u/Girlsc0ut4life

I’m using epoxy to help fill void spaces in spalted maple table I’m making. One of the voids is a a wood knot that runs all the way through the 3” slab. The knot is close to 1” in diameter.

I’m using west system 205 fast hardener and a touch of black pigment. I’ve been experimenting on a scrap piece by drilling 3/4” hole and plugging with epoxy, but keep having the plug split. The split seems to run the entire depth of the plug.

Based on some research it seems like maybe I’m pouring too thick and need to do layered pours of 1/4-1/2” deep? I tried that on most recent test and still got a split. I only waited about 45 minutes before pouring second layer, so I’m thinking the epoxy wasn’t in gel phase yet.

I’m hoping for some guidance from this community, especially if someone has experience with west system 205 in particular. I’m worried if I get a split on my actual pour it will be extremely difficult to remove the epoxy from the knot, and the split will be highly visible. I’ll thinking another test, this time I’m thinking layering 1/2” deep with 3-4 hours curing between layers?

I’ve read online that letting the first layer fully cure (over night) will need to sand first layer before adding a second? Anyone tried layering after full cure without sanding? It will be hard to sand the layer inside the wood knot.

Thanks in advance, I’ve included some images to show the know I’m filling and my failed attempts.

I’m not new to woodworking but new to using epoxy and have some questions. I’m building a sofa table with a slab of spalted maple with a live edge. The slab has a knot that runs all the way through and crack on the edge. I want to use epoxy to fill the void spots of the slab. I’ve watched some tutorials and done some reading on this sub, but still had a few questions/some details I wanted to confirm.

1. I’ve seen Liquid Glass recommended as a good brand to use with wood. Do people have experience with Liquid Glass (positive or negative)? Any other brands I should consider instead?

2. I am going back-and-forth between clear or black. I think clear would look best but I’m worried about it having a haze or yellowing over time, even with proper application and care. I think black could look nice with the natural spalted maple, but don’t want the epoxy to draw excessive attention to the void spots. Any suggestions for clear vs color pigment to help the epoxy blend in without looking “bad”? Is pigmented easier to work with and get right for someone new to epoxy?

3. How thorough do I need to clean void spots before applying? I was planning to blow out any dust/dirt with air compressor, but is it necessary to chisel the inside of the crack and knot to make them smooth and prevent any small pieces from breaking off over time?

4. Any other general advice for buying, applying, or storing for someone new to epoxy? Any tutorial videos for using epoxy with wood that you’d recommend?

Thanks in advance.