POUR ON TABLE TOP AND BAR TOP CLEAR EPOXY

PROGRESSIVE EPOXY POLYMERS, INC.

Pittsfield NH 03263

NO SALES TAX - You are shopping in TAX FREE New Hampshire

MEMBER:  Internet Epoxy Confederation (IEC - CLICK HERE TO VISIT) -- "Where Professionalism Still Matters"

Notes/feedback:

1) have had no reports of problems covering new photographs, but customer coating an old photo reported it turned red/orange when contacted with the epoxy. No reports of printed materials having problems with the inks running due to the epoxy except for some very cheap crape paper type party decorations.

2) Customer glued down coins with a drop of hot glue. The space around the drop of hot glue on the bottom of the coin is filled with air and when the epoxy was poured a ring of bubbles appeared around the edge of the coin.

3) After 20 or 30 minutes past the time you pour do not attempt to pop bubbles with a torch or do other things. The epoxy is well on its way to setting up and disturbing it can results in 'ridges', ripples, etc.

BIO CLEAR 810 POUR ON TABLE TOP BAR TOP EPOXY USER REVIEWS COMMENTS

As a professional woodworker, I was recently contracted to make a 14 foot curling table for a customer. After doing some research, I came across your Bio-Clear 810 epoxy product and chose it for the price and the eccentric web site. I figured that such a "different" web site MUST be offset by a truly quality product.

I was right!

This was the first time I had ever attempted an epoxy pour, so after some practice and reading the provided literature, I figured out the technique for pouring a 14 foot x 22" top.

My customer was delighted with the product and I hope to sell many more of these curling tables in the United States.

Thanks guys !


John P Rose (10/06)
330-416-8207
http://customfurniturecreations.com

Bio Clear 810 resin (part A) is quick to crystallize and turn milky (sometimes within a month of manufacture). Warming the resin at about 100 degrees overnight (or in a microwave for about 15 minutes) will fix it and make it clear again. See our page on crystallization of epoxies. www.epoxyproducts.com/crystal.html

Call 603-435-7199 for instant help and skip the Search Engine Run-Around - no two bar tops are the same. A mistake could cost you hundreds of dollars. Talk to the experts first!

You're talking with:  Paul Oman, MS, MBA -- Member since 1994: NACE (National Assoc. of Corrosion Engineers), SSPC (Soc. of Protective Coatings)  --  Technical Help - not sales talk!

"If you have knowledge, let others light their candles in it." -- Margaret Fuller, Journalist

BIO CLEAR 810 POUR ON TABLE TOP BAR TOP EPOXY USER COMMENTS AND REVIEWS

SANDING THE BIO CLEAR 810 AND MAKING A 'PERFECT SURFACE'

I used a palm sander with 60 grit initially and worked my way up to 400. I then used an electric buffer with plastic polish, they sell it in fine medium and coarse and you work your way up like sandpaper. I finished off with Meguiars plasticX.

As for the polyurethane it was Minwax brand and high gloss. I applied it with a foam roller initially and smoothed out the bubbles with a wide brush. I used the roller to put the polyurethane down in a hurry so it would be wet still and level out smoother. I was told after the second coat to use a lambs wool pad like they use for hard wood floors and I did with pretty good results. The only way it would have looked better was if it was done in a completely dust free environment. The finish is quite clear and any scratches that occur now I just use the PlasticX with the buffer.

The wood blocks were pine I assume and they bubbled like crazy. Tiny bubbles and hundreds of them. Polyurethane any wood beforehand and be safe. (see picture at www.epoxyproducts.com/bartop.html)

Thanks again

James

Table top:

Hi Paul,

To start we glued black formica to the counter top 3/4" plywood base and built a 5/16" plywood strip dam around it. The release agent was waxed paper and was placed between the dam and the plywood countertop base then run up and over the dam. Everything was taped in place to include the bottom seam between the dam and the base. The dam was attached with screws and was pretty tight. This was done on a boat so we had to level the whole thing. We placed glass flat stones, which were a uniform 3/8" in height, all over the formica and poured the Bio Clear to the top of the dam. My wife wanted a little relief with the top of the stones showing so we poured until we got the effect she wanted. We found we needed an aluminum yard stick to spread the resin over the top of the rocks because the resin tended to flow up the rocks but not all of the way over them. The Bio Clear flowed out nicely with no trapped bubbles or any other problems. The few bubbles we had were very small and worked their own way out. I think a nice steady slow pour was also one of the reasons we didn't get many bubbles. The room temperature was a consistent 72 degrees. We ended up using less than the gallon of Bio Clear - probably about three quarts. The counter top is 8' by 22". Frankly we were amazed and surprised that the project turned out so well. I think the key to our success was following the very complete instructions and tips on your website and taking our time to make sure everything was set up correctly.

As I remember you already do this but put a lot of emphasis on following the instructions exactly, reading all of the information on your website and to taking the time to preparing everything very carefully.

When the bathroom is finished I'll send you some photos.

