'bet' that others may love it just as much.
Really appreciate the words of wisdom! I have learned the most through mistakes, and have no plans of stopping anytime soon.
@@shaunb66 Me, too!! 😊🤣👍
The table and the vedio turned out great! But it would be cool if you included even more shots of the finished product next time!
A truly beautiful piece of work. I absolutely loved the way it turned out. Well done !
And gradually, video by video you become my favoirite woodworking channel. You guys, it is your vision! Materials meet esthetics and you have a knack for quality for standing out. And somehow or other, you get the finesses of this better then all the others! Real wood/furniture whisperers. Just keep it up.
Really appreciate that! Thank you!
The piece looks great. it's good, to step away from an idea that doesn't work out and think new. i like how you prevented using to much epoxy. and your performance on preventing leaks.
Thank you! It is always tricky to change directions.
Both tables at the end look beautiful, love em.
I had the melamine issue on a coffee table (forgot the mold release) and used my old xcarve. I had to rotote at and do each end separate but it worked out well. After that I use the same method to flatten tables that aren't too wide to fit in the CNC.
People may hate epoxy but i think that it made the table look amazing, nice work!
I really like the contrast between the light sap wood and the black epoxy. When I first looked I thought you'd done some kind of white epoxy pour first.
I wince every time i see the Jordan 1's get creased. Union 1's in a shop setting is the boldest flex i think i've ever seen!
Hey Guys! Love your videos, great detail but fun and flowy at the same time. I know I would love to see a BTS vid on everything before the first cut. The sketch, modeling and problem solving. Keep up the good work!
Really appreciate it, thanks for watching!
Both tables are beautiful! I love epoxy tables. The round one is something I would put in my living room but both are gorgeous!
Though I was sad you couldn't make the dining table, it was a beautiful build in the end. I love the look and uniqueness.
Thank you, really appreciate it!
I like watching great woodwork being done in general as someone who uses epoxy in mechanics i admire wood epoxy
Absolutely beautiful. Not a woodworker but! fascinated by the process and how people's brains allow them to create such works of art
That is a great looking table. I wasn't sure about the dark dye in the resin but it grew on me by the time the video finished. And maybe you could have used the cnc and a wide bit to removed the melamine?
Beautiful table! I love the combination of epoxy and wood. The color choices of mica’s and dyes are almost unlimited. There’s also additives like diamond dust or color shifting mica’s, that I’ve never seen anyone use in furniture pieces. Different pouring techniques.. like dirty pours and marbling that haven’t been tried yet either. There’s quite a few design elements that I’d love to see tried. But, I understand too that slabs are expensive so, maybe try out something new on a cutting board first.
Thank you! We are always looking to try new things.
@@shaunb66 You’re welcome. If you’d like to experiment on say a river table. You could do a thin layer of black on the bottom and come in an inch on either end using thin plexiglass and silicone as a dam. That way if you’re not happy with the results you can just pour black over it.
you guys make things as easy as possible. very good, i liked this one
Already have dedicated epoxy table makers to follow. Really like the non-epoxy solutions and innovations. Would like to see more of that variety.
I love them. Great craftsmanship.
I think you guys have excellent artistic vision, and are very good at pairing it with technical skill.
Really appreciate it!
I love everything you guys do, even though I abhor mid-century modern furniture. I love how you approach woodworking, I've been a HUGE fan of both of your channels for years and I have learned a bunch about woodworking using templates, regardless of the style of furniture. I'm also a long-time listener of the podcast and a purchaser of F-clamps.
Really appreciate it! Thanks for the support!
"You can always make a pivot" I love this, great life advice. This table is gorgeous. I have failed to not be blown away by everything I have seen you guys build. Your craftsmanship is on a whole nother level. Your ideas are brilliant and you're execution with the end result in my opinion is flawless. Keep up the great work guys, and I'll keep smashing the like button. And throwing out compliments to you. 🫵🤘🤘
Great work from you guys as always. You are totally right to worry about that chamfer. They can be devastating especially if you've got a date coming up. Oh wait...i might be thinking of something else. Anyway, the tables looks beautiful. Thanks for posting.
Awesome film, love the story. The table is super gorgeous. Mahalo for sharing! : )
Thanks for watching!
