Hi… wondering if anyone has any suggestions regarding this. I’ve been scouring the Internet for 2 days trying to figure out the best approach to eliminating this problem. When trying to inlay with resin (into baltic birch), it bleeds quite a bit into the surrounding area. It’s especially evident when using coloured resin. I’ve read/tried applying an initial layer of clear epoxy resin, letting it sit for a bit before pouring the coloured resin. Also, I’ve come across the idea of spraying with some sort of sealer beforehand, like lacquer spray. Or letting the epoxy resin sit for about half an hour (until it begins to harden), then pouring it, which makes it too thick to bleed into the wood. I’ve found this the most effective (only tried it once), but it makes torching the bubbles more difficult, as the resin has begun to solidify.
Just wondering what insight experienced people can provide. I’ve only been at this 2 weeks, but learned TONS so far.
The videos I have seen often show raw edges being sealed with clear resin before the pour. This may eliminate the color bleed, but you won’t eliminate the wicking as long as the wood is raw.
A couple of ideas -
Apply a finish before cutting - Proofgrade materials are finished and don’t appear to have this issue.
Try a different material, other woods may not wick up the resin as easily.
I solved that by first sealing the open edge grain of the engrave with a clear finish and an artists brush before spray painting the engrave black.
Thanks very much for taking the time to respond, guys.
PrintToLaser, I also think this is probably the most ideal solution. Can you tell me what kind of sealer you use? Like lacquer spray or polyurethane…
I sprayed a bit of Krylon clear into the cap and used a very small brush to just paint the edges of the engraving. Worked perfectly. If the surface of the material isn’t sealed you have to watch that too. Capillary action makes unfinished wood a sponge. 