Cypress bar top needs finishing

[jteam]

Hi all, i was hoping someone may be able to help me with some advice. Am making a painted black mdf bar, cladded on the outside face with ironbark shiplap cladding finished with haymes uvex. I have two 50mm thick x 600 wide 2.8m long pieces of what the miller says was cypress pine to use as counter top and bar top, they have been sitting around for a while and seem adequately dry. Have started sanding them and am not convinced its cypress as its very pale and doesnt smell like it. I wanted to finish the tops with an epoxy to harden it up and give it a gloss finish but may need to stain it first as the tops could turn out too light. How hard is it to do the epoxy and achieve a quality finish, do i need special gear eg respirators/extractors, is epoxy the right way to go, what steps do i need to take? Will post photos tomorrow, any help will be greatly appreciated, thanks!

[jteam]

Trying to upload the photos, the owner wants the top to be a gloss finish dark enough to match the iron bark. the small piece sitting on top has to be mitred to hide the end of the slab. Any ideas to improve would be appreciated, was just going to dowel and glue the mitre maybe with a support on the inside? I would like to fill the hole with resin but have no idea how to. Any ideas for a splashback would also be appreciated maybe a piece of glass would look good? Please feel free to throw anything out there, cheers.

[DJ’s Timber]

Posting Pictures to Your Post - Woodwork Forums

[jteam]

thanks dj, im getting a message saying that a security token is missing any ideas?

[DJ’s Timber]

No idea on what you're talking about here, sounds like something that your computer or virus software is generating??

[RETIRED]

Try it now Jteam.

[jteam]

phew got there thanks , here it is.

[RETIRED]

The top is Cypress (macrocarpa) not Cypress pine.

It is a lot easier to put a finish on than Cypress pine.

[jteam]

How do i fill the hole with resin, apparently the epoxy isnt that tricky. What are the best brands to use? thanks

[Tung tied]

Hi Jteam,

Westsystem epoxy is a good one. It's best to build a dam around the hole with hot melt glue so you can over fill it. This compensates for shrinkage etc. Then sand away to your heart's content.

Carbatec in Springvale have it.

Marine Epoxy Resin | Products | Resins and hardeners - WEST SYSTEM by ATL Composites

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Bryan

[jteam]

Thanks Bryan, was pressed for time and had to grab norglass dont know how how good it is, will use the glue idea does it shrink alot? I had issues using a haymes walnut stain that was way too dark, got the bloke to put some magenta and white in it and will have to thin it down and hope. Im also using a gloss floor finish will this harden the top up sufficiently, fingers crossed. Going to start the tops on monday so will post some pics soon.

[Tung tied]

I've found it to shrink slightly less than wood filler. If there's any cracks that run outward from the hole when you fill it, the epoxy fill follow them. I've had to cover cracks with cling wrap and clamp a block over it to stop the epoxy oozing out the other side.