gluing quartz crystals to wwod

[john darkstar]

hello all

I'm gong to rout out some ash wood and inset some quartz crystal discs about 7 mm deep surrounded by a 6 mm border of some black mineral chips, using clear epoxy surface resin but not covering the crystals, does anyone know if this will stick to the wood and stay stuck, any ideas welcome because if it doesn't work I would have wasted £120 of quartz crystal so kind of s... or bust I'm afraid

many thanks

 

[Racers]

Epoxy will stick to just about everything so you should be o/k, I use it with ground coffee to fill knots in oak.
Make sure the wood has been in the house or where ever its going to be for a couple of weeks to allow the moisture content to equalise, that way you shouldn't get any problems with it warping.

Pete

 

[lurker]

I agree with Pete.

I think the question you now need to answer is which epoxy. I guess you need a super clear one that will stay super clear.

I look forward to seeing recommendations because I could use some too

 

[rafezetter]

West systems. They do pretty much all types including "water clear" versions for embedding or coating highly figured woods for marine protection. Not the cheapest, but used worldwide by many industries.

 

[MARK.B.]

You may want to try adding a slight undercut (think thats the right term) as this can help keep the resin in place if there is slight movement in the wood.
Have used West system 2 part epoxy in the past with no problems.

 

[ED65]

does anyone know if this will stick to the wood and stay stuck

The wood surface will have just been cut so you won't have any problems with bond on that side, in case the bottom of the quartz discs is very smooth you might want to roughen them before glueing in place. It might not be important with what you're doing here but for the strongest bond epoxy needs something to grab onto to create a mechanical bond where it can't soak into the surface of the material, as it does with wood or paper.

Just in case you don't know you don't have to worry about clamping pressure with epoxy.

Another detail worth noting, unless you're finishing in epoxy it would be worthwhile giving the whole surface or just the area in the immediate vicinity a coat of your finish before you begin, so you can wipe off any accidents more easily. If the wood is left bare it can be impossible to remove completely and will leave a pale spot much like PVA squeeze-out near a joint.

HTH

 

[john darkstar]

thanks all arr yeah I was gonna use masking tape for any over spill as I was worried the finishing oil seeps in and ruins any bonding and yeah a slight undercut sounds good, also can you leave it to cure for a little while befor I plant the crystal discs ontop so they don't sink down ?

 

[Racers]

Yes depending on how long it takes to set, some go off very quickly and the time between runny to solid isn't long, you might be better setting them indivdualy and then topping up the cavity.

Do post some pictures when its done.

Pete

 

[john darkstar]

I got to do it in one hit really so as not to have anything show through as the quartz is quite clear and hexagonal in 3rows of 3, yeah ill post photo ...if successful other wise bin and sulk haha
cheers

 

[ED65]

also can you leave it to cure for a little while befor I plant the crystal discs ontop so they don't sink down ?

That's risky. I don't know if this is universal with all epoxies but IME once you get much past the initial liquid state bond strength falls way down.

If you need the disks not to move in their recesses I think shims or wedges to hold them steady may be your best bet.

 

[john darkstar]

ok I think I will attempt this week and let ya all know

thanks again

 

[john darkstar]

I used resin to attach 6mm thick quartz crystal with a tourmaline surround but the wood has cupped and cracked the crystals does anyone think its just the resin that caused this as the 2.5 inch solid ash is kiln dried wood is normally ok without the crystals ?

 

[Racers]

Did you leave the wood in the house to acclimatise before you glued them in? from the direction of the cupping it looks like it has shrunk.

Pete

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Shame. I wouldn't think it much to do with the resin, just wood moving. If you fix something rigid to something that moves something's got to give. Unfortunately just because something is kiln dried, it doesn't mean it's not going to move in the future. If you were to try again, maybe look to build up the 2.5" with a surface layer of ash and a core of ply or MDF? It would be much more stable. Nice idea, though.

 

[john darkstar]

well my wood is in the garage until i put the finishing oil on in the house when its complete, but with this it was in the house for a couple of days before i did the resin so i was surprised it shrank really, although it was on the table by a radiator so that might be how it dried out more perhaps, if i left it in the house for a week maybe that would do it ?

 

[Racers]

I leave it in the house for as long as possible, a couple of years in some cases! But a fortnight for inch thick stuff more for thicker stuff and bring it in from the garage after working on it.

Pete