I've gotten a couple requests for a Tutorial on how I make this, so here goes! I did a verbal tutorial in one of the threads, but I got some pics as I worked on my latest batch. It's a Pink Camo Laminate; I had a couple people want pink camo handles, so this is the first batch to see how it looks!
First, Fabric Selection. I use only 100% cotton or 100% Jute materials. I try to avoid synthetics; I know a guy in Australia that tried some synthetic materials and the epoxy would not soak in to them. I avoid spandex and blends of cotton/poly as well but I haven't tried them to see if they worked. It may depend on the type of resin/hardener used. A couple things to remember. Fabrics will darken and some will turn translucent when they are wetted out. Put some small pieces in some water until they are fully saturated and that will be the color it will be when it's made. I find that thicker material, like Denims, will tend to darken more than say a bottomweight material, which will darken more than a thinner material like broadcloth. I had some Blaze Orange denim turn to more of a rust color while the thin Blaze Orange Broadcloth only turned slightly darker! 100% cotton yard I have found to hold it's color very well and barely noticed any color change in the dry/wet product. Also, the texture of the fabric will make a difference, too. Yarn and fuzzy fabrics will look creamier/smoother and with less texture. Coarse fabrics like Denim will show the coarseness, especially when viewed from the side. If you want to do an integral spacer/liner, use the broadcloth/linen/bottomweight stuff with a tighter weave. The denim has a funny wavy look to it from the side, as does Burlap.
Burlap is full of gaps in the material, so I started to un thread the pieces and use the strands to make streaking through a piece. I am testing out some stuff today, but it seems that if I use more pressure, I get a more solid piece without a void in the fabric that is filled in with epoxy, but I get more air bubbles, especially in burlap. I may be forcing too much epoxy out? When I used less pressure on a piece, I got almost no air bubbles in the block, but there were areas that the epoxy filled in for gaps in the material. It gives it a 3-D look to it where you can see into the material, but I feel that is better than tiny air holes everywhere. I try to mash down the material as much as possible into the mold to avoid the pockets, but it's not perfected yet! I have filled the air holes with Devcon 2-ton epoxy either plain or mixed with dust from sanding the handles. It seems to work OK, but make sure to use a waterproof epoxy! I would like to use the MAS epoxy, but I want something where I don't have to wait a few days to use the material after I coat it. I also have to try Tru Oil Wood Sealer to see how that works on the air bubbles.
Ok, so the fabric is selected. Time to chop! I use a Rotary Cutter from a Fabric Store, it's SOOOOO much easier than scissors!! I tried bigger chunks, but there was too much of the same colors, so I went down to smaller chunks. The bigger pieces also tended not to smoosh as well and make epoxy blobby pockets in them when they rolled over. The chunks run around 1/8"-1/2" wide and around 3/4"-1.5" long or so, give or take. Burlap I do in chunks or I cut into 4x4" squares and then pull the threads apart.
Pink camo material chopped up:
I am using a Pale Pink, a Darker Pink (hot pink almost), Pink Burlap strands and a white denim and a very light cream/off white thinner fabric:
The sides of the formed pieces will show the piece size as well as how translucent the colors get, look at the white denim!
More fabric chopped up:
Same as above, but molded:
I did this one with a smaller piece size, like 1/8-1/4"x1/2"-3/4". The pattern wasn't as nice as the pattern with the slightly larger sizes in it.
Section 2: Epoxy. I go all out and use MAS Epoxies Low Viscosity Resin and Fast or Slow Hardener, depending on the temps outside. It's it's under 75 degrees and it's not a large slab (6x11), I try to use the Fast Hardener. Warmer or bigger pieces, I use the slow hardener so I have enough working time. Stuff isn't cheap, around $145-$150 per 1 gallon Resin/Half Gallon Hardener and it's a 2:1 mix. I got the small pumps for it, but went to the bigger pumps. For a block the size I am working on now, I used 10 pumps or resin and hardener; the pumps are made for a 2:1 ratio. Before, I had to do around 20-25 pumps for the smaller pieces and up to 50 pumps for the larger pieces. The West System 105/205, 206, 207 also has good results from the Tutorials I have seen. Both of these epoxies are made for boat building and laminating and seem to hold up well in water and I believe both are epoxies, not polyester resins. The MAS has no vapors, no VOC's, 100% solids and is food safe when fully cured. I mix it outside or in my shed and don't notice any nasty smells. It is very thin and watery and very clear as well. When I go to unmold the pieces, I often see that the run off epoxy has been colored by the fabrics slightly.
