Salvaging a maple slab with a failed (never hardened) epoxy pour

ryanjg117

ryanjg117

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I was "gifted" a large (40x70x3") maple slab, with a catch: a botched epoxy pour that never hardened.

slab1.jpg


slab2.JPG

Months (maybe years) later, the top layer of epoxy has hardened, but I'm able to break through it with a flathead screwdriver, exposing uncured/sticky epoxy that goops out.

Any idea for mechanically removing this epoxy, or chemically hardening it? I believe he knows what epoxy brand/formulation was used, so I could ask him for more details if there's a chance it could still be chemically hardened.

Alternatively, I could avoid the worst of the goop by cutting a smaller table (as shown below), it would just be a shame to discard such a huge piece.

slab3.jpg
 
So far as I'm aware it's pretty much impossible to "re-cure" failed resin. I would scrape and carve back all the epoxy to get back to plain wood.
 
Many years ago I was thrust unwillingly into a side project of refinishing a boat and spraying new gelcoat. Despite doing everything by the book the resin never hardened. After cleaning all of the gelcoat off a d before spraying it again, a very kind professional told me to spray PVA (a mold release) on the gelcoat after spraying and that would seal it allowing it to cure. I later used that process numerous times successfully. Although I suspect that the odds of helping you out in this case, if it were me in your shoes, I would try it. You would only need a quart and a plastic spray bottle. Here is a link if you are interested. If it doesn't work, the PVA film will wash off with water easily. Good Luck!

Peter

https://www.amazon.com/Water-Based-...t&qid=1745056175&sprefix=pva+re,aps,90&sr=8-2
 
Ive repaired areas like you show with heating with a heat gun, small SS wire brush…down into the void, scraping and brushing, down to where it bubbles, soaking in. Then with a small stiff brush like a solder brush, brush in mixed (correctly) epoxy like West System painting the surface with a controlled amount of heat gun….it will bubble and mix in with the other and cure leaving, in my case, an area ready to re-work/re-pour. Where a “respirator” the heated epoxy gives off fumes that are not good to breath
 
Thanks all. As I’ve been poking it, I’ve noticed the outer shell does harden over time, but uncured epoxy is still encased down deeper. I’m pretty sure I’ll have luck just ripping the bulk of it out and maybe setting it outside in the sun for a couple days.
 
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