Alright so, I do like epoxy tables, and slab tables, but the highlight for me in this design is that BASE!!!!! What a gorgeous design. I'm a sucker for art deco (and modern interpretations of traditional art deco) and I just love the angles in that. The slab top is a nice cherry on top for me, but really I think that design would be amazing in brass with marble, brass with wood, wood with marble... basically anything. It's great! Beautiful work :)
I slept on this video, so I suspect you won't see this comment, but I REALLY regret sleeping on this video for a few days. Gorgeous table! I need to find a friend who can afford it and then hang out in their living room a whole bunch!
I don't know how u come up with ur base but it always bring the beauty of the project more more beautiful ✨️ good work guys n keep it up watching all the way from #Ghana
Thank you!
Such a piece of art, amazing project
Thank you!
Love this, and love the recent builds. I know you both aren’t epoxy superfans, but when done with your level of design and craftsmanship (and without the sparkly glitter) it can work really well. I love seeing these slab builds, regardless of whether you use epoxy or not, you’ll be lead by the design and the wood - keep going!
Really appreciate it! Thanks Tom!
Beautiful design and build! It turned out amazing!!
Thanks! We are trying to get the hang of it!
Nice work guys. Beautiful work!
Thank you!
Amazing work guys! love your work
9:26 Nice touch with the ant sized inspector. Loved it. :)
I just love this big size tables - with or without epoxy! Wish I had the space for them....
Those tables are way more than just "pretty okay" or something. They are both FABULOUS.
I have been following you guys for a while now, and investing so much time watching your videos, I really wish that you could add at least a few more seconds showing the finished product
I like that even though you were worried about the reception it would get from your audience, you took the risk of creating and presenting it.
So modest to say these are “ok” pieces. These are not “ok” pieces. They’re beautiful works of art.
Myself, I think you came out better with the two instead of the one big one. Variety is the spice of life, as the old saying goes. I have two small almost matching cedar slabs suitable for end tables that the heart of the log rotted away leaving the skeleton spine so to speak. I plan on using epoxy in them. Awesome inspiration, thank you
Tyvek tape and past wax as a mold release. Worked like a charm for me
You guys make beautiful and creative pieces. At first I thought the epoxy looked terrible but I think the black base saved the table and ended up making the epoxy look pretty good. Personally, I'd like to see you find alternates to epoxy. Just keep doing what you like, worry about pleasing yourself and you will continue to make great furniture. No need to listen to all of us writing in.
Appreciate it! Thanks for watching.
Lovely pieces -- as always. No notes. As far as epoxy goes, I use the same method for epoxy that he uses over at Modustrial Maker for concrete -- wipe down the inside of the mould with furniture wax (I use J&J paste wax) and use a fondant tool to shape the caulk. Works really well here in Colorado where it's super dry.
We are definitely going to be trying some new techniques on the next one. Thanks for the suggestion!
That drift alone was worth a like. Great project!!
Haha, thank you!
That Base is really unique, Great Build.
You do beautiful work. I like both types of tables, the ones with a resin filling and the ones without. I would prefer the resin to be lighter. Maybe something that looked transparent like amber. That is just a personal preference.
Thanks!
i never got the hate for epoxy tables. i would not buy one myself, but i dont get why there is so much hate and drama over a new, creative way to make tables. Even more so if they still highlight and show of real wood. Love the look of this one. great job.
People love drama. Thanks for watching!
Loving the base design!
Really appreciate it!
I really never comment on videos but I couldn't stop saying how fucking beautiful these pieces came out ( out loud lol ) while watching these videos. Foureyes does it again. Cheers !!
I gotta say, I enjoy your vids and builds! You are some talented motherFers! Great eye for detail and design.
Thank you, really appreciate it!
An interesting material for furniture is microlam beams. One of my uncles made a dining room table by sawing a microlam beam into strips then gluing them side by side with the thin laminates vertical. The entire table, top and base is made like that. He did mention that splinters were a real pain to deal with. He had to repeatedly apply finish and sand until splinters quit popping up. With the epoxies available now, I bet that one thinned coat would hold everything so it could be sanded without splintering.
For one, this is a beautiful piece Two, I really want to see you guys make a tensegrity table
Both tables are great, i feel like there was more to overcome with this one and it turned out great with each design decision
Really appreciate it!
Would be nice to see a black and clear epoxy table where the two are left to swirl and mix together. I think the look would compliment the wood grain.
Very beautiful! I loved it!
Thanks!
This is gorgeous.I am usually a Walnut is best kind of guy, but these two Elm builds have me questioning that. Also, your design work always amazes me. You should put together a class teaching your design process and skills.
