I have made smaller casting dies for about $75,000. Those with phuds rarely trumpet their phud unless it is in some lame category with little academic merit such as education, journalism or some sort of fake studies field. A better path would likely be to use fibreglass lay-up techniques in simple tools and machining those after proper cure to achieve the ultimate shapes required. If I said something that indicated ignorance or misunderstanding, you should be specific, rather than just going to I know this stuff better than you do. But whatever. Color can be added with a resin dye. The buckling issue is resolved by making certain that the adhesion of the composite to the steel is as near perfect as possible. These materials have properties that may be desirable for attempting to cast into machine bases. This article has explored some of the top epoxies available, offered some useful tips on their use, and suggested several of the best epoxy products for countertops to buy. It does not have the bulk properties or thermal stability necessary for machine bases. Appearance is everything in Kickstarters. You assume that I have some particular interest in machine bases because I posted a reply with some suggestions. Because Corian is a composite based on acrylic polymer, you can probably cut it and weld pieces together with acetone, but youre not going to get the kind of stiffness needed for any kind of machine tool. I however have. You seemingly failed at this part, and naturally received similarly arrogant replies. Did you even watch the video in which he clearly stated all of this? interfaces of the different density materials of this composite impede the propagation of the ringing vibrations since each material has a different resonant frequency. Get a clue this is the Internet, and nobody cares what you claim to be. The Pro Marine Clear Table Top Epoxy Resin can be applied to virtually any surface, including laminates, solid wood, stone, and metal. Theyre much easier for DIY use, especially when trying epoxy for the first time. Once assembled the structure is put into a simple oven that can be made easily. They build bells out of metal, so that might not be the best if you want something that doesnt shake. I guess I will have to re-educate myself on the topic. The resin is allowed to cure until it can be handled. Try not to comment about posts by others if you are largely ignorant about the issues. As to fibre reinforced composites it is clear to me that you have nothing more than passing knowledge about them and how they work. These materials are for the most part easy to obtain and are well proven to provide great results. You put it far better than I have. It is recommended to first mix the sand + epoxy part A and dye and only then add epoxy part B and again mix everything together. The comment of the R&D guy was priceless; he kept saying over and over again, I am seeing it, but I dont believe it. http://donkey32.proboards.com/board/17/geopolymers. Even if I ignore your long list of experiences above (so without the credibility), just the mention of those technical terms helps to learn. It is as strong as it is every going to get. You might consider taking the word bright out of your small name because it is clear to me at least that it does not apply. But to assume that what I am telling you is based on easy work is absurd on your part. Instant Install 29~20 oz. Also, the aluminum frame contributes to tensile strength. The reason why Carbon Fibre is strong is because the carbon connects internally to itself via fibres, is then encased in epoxy. Basically this is a statement saying what I should do as an alternative and further that because someone words hard that they have instant merit for what they have done. Then one make a vacuum bag around the structure and infuses the right resin materials into the structure. Adhesives can be brittle and glassy or flexible or rubbery.. To be clear about this: I am not wrong BECAUSE you have more experience. So why did he not just make a 100% epoxy block for testing, perhaps with a small amount of dye, then carry out proper testing on the rigidity across all prototypes and compare? However, while its not difficult, whether you decide to refinish existing countertops in place or make a whole new one makes a difference. https://www.kaneka.com/kaneka-americas/products/kaneace, Functional additives can be found at this site. Epoxy resins always come in a two-part kit: a resin and a hardener (also called a curing agent). So thanks for sending me down that rabbit hole! My error was to respond to those claims. Refinished laminate countertops may need attention after around 5 years. As an aside, I think that if one were to actually make such a machine base, I would make it hollow and fill it with a non-newtonian fluid to further dampen vibration. Have a nice life. I work in the field of composite materials using both thermoset systems and thermoplastic systems. Id love to see a full write up with some pictures and maybe even video. WHAT should