Top Filling Continues

Three days in, and the major void filling on the top is about complete. The ($150+ per gallon) West Systems epoxy I'm using serves several functions. It solidifies any areas that are loose, or inclined to become loose. It makes the rough edges of these voids smooth and flush with the surrounding surface. It will prevent spilled liquids from becoming trapped in or running through the table. It will serve as a grain filler, making for a flatter finish. And, it looks cool having the voids be filled with a transparent material you can see down into.

This is the underside. You can see my packing tape dams held pretty well, although plenty still ended up on the cart and floor. Here's a detail of a fully filled void, showing how you can see down into it.

One pass through the widebelt sander, and all the extra cured epoxy is gone! This stuff is as hard as glass when it is dry.

Here's a shot of the live edge after the bark has been removed. I'm starting to clean it up using a combination of an awl, chisel, and a small wire wheel in a drill. My goal is to preserve its character, while creating a surface that is friendly to touch.

This area is real interesting, although a little problematic. The edge tapers out very thin here, and there's a bark inclusion and a hole. I want to save as much natural shape as I can, but i also don't want this area to be too delicate that it might break. It is directly adjacent to an existing straight cut, so I could take it back a bit to make it thicker and stronger.

Tomorrow, sanding of the epoxy on the top side, and likely application of more.