Thanks again and best regards,

Notes from Progressive Epoxy Polymers (the sellers)

just a few additional (or repeat) comments.

1) mix well but don't try to get every last drop of the mix product. What collects in the bottom of the mix pail after sitting empty for several minutes is epoxy from the sides, bottom and bottom/side edge. This is not well mixed and don't use it.

2) if the part A is cloudy or milky it has crystallized a bit. Heat to about 100 or 110 degrees overnight, (say in a box or cabinet with a light bulb) or in a microwave (for about 15 minutes). It will turn clear again and is ready for use. Crystallization is common in clear epoxy resins.

3) Nearly all of our customers are first time users and, excluding a drip or two, a few bubbles, etc. the epoxy pours pretty much go well for everyone. When folks have problems, those problems come back to us so products that have a lot of issues are just too much of a headache for us to sell. While we sell a lot of the Bio Clear 810, it is not a 'problem product'. The point I am trying to make is that people usually get the results they want or expect (or can live with!).

4) Keep some unmixed epoxy aside to repair/fix anything that goes wrong. For example you might drill out an air bubble and then fill the hole with more 810.

5) some folks 'test' their surfaces for leaks and level-ness with water before using the 810. Then drain water and let dry before using the 810. Better to find the leaks etc. with 'cheap' water first!

6) the end result is sort of a clear medium hard plastic. It can be sanded and drilled and shaped. Then polished back to smooth (maybe clear) with fine sandpaper/grit (sorry I don't know if we are talking 1000 grit stuff etc. - haven't done it but others have). You can also remove 'cloudy sanding scratches' with a thin clear coat of any kind of clear coating (I have people 'test' this with clear nail polish' over a cloudy scratched surface).

7) one of our semi pro customers likes to do a final thin topcoat instead of the entire thickness in one pour. He says it gives a smoother surface. We assume to at that point bubbles and other issues are 'fixed' in the previous pours. That said, I think most folks just do a single pour.

8) you can pour the next layer as soon as the first layer is semi-sold and the temperature of the first pour is back to room temperature. This is probably just a few hours later.

BIO CLEAR 810 POUR ON TABLE TOP BAR TOP EPOXY USER REVIEWS COMMENTS

Victoria  (3/2019) wrote:

Paul: Just sent some pics. I sealed the tile and grout with a satin polyurethane. I filled the bottle caps with clay and used a hot glue gun with clear glue. Had to look for it. I tried a couple of others including superglue type stuff and the glue gun worked best. I did a water test to find leaks (found one) and to measure how much I needed. I did make sure to do experimental pours. I also found some tins for candle covers that I put caps into and used for my experimental pour. Now I have coasters to match my bar top. I’ll send pics of a couple of those too. Oh one last tip. If you get the flame too close while warming the air above the epoxy gets to hot and catches fire. That was fun! Glad it was in my trial. I found 4-5 inches away was perfect for my needs.


3 of my coasters (I did 6) and my testers in cake pans . Found the cake pans at Walmart for $0.98 each!

I usually don't advise using a hot glue gun. I had a professional 810 epoxy pour guy hot glue down 3000 pennies on a table top. The hot glue raised the pennies up a little bit and did not extend to the edge of the pennies. When the epoxy was poured over the pennies a ring of bubbles come out from around every penny. Not good!

BIO CLEAR 810 POUR ON TABLE TOP BAR TOP EPOXY USER REVIEWS COMMENTS

Paul (10/07) wrote:

For those of you who didn't know, a major project of mine, with a lot of help from my friends, this summer has been to build a coffee table from scratch with the table top being old cigar box tops. Most of these tops came from cigar boxes I had saved from way back when, when I was smoking cigars. The idea was to build a table, lay out the box tops and then put a top over it of epoxy. I'm quite certain I made every possible mistake, but it was all in practice runs. This is the table finished and in my living room. It looks fantastic.

Regarding advise for others who are interested in doing a project like this

1. Read all instructions.

2. Re-read all instructions.

3. Follow all instructions.

4. Be absolutely certain you use parts A and B in the correct amounts.

5. The mix is critical. Do everything you can to mix thoroughly, but do not mix too fast. These bubbles are hard to heat out after the pour.

6. The set time is for real. Don t dawdle.

A recent customer pointed out that when coating over newspaper text in a bar that the epoxy (as would any similar coat coating) turned the paper 'clear' and the printing on the back of the page clearly showed thru on-top/overlaying the text on the front of the page. Result - a non readable garble of 'ink'.

BIO CLEAR 810 POUR ON TABLE TOP BAR TOP EPOXY REVIEW / COMMENTS

10/12/2011

Made the time to finish the bar top. Used Bio Clear 810 and as far as we're concerned, it came out great. I did read the instructions and what to watch for.