First, Fabric Selection. I use only 100% cotton or 100% Jute materials. I try to avoid synthetics; I know a guy in Australia that tried some synthetic materials and the epoxy would not soak in to them. I avoid spandex and blends of cotton/poly as well but I haven't tried them to see if they worked. It may depend on the type of resin/hardener used. A couple things to remember. Fabrics will darken and some will turn translucent when they are wetted out. Put some small pieces in some water until they are fully saturated and that will be the color it will be when it's made. I find that thicker material, like Denims, will tend to darken more than say a bottomweight material, which will darken more than a thinner material like broadcloth. I had some Blaze Orange denim turn to more of a rust color while the thin Blaze Orange Broadcloth only turned slightly darker! 100% cotton yard I have found to hold it's color very well and barely noticed any color change in the dry/wet product. Also, the texture of the fabric will make a difference, too. Yarn and fuzzy fabrics will look creamier/smoother and with less texture. Coarse fabrics like Denim will show the coarseness, especially when viewed from the side. If you want to do an integral spacer/liner, use the broadcloth/linen/bottomweight stuff with a tighter weave. The denim has a funny wavy look to it from the side, as does Burlap.
Burlap is full of gaps in the material, so I started to un thread the pieces and use the strands to make streaking through a piece. I am testing out some stuff today, but it seems that if I use more pressure, I get a more solid piece without a void in the fabric that is filled in with epoxy, but I get more air bubbles, especially in burlap. I may be forcing too much epoxy out? When I used less pressure on a piece, I got almost no air bubbles in the block, but there were areas that the epoxy filled in for gaps in the material. It gives it a 3-D look to it where you can see into the material, but I feel that is better than tiny air holes everywhere. I try to mash down the material as much as possible into the mold to avoid the pockets, but it's not perfected yet! I have filled the air holes with Devcon 2-ton epoxy either plain or mixed with dust from sanding the handles. It seems to work OK, but make sure to use a waterproof epoxy! I would like to use the MAS epoxy, but I want something where I don't have to wait a few days to use the material after I coat it. I also have to try Tru Oil Wood Sealer to see how that works on the air bubbles.
Ok, so the fabric is selected. Time to chop! I use a Rotary Cutter from a Fabric Store, it's SOOOOO much easier than scissors!! I tried bigger chunks, but there was too much of the same colors, so I went down to smaller chunks. The bigger pieces also tended not to smoosh as well and make epoxy blobby pockets in them when they rolled over. The chunks run around 1/8"-1/2" wide and around 3/4"-1.5" long or so, give or take. Burlap I do in chunks or I cut into 4x4" squares and then pull the threads apart.
Pink camo material chopped up:
I am using a Pale Pink, a Darker Pink (hot pink almost), Pink Burlap strands and a white denim and a very light cream/off white thinner fabric:
The sides of the formed pieces will show the piece size as well as how translucent the colors get, look at the white denim!
More fabric chopped up:
Same as above, but molded:
I did this one with a smaller piece size, like 1/8-1/4"x1/2"-3/4". The pattern wasn't as nice as the pattern with the slightly larger sizes in it.
Section 2: Epoxy. I go all out and use MAS Epoxies Low Viscosity Resin and Fast or Slow Hardener, depending on the temps outside. It's it's under 75 degrees and it's not a large slab (6x11), I try to use the Fast Hardener. Warmer or bigger pieces, I use the slow hardener so I have enough working time. Stuff isn't cheap, around $145-$150 per 1 gallon Resin/Half Gallon Hardener and it's a 2:1 mix. I got the small pumps for it, but went to the bigger pumps. For a block the size I am working on now, I used 10 pumps or resin and hardener; the pumps are made for a 2:1 ratio. Before, I had to do around 20-25 pumps for the smaller pieces and up to 50 pumps for the larger pieces. The West System 105/205, 206, 207 also has good results from the Tutorials I have seen. Both of these epoxies are made for boat building and laminating and seem to hold up well in water and I believe both are epoxies, not polyester resins. The MAS has no vapors, no VOC's, 100% solids and is food safe when fully cured. I mix it outside or in my shed and don't notice any nasty smells. It is very thin and watery and very clear as well. When I go to unmold the pieces, I often see that the run off epoxy has been colored by the fabrics slightly.
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Tried some plastic baggies, same thing; they stuck to the material. Parchment paper seems to work best with the MAS Epoxies and can withstand heat to 400 degrees. Only problem is that NOTHING sticks to it!! I tried taping the Parchment Paper to the wood press block and duct tape wouldn't hold on it. I just fold the paper over a few times and put in my wood vise to hold it on until I am ready. I press a layer of parchment paper into the mold to line that.