the author of the video have done to improve the stiffness of his machine? And dont forget epoxys most useful feature: it sticks to things VERY WELL. Unmixed, they can be stored for a year or more without degrading. Numerous ways exist to update the countertops in your home, but epoxy resin offers perhaps the best combination of versatility and durability. It is always open season on those, facing such criticism can only make me see the errors in my thinking and to improve upon it. Awesome. This isnt a Kickstarter, the hell. Spherical powders are commonly added to epoxies to increase strength and change other properties. What on Earth are you taking about? If the mold could be filled inside a chamber with reduced pressure, pouring the resin and filler mix in a narrow stream to let air gas out, that would help reduce trapped air bubbles. By using our website and services, you expressly agree to the placement of our performance, functionality and advertising cookies. In this article, learn about the best epoxy for the countertops in your home, including the technical and practical applications of this durable material. NOBODY said you were wrong about any of the claims you made. And yet people make things out of concrete. What sport! In a huge number of shear, peel, and other variants of ASTME tests, the adhesive almost never disbonds from the plastic. As time passes, the epoxy becomes thicker and more difficult to spread. In fact I know rather a lot about them. Its self-leveling, UV stabilized, and wont yellow. The probability of this working is higher than the probability of achieving similar results by casting thermoset resins in large masses. natan.tourne liked How to become a PCB designer. Do you want to claim that details about how I came to conclude these things is evil, because I have used actual science to inform my conclusions? Epoxy resins are nontoxic when curedtheyre technically an inert plasticbut not necessarily FDA approved as food safe. They have the advantage of being able to chemically crosslink into the epoxy itself, they become a monolith with the epoxy. The manufacturer offers a wide range of compatible dyes and powders to customize the effect. I did not go into great detail on the flaws of the experiment other than to say that I had low regard for them. Also good stuff if you want to put together a DIY optical bench. If you had read beyond the title, you would have discovered that the subject of the article was interested in increasing STIFFNESS while maintaining a high LOSS factor. While it does offer UV resistance, its not designed for direct sunlight or outdoor use. Most applications require two coats, which makes curing time another important consideration. You can, and its a popular solution for revitalizing tired or worn countertops. You have chosen to stay ignorant about thermoset resin systems and the issues their use entails. An eco-friendly, zero-VOC product with low odor, it can be applied to laminated, wood, and concrete, though not over oil-based paint or stains. Jonas liked Anatomy of a Philips VideoWRITER. As I said, this past year I worked on a weird project that required a serious epoxy system. Must be planning on a Kickstarter campaign. In its unmixed state, epoxy has a shelf life of around 2 to 3 years, but check the manufacturers information for specifics. Again, agreed, you cant prove them, and I cant disprove them. The resin thoroughly impregnates both the fibres and the core. I commented on this because it appeared in my news feed. Many experts recommend running a heat gun or small butane torch over the surface of the countertop to release air bubbles from the epoxy. Until then, dont rag on others hard work when you have nothing but a paragraph of empty words to show us. Always use a white cloth so the fabric color wont transfer to the surface. On those fronts I am at your service. Use high aspect ratio minerals like bentonite and wolastinite. The former is straightforward, and most kits are designed for the job. Resistance to the ultraviolet (UV) rays in sunlight varies, but depending on location, that may not be a factor. When gathering our list of recommendations, we made sure to look at odor and VOC content to avoid highly toxic brands that leave behind odors for long periods of time. First I keep my personal educational background private. Marble Repair Kit & Granite Repair Kit(Color Match), Granite Epoxy for Marble Granite Porcelain Quartz Corian Tiles and Stones, Restore Countertops with color Brown Gray White Beige Black Cream Yellow, LamLock RocketGel - 25 Minute Epoxy for Granite, Quartz, Marble, Tile - Easily Fix Chips, Fill Cracks, Repair Defects and Restore Countertops and Tile, Sponsored | Based on star rating and number of customer ratings, Black DIY Repair Kit fix Granite Cultured Marble Stone Porcelain Onyx Tile Shower Sink Counter Chips, Marble Repair Kit & Granite Repair Kit(Color Match), Corian Repair Kit for Marble Granite Quartz Corian Tiles and Stones, Restore Countertops with Color Brown Gray White Beige