Endless Creativity
Hey there! Wood and epoxy can make a great combination for creating unique and durable projects. The possibilities are endless when it comes to what you can create with these materials, from coffee tables and desks to cutting boards and even wall décor. (As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases) For my wood and epoxy ideas, I use Mas Table Top Pro crystal clear casting from Amazon for small projects.
Wood and Resin Charcuterie Board
I bought a 1×6 eight-feet-long alder wood from Menards. I spent perhaps 10 minutes browsing through the stock searching for an eye-catcher. Finally, I found what I was looking for.
I broke the 1×6 into several pieces and placed them into a homemade form I made. I arranged the pieces like a puzzle until I was satisfied. The charcuterie board, when done, will look like a short paddle with a small knob at the end. Small pieces will tend to float and move around when pouring the resin. To stop this from happening, I smeared hot glue on the bottoms of the wood pieces. This will allow me to sand the glue away from the wood when I am ready to sand the charcuterie board.
I chose brown and copper powder to add to the epoxy resin, mixed them, and let them sit for a few minutes. Several hours later, I freed the board and sanded and shaped it with a drill with a round sanding drum, carefully shaping the curves.
I took my air compressor and blew air along the charcuterie board getting rid of most of the dust. After that, I took a damp cloth and wiped the board down trying to get all the dust that was still hanging on the small wood fibers. You would be surprised by the amount of dust that remains after taking an air compressor and blowing air across the board.
The next thing I did, was smear mineral oil in small circles letting the oil soak into the fibers. I let the board dry for twenty hours and applied another coat of mineral oil, letting it dry. For this charcuterie board, I didn’t want to use it for food purposes because of the resin, but I do use it for decorations at family gatherings. I would place small plates or small bowls on the charcuterie board.
I’m not sure about food-safe resin, I have seen a lot of discussions that there is a food-safe resin a person can use, but I’m not going to try it. Instead, I have seen and liked the idea of buying food-safe parchment paper for any holiday occasion.
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The Dragon Eye
Making this was fun and inspiring! It only took a few days to make. I brought home a small, hollow chunk of firewood. I cut the firewood with my chainsaw while trying to keep everything plumb and level. It was a bit challenging, but I managed to cut a 2-inch disc. I sanded the top perimeter of the disc to have the smooth look I needed later. 
I looked around for ideas to make a convex shape that would resemble an eye. Finally, I spotted a large candle holder. It was the underside of the candle holder I needed. The bottom was concave, and it would give me the shape I sought.
I purchased some automotive Turtle wax and generously rubbed the wax onto the surface. I Mix the resin, part A, part B together and set to the side for a few minutes to let the air bubbles rise to the surface. After 24 hours, I popped the cured resin loose from the bottom of the candle holder. I gathered my supplies of toothpicks, and different colors of small paint bottles I would need and slowly painted wavy lines from edge to almost center of the so-called eye.
Took some spray foam and sprayed it inside the disc to the desired height. Letting the foam cure, I trimmed the excess away and inserted the painted dragon eye into the middle of the disc. Mixing more resin, I poured roughly a quarter of an inch at several pours, leaving each pour almost cured.
I didn’t do this step, but if you made this for someone, sand the bottom of the disc and put some fabric (the fabric can be slightly larger because you can cut the fabric with scissors or a utility knife) and hot glue the material to the bottom. Not too much glue in one spot. Run a bead of glue around the disc, then quickly place the fabric on the bottom and rub the fabric over the glue. After the resin cured on the last pour, I polished, using Turtle wax, the dragon eye several times until I was satisfied with a brilliant shine.
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Burnt Charred Coasters
Another popular project is making coasters. Using small pieces of wood and a bit of epoxy, you can create personalized coasters that are both functional and beautiful. These make excellent gifts and can be customized with different designs or patterns.
I cut eight pieces of pine wood from a 1×4. Each piece is 3 ½” x 3 ½”. I placed each piece on a scrap panel I had lying
around. I put little standoffs under each corner of the cut pieces so the resin would drip off the sides.
To make each charred coaster unique, I carved out a small area so I could put dimes and pennies on the top surface of the coaster and pour the epoxy over the top. I took a small torch held above the resin about 6″ and quickly went over the top of the resin to pop the tiny air bubbles. Don’t hold the torch in one place because the heat will cause the epoxy to harden fast. This paid off. I had some bubbles along one of the coins, and the wood was not entirely dry. Turns out the wood was green still and this allow some moisture from the wood to seep to the surface, but overall, the coasters turned out nice. After getting the coasters free and sanding the backs of the coasters, I applied Turtle wax and polished until dry. I repeated the process several times until I was satisfied with the shine.
Conclusions
Don’t be afraid to experiment and let your creativity run wild. With wood and epoxy, the possibilities are endless. And the best part? You don’t need to be a woodworking expert to create something amazing. So, let’s get started on your next project!
If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them.
Thanks, Homer P