Weekly Discussion Topic - Week 5 - Hybrid (wood /resin etc)

SVB · 17 Dec 2018

So, week 5 takes another topic from the hat - Hybrid turning with wood and resin.

Who’s had a go?
Best suppliers of resin?
Is there an easy / cheap way into go give it a go without pressure (vacuum?) kit?
Turning - regular gouges or just scrapers?
How fine to sand down to results in the glassy polish one sees in pictures on-line?

I have really no personal experience / knowledge in this area so really looking forward to the collective wisdom we can bring in this thread.

BRgds

Simon

gog64 · 17 Dec 2018

I’ve done a few tables, but no expert by any means. Epoxy I’ve bought from a company called easy composites. Expensive, but I’m pleased with the results.

I haven’t used a vacuum, just a blowtorch to get rid of bubbles and that’s worked surprisingly well. I suspect that the type of epoxy resin used will make a big difference on the techniques necessary.

I’ve sanded down to 320 for a satin Matt type finish. You won’t get a gloss without polish I wouldn’t have thought. Of course I mean polish, not wax and probably a DAS unless you have the patience of Job!

The biggest “learning curve” (I think that’s what we call multiple cock ups these days?) for me was figuring out how to seal everything up properly before pouring. Small patches are easy enough, but filling large voids needs careful planning or you can end up with a big mess. As I found out.

No experience of turning epoxy, but it planes and routs nicely.

It takes days to set fully and (in my experience) a day or so between pours if doing deep fills.

That’s all I’ve got, give it a go!

Paul Hannaby · 17 Dec 2018

Personally I dislike turning most plastics - wood is just so much nicer to work with!

Having said that, I have a bag of assorted pigments and resin to do some multicoloured things but haven't found time to experiment with it yet...

Honest John · 19 Dec 2018

Well this ones going well !
A few years ago I watch a demo at our turning club of a resin filled decorated rim on a platter and was impressed with the outcome. I went to Warrington Axminster a few days later and spent about £40 on West Systems resin and the slower hardener. It’s sat in the drawer since then :roll: this thread might just awaken my interest again to have a go. I was fancying some salmon flies set into a bowl or platter rim, seeing as how I can’t get to use them now for their original purpose.

Dalboy · 20 Dec 2018

Not something I have had to do but HERE is a video of a well known turner of hybrid blanks George Watkins of From the Tree.
I have turned and finished acrylics and other man made blanks and I finish these using micromesh and water followed by a burnishing cream but not sure about cross contamination

Lazurus · 22 Dec 2018

I do a lot of resin and burrs again I was purchasing from easy composites, using their polyester resin but they have now stopped selling this. There are many other supplier all similar prices, I usually buy 25kg at a time. Easy to use, I have both vacuum and pressure chambers - my inspiration was Heath KNUCKLES - yes his real name, have a look at his work on You TUBE.
https://arbtalk.co.uk/forums/topic/8636 ... nt-1646552
Some examples of my stuff in the above link.

Its a great medium to play around with and the pressure and vacuum are not required for small pours and inlays. Easy to work and colour, I use normal turning tools and finish off with a run through the abrasives then Yourkshire grit and a trip to the buffer.