Black Cream Yellow, LCA(TM) White Tones, Light Cure Acrylic DIY Surface Repair Kit for Granite, Marble and Porcelain, LCA(TM) Brown Tones -Light Cure Acrylic Repair Kit for Granite, Marble and Acrylic, Gorilla 2 Part Epoxy, 5 Minute Set, .85 Ounce Syringe, Clear, (Pack of 2), Loctite Epoxy Five Minute Instant Mix 0.47-Fluid Ounce Syringe (1365868), MagicEzy Tile RepairEzy (Beige) - Porcelain Repair Kit - Strong Chip Repair Filler for Tile, Sink Repair, Vase, Dinnerware. Videos are great if you need to watch the technique but a two sentence summary (or even a page of text) is a thousand times better than watching a video to glean the same information. Pultrusion dies of the same type can easily cost $120,000 or more. Sand has no such inter-connective force the entire strength of this part is just due to the epoxy, nothing else. Awesome. While this is a project that resulted in a completed base for a CNC machine, this is also an experiment to determine the best formula for creating your own epoxy granite. What I dont clearly see is the budget and the readily available tools you assumed here. I prefer to think critically about what the person actually claims or does about any given subject, not what they claim their credential gives them authority for. Rapid-dry. PC Products PC-7 Epoxy Adhesive Paste, Two-Part Heavy Duty, 1lb in Two Cans, Charcoal Gray 167779, J-B Weld 8281 Professional Size Steel Reinforced Epoxy Twin Pack - 10 oz. Not unless its kept somewhere that experiences wild temperature swings. This mix is amateur and the research was not done in a robust scientific manner. I assume nothing about the people who are writing and sharing, this is a good policy in my opinion because it allows me to give knowledgable input in areas in which I have particular knowledge. After viewing product detail pages, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in. Do you wish to claim that I am wrong in my proposed formulation? These result in pretty expensive formulas. Better would be to increase the pressure in the chamber after the lower pressure filling. What followed has never been anything about ad hom fallacy and personal bias in attacking me. FGCIs Superclear epoxy resin, termed a tabletop epoxy, is also good for deep pours. Once fully cured, its food safe, and it provides temperature resistance up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit. So you cant just pour it into a mold, or otherwise form it. This was true even if the epoxy was put in a vacuum chamber for degassing. But I wouldnt be surprised to see some dimensional creep with enough thermal cycling (And even then, I bet the compressive creep would be an order of mag less than the wear on the ways, considering how flame-hardened Hardinge ways end up with a few thou easily, and 6061 is like swiss-cheese comparatively.). CRAFTY offers an affordable solution for those new to using epoxy resins for countertops. The result is fantastic, and an excellent base for a machine that turns metal into chips. Broken, Chips or Cracks. Then any metal parts such as linear motion tracks, motors, spindles and what not are glued into place. They are not strong as filament additives but can still be an improvement versus clean epoxy. Would you magically feel better if I claimed I had a PhD in materials engineering, or perhaps organic chemistry, or aerospace engineering, or some other advanced education? DIYers likely will have to wait another 3 to 4 days before they can use the countertop. In each case the traditionally attached UHMW PE buckled as a result of differential thermal expansion, the adhered specimens never moved at all. This Commodore 16 Is An NTSC One No, Wait, Its A PAL One! Using epoxy resin to revitalize an old countertop or make a new one allows for many creative possibilities, including the opportunity to mimic expensive quartz and marble at a fraction of the cost of real stone. One makes a machine base out of for example 10 lb balsa wood core material, engineered to take advantage of its natural honeycomb like structure. Ask yourself this question. But your posts are completely lacking in explanations. Granite Marble Quartz Stone Tile Formica. A gallon of mixed epoxy equals 231 cubic inches of volume, which can be used to calculate how much epoxy youll need for your countertops. The interface between the composite, the adhesive and the steel is controlled by the higher modulus of the steel, it restrains the thermal expansion of the composite to that of the steel. Instead the following direct response was made: Mbc says: That materials I listed in my OP have the same properties to a great extent. However, your conclusion about strength is questionable first, there was no claim made about the strength of the composite, just the stiffness and loss coefficient. You have no idea if any of those claims are true, and you have no idea if it is a comprehensive list. June 2, 2019 at 7:59 am For a good quality, budget-friendly alternative, consider the Incredible Solutions epoxy kit. Designed properly, after a handfull