Advice on making resin table top

Ninak

I want to create a resin table top, for an external patio table. I have metal legs to use from another, now smashed, glass table. my idea is to create a mould for a circular table top, and set many of my sons little figures, legos and likewise, that he has outgrown, in resin. It would need to be a thick layer of resin to completely cover the figures. I would leave pilot or guide holes in it to fix to the base no idea how to do that yet, but thats the plan! My questions are 1. what would I use to create the mould-circular? 2. Where would I source the resin? 3 any tips from someone who has done this or something similar? It is all purely theoretical at the minute. Cheers

cletus

Ninak wrote: »

I want to create a resin table top, for an external patio table. I have metal legs to use from another, now smashed, glass table. my idea is to create a mould for a circular table top, and set many of my sons little figures, legos and likewise, that he has outgrown, in resin. It would need to be a thick layer of resin to completely cover the figures. I would leave pilot or guide holes in it to fix to the base no idea how to do that yet, but thats the plan! My questions are 1. what would I use to create the mould-circular? 2. Where would I source the resin? 3 any tips from someone who has done this or something similar? It is all purely theoretical at the minute. Cheers

There are myriad videos on YouTube of people making resin bowls, tabletops etc, so you should get good tips there. Depending on the size of the table, it could get very expensive very quickly.

Regarding suppliers, I've used these guys before for fibreglass, they were very good, and they seem to sell the sort of resin you're looking for


https://glassfibre.ie/product/water-clear-casting-polyester-resin-3/

Lumen

cletus wrote: »

There are myriad videos on YouTube of people making resin bowls, tabletops etc, so you should get good tips there. Depending on the size of the table, it could get very expensive very quickly.

Regarding suppliers, I've used these guys before for fibreglass, they were very good, and they seem to sell the sort of resin you're looking for


https://glassfibre.ie/product/water-clear-casting-polyester-resin-3/

The GlassCast 3 product looks like the most suitable, but agree it will be expensive as a 1m circle of 1cm will require 9kg (270 euro) of mixed resin before you start adding filler. Most projects of this nature use the resin as a coating rather than bulk structure.

Ninak

Thanks Lumen and Cietus. I will check out the videos online. I can't see a way of doing this without using all resin as it needs to be clear. I may reduce the radius and thickness to minimum. See how much I will get away with needing. Cheers.

Calahonda52

Ninak wrote: »

Thanks Lumen and Cietus. I will check out the videos online. I can't see a way of doing this without using all resin as it needs to be clear. I may reduce the radius and thickness to minimum. See how much I will get away with needing. Cheers.

Rather than make it all clear for the toys, maybe get a sheet of 25mm WBP or marine grade ply and cut different shapes out for the resin blocks: triangles, circles, squares, rectangles etc

Ninak

Do you mean to put the toys in a framed shape? That sounds interesting. Or is that what you mean Calahonda52?

Calahonda52

Ninak wrote: »

Do you mean to put the toys in a framed shape? That sounds interesting. Or is that what you mean Calahonda52?

Yes, just guessing that if you say cut a circle in the ply and then fill the circle with resin and embed the lego.
You may need perspex or similar underneath to hold it in place.
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am prolly smoking/inhaling too much of my own dope