My color fill process with step-by-step instructions on the photos.

[Tj Brown]

Affix your pattern to the wood. This is a Celtic cross design from Sue Mey that I like.

Make your interior cuts. I use a air compressor to blow the dust out of the wood. Then I cover the face of the design with a double layer of packing tape to use as a backer for the resin.

I use common plumber's putty to build a (dam) around the design.

After trying many different brands. I found the Promise brand deep pour tabletop epoxy works best for me. I also use a digital scale to make sure that I get an exact 50/50 mix to the gram.

I use Alumilite dyes and powders.

It doesn't take much of either. 1 drop of the dye and just a little of the gold and green powders. The amount of powder shown here is about twice the amount needed.

 

When you are mixing. Mix the resin and colors slowly while scaping the sides and bottom of the container. Try to keep the air bubbles to a minimum.

Then slowly pour the mixture trying to fill all the holes evenly.

Once poured. I use a cheap hair dryer to heat the resin and get as many bubbles out as I can.

I let it sit for 24-36 hours to harden. I keep my shop around 70 degrees.

After the has hardened, I remove as much of the plumber's putty as I can and run it through my planer to level the back surface down to clean wood. I make very shallow passes. Maybe 1/32 at a time.

Now I drill a entry hole and make the exterior cuts.

I save the wood from the outside of the design and peel all the tape off.

I put the piece back into the wood that I cut it from and tape the back side to hold it. This is to protect the piece while running it back through the planer.

Then I lightly shave the front of the piece down until I get it down to clean wood.

Then remove the piece and sand. I start with 100, 220, 320, 400, 600 and finish with 800 and once done you can apply the finish of your choice. I use clear polyurethane. I hope you enjoyed reading about my process and I look forward to seeing the projects you make. The next photo is a different cross but shows what it looks like when finished.

This is just the latest process that I'm using. It's constantly evolving and I'm looking forward to seeing any ideas from other scrollers that might improve on it. Getting new ideas and learning new tricks is something that I have always enjoyed about meeting other woodworkers and seeing their work.

 

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by Tj Brown
Extra photo added at end that I wanted to remove

[OCtoolguy]

Thanks for this very detailed step-by-step process. It'll give all of us a leg-up to get started on our projects. Unfortunately, what I had in mind won't be "planeable" so I'll have to go rogue when I finally try it. Maybe the next box I make I'll do the resin'ing prior to assembly. Thanks again and I'm glad you got it all worked out here on the Village. Welcome and please, post more of your stuff.

 

[Tj Brown]

Glad you enjoyed it.

[Travis]

Thanks for this amazing tutorial!  It was fun to see the process.

@Tj BrownWas gracious enough to let me put his tutorial in the Articles section.  You can find his article here:

 

[Tj Brown]

Thanks Travis! I hope it helps others to avoid the expense of a lot of trial and error that I went through over several years. I hate to think of how much hardwood, resin, time and money I wasted over years trying to figure it out.

Edited March 31, 2023 by Tj Brown

[Hawk]

Excellent post, very informative. I've done a few epoxy fill projects but your process is by far better than what I've been doing. Thanks for sharing!

Chris 

[Robert R]

On 3/22/2023 at 4:17 PM, Tj Brown said:

Affix your pattern to the wood. This is a Celtic cross design from Sue Mey that I like.

 

 

Beautiful project!  May I ask what you use to affix your pattern to the wood.

[Tj Brown]

Rubber cement or any spray adhesive 

[Tj Brown]

On 7/1/2023 at 9:42 PM, Dak0ta52 said:

Great job, TJ.

Thanks!

[JimMarco]

I'm working on a cross that I have been wanting to fill with resin..... I now have a clue. Thanks for sharing!