Thank you! We have been loving these elm slabs too!
I would make the same mistake with the mold release, because in my limited experience with casting epoxy on a much smaller scale with jewelry, the mold release I used went on very thin. I can't think of a better solution to removing the form than the power hand plane.
Yeah, we definitely relied on the mold release. Definitely won’t make that mistake again.
Thanks for being honest about your mistakes , this makes it so much easier on mere mortals such as myself to attempt to avoid making the same mistakes . I hope your customer was happy with the newtable !
Mistakes are how we learn! Thanks for watching.
Beautiful work!
Thank you!
Again another beautiful video and piece
You do know that wood dust is also a great mix to apoxy right? Just use the same saw dust as your board and it looks great, I used that method to fix slight cracks and edge chips in my desk tabletop
The dining table is a beautiful work! The epoxy complements the table, making a beautiful contrast to each slab. It is the right amount of epoxy - the wood stands out, the brighter wood stands out better, and the stand complements the table. Not the other way around. Great work 😀 As the removal of the melamine gös, a plainer is always best. If the slab is to wide, try to find a company that can help. If not - well, you guys did what you had to do 😩
I would say that both types of tables have there place and look great in their own right
Sorry for the double comment but just got to the end. Doing that oak base in black was a super nice touch. I love black bases but am so tired of simple metal black table legs. Having the base be black but having grain clearly visible is 🔥🔥🔥
Removing the melamine: First, the texture of the melamine is part of the problem. A light sanding with 300 grit will help prior to mold assembly. With the sides, lining with Tuck tape, or even simple packing tape, will fix them. When preparing the base with mold release, spray a coat, then wipe it in with a rag, then re-spray. With breaking it apart, you need to start the process without damaging the piece. If you set a thread insert through the base near a corner when constructing the mold, then Teflon tape a bolt into it, flush with the base surface so it won’t leak. After curing and removing the sides, screwing the bolt in will prise up the corner and break the adhesion. From there it’s easy.
They asked for advice after mold assembly. It’s easy to fix it with preparation, in hindsight, it’s harder to solve after the mistake has been made.
@@Loaderdani they actually admitted to the same problem two times out of two. Furthermore, it was already too late for the current project, ergo they had to be asking about future projects.
Great build - though I'm not an epoxy/slab fan, I do appreciate that you guys regularly stretch your skills, particularly in design. Best detail for me was the 1/8" (?) gap in all the base pieces. The dining table was amazing, so I guess I'd say I prefer my slab furniture sans-epoxy? The best thing about your content is that you always reference back to design, which I think is what you two's superpower is. That's what makes you so good at mid-century modern, and drives you into slabs, epoxy, and whatnot. Keep going. Since you asked: Chris, pick the "Felix" model of glasses.
Really appreciate the kind words. Thanks for watching!
Wow Great job buddy. For the mold release problems, my suggestion is to use canned spray paint that is readily available in the market. Actually, the paint will stick to epoxy and leave the mold or panel quickly. And to remove or clean the paint from epoxy should be less hard than the panel. Try this and tell me if you find it good. Your videos give me some sort of drive to make some woodworking for my home or factory.
Beautiful piece guys! Personally, I like a good slab and epoxy combo. As far as clearing up the melamine, I think the power plane is likely one of your best options, only other thing that comes to mind is a router sled. But after you factor in set up time and waste clearing, I'm not sure you'd save time or $.
Beautiful, excellent craftsmanship Men. Do you happen to have a video on how to install the Festool domino mechanical connectors that you used? I’ve been wanting to try to integrate the connectors into one of my projects. Thanks
We don’t have a specific video, though I have used them in some other videos prior to this. Unfortunately, I’ve never really gone in-depth about using them.
@@shaunb66 Cool Thanks Shaun.
I liked the round table from the last video, but I think I prefer this one. Another success
Thanks!
Damn fine job guys!!!! It looks great!
Thank you!
The smell of Rubio monocoat makes me love finishing
As far as finishes go, it certainly doesn’t smell too bad!
I did the same thing, not enough mold release and i used my slab flattening jig to rmv the melamine. instead of mold release now, I'm using a poly sheet cut smaller than the mold, then tyvek/packing tape to hold the poly down, and i zero issues taking the mold off. if also tape the sides of the mold, which has allows me to reuse the mold for very similar sized projects.
Good ideas! Thanks!
I saw an epoxy table that had bubbles inside and they under lit it and it looked amazing.