This video documents the process of creating a large hollow form vase from a piece of heavily voided maple wood, combined with a significant volume of blue-tinted epoxy resin. The project utilizes 7.5 liters of Designer Epoxy Deep Casting resin to fill the voids, aiming for an "underwater cave" aesthetic with large transparent "sight glasses." A central challenge is managing the exothermic reaction of the massive, 10-inch deep resin pour to prevent thermal cracking. The creator employs an unconventional method of placing the entire casting into a refrigerator for several days to slow the cure and dissipate heat. This refrigeration technique, while successful in preventing cracks, results in an extended and incomplete initial cure. This leads to issues during the turning process, including soft spots in the epoxy, Punky wood that didn't get fully saturated, and a strange indentation caused by the steady rest wheels. The video details the shaping process on the lathe, the creator's design deliberations in real-time, and the extensive use of Starbond CA glue and Pro Series epoxy coats to stabilize the soft wood and fill imperfections. The final piece is a vase with a distinctive "bird's mouth" top edge, finished with Waterlox. The final vase weighs 3.6 lbs, reduced from an initial casting weight of 26.9 lbs, successfully realizing the intended artistic vision despite the technical hurdles.
Creating a Massive Epoxy and Maple Vase: A Deep Dive into Process and Problem-Solving
00:00:26 Preparing the Wood: A large piece of figured maple with numerous holes is selected for a hollow form vase, with the goal of creating large resin "sight glasses."
02:00 Tapered Casting Mold: The wood is trimmed on a bandsaw with a 3-degree tilted bed to match the taper of a 5-gallon bucket, a technique used to minimize wasted resin.
05:41 Rejecting a Spacer: The creator decides against using a spacer block to save resin, prioritizing complete design freedom for the final piece, which is expected to sell for a high price ($2,000-$4,000).
08:04 The Massive Pour: 7.5 liters of blue-tinted Designer Epoxy Deep Casting resin are poured into the mold, a significantly larger and deeper pour than the manufacturer recommends.
09:21 Preventing Thermal Cracking: To manage the extreme heat from the large pour and avoid cracking, the entire 26.9 lb (12.2 kg) casting is placed in a refrigerator for several days to slow the curing process.
12:11 Successful Casting: After several days in the fridge and pressure pot, the casting is removed from the mold. The refrigeration method successfully prevented any thermal cracking, though the epoxy remains slightly soft.
22:05 Shaping and Design Deliberation: The creator begins shaping the vase on the lathe, thinking out loud about the final form and dealing with challenges like Punky, rotten grain that was not fully saturated by the cold epoxy.
35:17 Stabilizing Punky Wood: Due to the soft, rotten areas, Starbond thin CA glue is used extensively to harden the wood and fill small voids before final shaping can continue.
45:10 Hollowing the Vase: A captive hollowing system (OneWay with a Hunter tool) is used to hollow out the inside. The process is slow and generates significant vibration due to the piece's depth.
55:15 Identifying a Flaw: A strange shadow line/indentation is discovered on the vase's exterior, likely caused by the steady rest wheels compressing the still-soft epoxy during the initial turning stages.
56:51 First Epoxy Seal Coat: To fill voids, harden the surface, and address the flaw, a coat of Pro Series epoxy is applied to both the inside and outside of the vase.
59:19 Repairing the Flaw: After the epoxy coat cures, the vase is re-turned to remove about 1/8th of an inch of material, successfully eliminating the indentation caused by the steady rest.
01:03:18 Final Finishing Coats: After a second epoxy seal coat and extensive sanding, two coats of Waterlox gloss finish are applied to achieve the final high-shine surface.
01:09:32 The Final Piece: The finished vase weighs 3.6 lbs (1.65 kg), measures 9.5" tall by 7.5" wide, and features the desired "sight glasses" and a unique "bird's mouth" top. The small bubbles in the resin are seen as a happy accident that fits the underwater theme.
01:10:01 For Sale: The creator announces the finished piece is for sale and provides contact information for pricing.