of iterations the result could be a machine that is capable of high precision and complexity. As to the problems of casting large masses of epoxy you need to understand the thermodynamics of the exothermic reactions that bring heat into the resin and cause the initiation of the crosslinking of the polymers. Apply this product between 75 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit, and add subsequent coats after 4 to 6 hours while its still tacky. Here is what I said in its entirety: This mix is amateur and the research was not done in a robust scientific manner. Ready for light use in 3 days and very hard in a week, this epoxy requires 30 days for full heat resistance. Fortunately, modern formulations produce low or zero VOCs and emit less odor. My feelings on the topic is that it seems to me that we live in a time that instead of thinking critically about issues, people have come to believe that a credential is a claim of expertise and that listening to experts is a good thing. I rarely bother to post replies to ad hom attacks. We are too enamoured in our society by the idea that a credential of some sort conferes unusual expertise. https://www.cnczone.com/forums/epoxy-granite/30155-epoxy-granite-machine-bases-polymer-concrete-frame.html, http://donkey32.proboards.com/board/17/geopolymers, https://www.kaneka.com/kaneka-americas/products/kaneace, http://www.inhanceproducts.com/offerings/performance-additives/, Why Fedora Decided To Give CC0 Licensed Code The Boot, Where Pollution Hits The Road: The Growing Environmental Hazard Of Rubber Tires, The Surprisingly Manual Process Of Building Automotive Wire Harnesses, Biomimetic Surfaces: Copying Nature To Deter Bacteria And Keep Ship Hulls Smooth. Now, I can understand how that would help with TENSILE STRENGTH. A side note, the term tough is a sort of catch-all word for more rubbery. The structure is then heat cured over a period of a few days. Best, Paul McNulty, Please be kind and respectful to help make the comments section excellent. Epoxy concrete has been used for machine beds for multiple decades. Im only an old fortepiano builder, my colleague a wildly prolific harpsichord builder, both new to cnc and quite sure that this will replace relentless heavy duty handwork, just in time. Notably, graphite fiber has a negative thermal coefficient of expansion, and yet people make all kinds of things with carbon fiber and epoxy, and when fabricated correctly, they dont delaminate or buckle. And like some other dude mentioned, Id be interested to see if delamination occurs. When I made my comment, it was to give the group some ideas of other materials that would likely work far better than those used in the experiment reported upon. Couple that with another sort of bias pertaining to being a geezer. Dampers absorb vibration. Other potential fillers for this application include; feldspar, ceramic centospheres and microfibres, short fibre reinforcements, various carbon nanomaterials, and others. The reason I think this has to do with the thermal stability of the materials, as well as and more importantly, the thermodynamics of the cure cycle. The only method I have found that was permanent or close to it, and that increased the surface energy enough to allow the adhesive to wet out the surface is to use very nasty chemistry. Just happens to be a subject that I know a great deal about as a result of adhering UHMW PE to any substrate. Well, its an old model, I saw it on a bumper sticker when I was at MIT back when cars had bumpers and cranks! I have the advantage of being able to either design my own epoxy system, or as is usually the case, having a colleague with far better skills than mine do that work for me. Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Select the department you want to search in. His judgement of the end result effectiveness of the solid base appeared to be surface finish only no measurement of rigidity at all. On reflection of this post I knew several things; the issues are far more complicated than could ever be explained by a full write up and a few photos and a video. I hired a materials engineering firm to do a comprehensive analysis of the phenomenon and they concluded that the only point the might cause eventual disbonding was at the bond-line itself. The bottom of many older mills and lathes is typically hollow for filling with sand or water. I will spend a bit of time trying to educate you from my knowledge base, or more likely give you links to others who are better at explaining these issues than I am. Versatile and relatively inexpensive, it might have taken the top spot except for its modest temperature resistance at 135 degrees Fahrenheit. Now I see why most of your post is stating your qualifications: what youre saying is nonsense. We made sure to also include several options that are completely food safe for added peace of mind. Sand is ridiculous. One area of expertise I have is in making wear resistant thermoset repair products and coatings. There are no doubt many things that