How to remove air bubbles from clear resin

[Salty]

Just as Midge says - outgassing and once you get more coats on with a sand in between and it will be great. I had exactly the same problem when coating a boat with West System (and other epoxies too).Looked like a non-skid hull! West reccommend that you coat as the temperature during the day starts to drop rather than rise to minimise the outgassing. I have also had an inapropriate outgassing after coating a deck with a decking oil no doubt for similar reasons and with a similar solution.
cheers
Salty

[Slavo]

I was doing some reading on applying epoxy for glassing boats. a few suggested to epoxy when the temperature is dropping. their reason was that as the timber heats up it releases air (as bubbles in epoxy), but when it cools it absorbs air (drawing the epoxy into the timbers cells. Don't know how true this is cause I havent tried it, anyone else heard of this?

[Slavo]

beat me to it Salty, must be that internet echo Al was talking about

[RufflyRustic]

Inlaws - hot air, huff and puff....... Yes, plenty of that coming

Hmm, the first batch of test epoxy I applied just after mid-afternoon - very few bubbles -this was on the back and underside of the bench, just over the splits, cracks, holes - end result very few bubbles. The next day I applied it to the top of the bench - in the middle of the day live and learn....
I'm hoping to get another coat on after 4:30 pm during the week as the weekend will be taken up with 2 bbqs, one being Midge's, so that should sort out the cooling temperature bit.

Yep, I'm gonna have to get a dust covering on it somehow, maybe do this in hwmbo's shed instead outdoors. I wonder if I can get away with it.....

Thanks
RR

[bitingmidge]

reason was that as the timber heats up it releases air (as bubbles in epoxy), but when it cools it absorbs air (drawing the epoxy into the timbers cells. Don't know how true this is cause I havent tried it, anyone else heard of this?

Very true.

No need to ask me how I know!!

cheers,

P

[soundman]

This stuff may be mentioned elsewhere but.
Temperature and humidity seriously effect how this stuff performs. The stuff I used had a recomended temp & hum window fro best results. Even the small amount I have done this was aparnt. one bloke I know who used to mount posters with this stuff regularly had a "climate controlled room" (aircon & a simering sauspan) .
It is also recomended by some to seal the surface so the air wont come out. With either "special sealer" or shelac.
cheers

[beau]

I have read with interest the use of a heat flame above the resin to remove bubbles apparently due to the formation of Co2.I use clear cast polyester resin, will the same technique work. I noticed most of the threads were about epoxy resin. Is there any safety issues using the system on polyester resin.