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Hello fellow woodworkers. Have made some 3mm wide x 2mm deep slots for coloured epoxy inlay.
Two slots cross at right angles, and I want to fill each slot with different coloured epoxy.
Can anyone please suggest the best way to temporarily fill one slot while pouring epoxy into the other?
Only solution that comes to mind is machining a strip of HDPE (or similar) to the same dimensions as the inlay slot. Any material used to construct moulds for epoxy casting should be OK. HDPE is probably the cheapest, easiest to machine, and readily accessible option - cheap cutting boards.
Install the HDPE strip/s, pour epoxy, let cure then pry out the strip to commence the other pour.
Is it possible to cut the second slot once the first one is poured and cured ?
Thanks Brad. With the design I have on a CNC table, and using circular discs as the workpiece, that would not be possible to do the first cuts, remove the workpiece and fill with epoxy, and then put it back on the table and cut the 2nd slots. I would not be able to align the disc to where it was originally.
Thanks Mobyturns, you fully understand the problem. I should have stated the problem a bit better, These intersecting slots are curved, like intersecting circles. Probably your suggestion of using epoxy moulding compound might be easier, providing it does not damage the slot surfaces and prevent the 2nd lot of epoxy from taking
If your using a CNC, then the suggestion of doing the inlay slots separately should be doable, set your home position and fix the piece to the bed of your CNC (with reference marks showing it's exact location) then create separate tool paths for each inlay slot.
Run your first tool path, then remove and fill with resin, once cured place the piece back on the bed of the CNC using the reference marks and from the home position run the second tool path, you can repeat this process until every slot within your design is filled with resin.
Would putty work, then clean up with a solvent after prying it out?