you know far better than most. On top of that, the tool needed for the correct casting is highly sophisticated and would cost at the high 5 or low 6 figures to produce. The mix needs functional additives with as few natural harmonics as possible. The machine I was asking about is they hypothetical tool required that would cost in the high 5 or low 6 figures. By Bob Beacham | Updated Mar 21, 2022 11:54 AM. So imagine this. Sand, especially untreated sand does nothing of the sort. I had to search for almost every word of your original comment, but it starts to make sense for me. At just 7 days, it cures comparatively quickly. Learn more, Experiments In Creating The Best Epoxy Granite. Like ian42 said, ambient temperature swings (daily cycling and seasonal changes) are another factor. Discover more about the small businesses partnering with Amazon and Amazons commitment to empowering them. Whatever. In good faith I attempted to educate from my own experience. The resin to fibre ratio is nearly optimized as well. If the shine does eventually wear off in places, rejuvenate it with mineral oil or liquid countertop polish. Full heat resistance takes 30 days to cure, Mixing cups, stirrers and spreaders included, Difficult when used for free-form pouring, Mixture may be too thick for certain projects. If you are interested in finding out more about the composit in my first post, or about how to perhaps find a better way of making a machine base with more robust structure, I am happy to first inform you regarding sourcing materials and why they are useful and secondly how think through the construction process. Okay, high aspect ratio additives. Inevitable pedantic comment: dampeners make things wet. Permanent life-long repair. It needs a combination of bis a, bis f and novolac resins and a cooler jeffamine curative. Clear Table Top Epoxy Resin from Pro Marine is a low-odor, easy-to-use, high-gloss product. Tony could have done a far better job of stating his qualifications in the field and explaining why his opinion was greater than most. Nice work! The U.S.-made formula is low VOC, provides a high-gloss finish that the manufacturer calls super wet, and offers good UV resistance. Normally the lower modulus plastic fails, but even then, the plastic on the bond-line will retain its normal shape at thicknesses up to 1 inch. On the argument about the style of comments: criticism needs to be carefully formed to not feel arrogant (thats a lesson I learned the hard way). I can only think it is due to costs. I thought I was giving free advice from my personal experience in the use of these materials. This is an optical device, and so a colorant has important physical properties. Even then, experts suggest only light use since a full cure can take from 7 to 30 days, depending on the product. If youre refinishing countertops on-site, mask off the cabinets below with plastic sheeting and masking tape. If the countertop is for outside use, use a UV-protected resin or coat it with a topcoat of UV-resistant urethane varnish. EasyPour Epoxy 1 Gallon Kit - Crystal Clear High Gloss Resin and Hardener, 2 Mixing Cups, Silicone Spatula, Plastic Spreader - Make Wood Tabletops, Epoxy Countertop Resin, Epoxy Castings, LCATM BLACK, Light Cure Acrylic DIY Surface Repair Kit for Granite, Marble and Porcelain, procaliber products 10-11-711 clear lca clear granite/marble/quartz chip repair kit, 1 ml, syringe, Undermount Sink Clips Support Brackets - 10-Pack, Universal Epoxy Sink Clip Kits for Kitchen Marble Granite Countertop Bathroom Vanity Sinks, Light Cure Acrylic Repair Kit - Multi Shade Grey Tones, Black Swan Manufacturing 139219059 9 oz 01190 Marble Plus Plumbers Putty, Seville Classics UltraHD Height Adjustable 4-Foot Heavy-Duty Wood Top Workbench, Granite Gray, Adhesive for Granite, Marble & Stone - Clear SCA. Buckling to actual critical failure? If not, then by all means keep up with the personal attacks. Not only that, but the composite formed can have nearly zero thermal expansion, as the graphite fiber compresses the epoxy and the epoxy stretches the graphite fiber as temperature rises. Linked article is neat, even if its somewhat amateur attempt aimed at good look more than serious research on vibration dampening performance. I will respond with little more than endless lists of the fallacies and biases that your comments contain. Epoxy granite is your best bet, but what epoxy granite is the best? You have no idea what I understand, and are likely wrong. BobVila.com and its partners may earn a commission if you purchase a product through one of our links. But if the best anyone can do is call me names or whatnot, that is of low utility. The adhesive had to have high chemical/thermal properties AND cure at minus 40C. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2022, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. epoxy. Shop products from small business brands sold in Amazons store. I questioned the use of dyes and colorants in the first place, since these can only hurt the properties.