As you can see from the pics, there is wood trim all around. It was secured with fasteners and an adhesive epoxy. I then put tape around the bottom seam just in case. What I should have done was put water on the table to check for leaks (like the instructions say). Oh Well. I was able to keep up with the drips right through the painters tape for the few areas that leaked. Enough was wasted causing me to have to buy another kit, but the final product is just what we were looking for. A friend of ours makes glass stuff and she gave us boxes of scraps. The arrangements are less than random, but varied enough to find numerous patterns. I used a hair dryer to get rid of some stubborn bubbles. There you have it.

Thanks and please enjoy the pics. Best Regards,

RETURN TO THE BIO CLEAR 810 / BAR TOP PRIMARY PAGE CLICK .

Bio Clear 810 and Acrylic Poly UV Plus


Josie Lewis (5/2010) wrote:
Hello: I've read your site with interest. I am an artist using a 2 part clear coat resin, marketed as a tabletop resin. Currently I use EX-74 from Envirotex which claims to have a UV blocker, but in a recent UV test did not perform any better than the cheaper stuff. I make wall pieces that have several layers of resin and average about an inch thick. My work is designed for indoor display and I tell my buyers to keep the pieces out of direct sunlight (which is always desirable for artwork).

I am becoming deeply concerned about the yellowing potential, as you can imagine. It seems from your website you indicate that some kind of a protective topcoat can be helpful (the Acrylic Poly UV plus?). What would you recommend to have most UV resistance possible for my particular application?

Josie Lewis (6/2010) wrote:
Hi Paul: I recently purchased BioClear and Acrylic Poly UV Plus from your company. I have access to a UV chamber which simulates high altitude direct UV exposure. I thought you might be interested in my findings. I used a Masonite panel painted white and then coated with BioClear. On half of the BioClear coated panel, I brushed on one coat of UV Poly and put it in the chamber for 644 hours at 50 C (the heat accelerates the exposure). Attached is a picture of the results. The masonite cracked a bit and separated due to a bit of wetness in the wood (unrelated to the resin). The BioClear ambered dramatically within about 50 hours. After 644 hours, the UV Poly showed a slight bit of ambering from the original control but it is marginal at worst. The technician who ran the test said if it isn't yellow at 644 hours it is basically indestructible. I also tested several other 2-part resin products with the UV Poly and had the same result. You have a great product. I now feel secure knowing that my resin art, protected with the Poly UV Plus, will be archival and protected for long years. I will be ordering more soon!
Best, Josie (6/2010)

VENDOR COMMENTS:

The original 2 part poly clear we sold was like everyone else's - essentially no UV protection. I got the factory to reformulate using max UV blockers and UV absorbers (there is a difference). Raw material costs went up almost $10 a gallon (guess that is why other folks don't add them). You cannot put UV blockers into epoxy resin systems - it is a chemistry thing.

My sun exposure tests are just trays in the parking lot. I seem to have similar results. I have found for the UV poly (and with other coatings for sealing and waterproofing) two coats, not one, make a huge difference. Suspect you would be even more impressed with 2 coats of the UV poly.

As far as the epoxy goes, the 810 yellows less (or at least much slower) than most or all of the other epoxies. Also, all epoxies take 5-10 days for full cure. Suspect you would find different amounts of yellowing if you had begun your testing with 2 day old 810 epoxy and 2 week old 810 epoxy.

Josie Lewis (6/2010) wrote:

Paul: I'm totally fine with you using my comments! I hope it helps someone. As to your questions about final surface, I definitely have problems with that. Below is my routine for getting a really nice surface (it ain't easy). I have a spray booth, but I have problems getting little flecks of stuff in the resin/poly no matter what precautions I take. (VENDOR COMMENTS: HAVE HAD REPORTS OF THAT HAPPENING MINUTES AFTER ROLLING OR BRUSHING - SUSPECT DUST IN THE AIR) The resin is easier than the poly, which you are right in saying is super tricky. Because I am very concerned about yellowing, I've figured out a way to make the poly work...

Multiple coats of two part resin (eventually 1-4 inches thick) (this is The Art) (see www.josielewis.com)

After final coat of resin, I allow the resin to cure for a couple of weeks

I rough up the surface with 100 grit paper

I brush on two thick coats of Poly UV (thin, multiple coats were cracking. You mentioned earlier you thought thin coats would be harder. I haven't noticed any differencE)

I let that rest for a week or so

I sand down the Poly UV with 1000 grit paper (or slightly rougher if there's dirt/hair, etc)

Then I spray it with a auto clear coat (from a can, I don't have professional spray equipment)

THEN, I sand it progressively with 600-1000 grit, then buff it with a professional random orbital buffer with a cutting compound and then a polishing compound. I basically do the same thing that they will do with a car to get it nice and shiny. (BTW I use a spray booth for the wet work, and my garage for the sanding, and I wear a OSHA ventilation mask for everything--got to be careful with this stuff.

VENDOR COMMENTS:

The Acrylic Poly UV Plus is very high solvent, (like auto clear coat). It works best with multi thin coats. Thick applications will result in solvent trapping below the surface - keeping it

soft'. That said, it is a soft coating. It likes to go over non-porous surfaces, typically a new/fresh epoxy base coat.

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