Need help fixing a blemish in epoxy keezer top

Yesterday I finally got around to pouring the epoxy over my keezer top.... This was only my 3rd time working with this stuff, the first two pours were for the coffin box top and then the back splash on the coffin, as seen in the photo below. All went well with the first two pours, I was able to use a propane torch to remove all the bubbles.



Unfortunately I didn't have the same good fortune with the larger pour yesterday. All appeared well for the first few hours, I was able to keep all the bubbles in check, however a few appeared as the stuff was really starting to cure. There was one big one that I could not get to pop with the torch, so in a moment of stupidity I tried to pop it with a toothpick, however the epoxy was so thick at this point that it just stuck to the toothpick and then never 'settled' out, so I have a bit of an indentation and then some raised roughness.

Here is a close up of the blemish:

Anyone with more experience working with this stuff have any suggestions on how to fix this? I have plenty of space left to pour another thin layer of epoxy, I just need to figure out how to smooth out the blemish without it looking horrible. I might try using a sanding-stone on my Dremel? And then touch it up with some 400 grit sand paper? Does this stuff behave like polyurethane, where you can scuff it and then when you put another coat on it fills in the scuffs and is clear again? Any suggestions on how to fix this will be much appreciated!

I wish I had some experience to help you out, but I don't. I just wanted to say that this is a really cool keezer build!

Jersh said:

Yesterday I finally got around to pouring the epoxy over my keezer top.... This was only my 3rd time working with this stuff, the first two pours were for the coffin box top and then the back splash on the coffin, as seen in the photo below. All went well with the first two pours, I was able to use a propane torch to remove all the bubbles.

Unfortunately I didn't have the same good fortune with the larger pour yesterday. All appeared well for the first few hours, I was able to keep all the bubbles in check, however a few appeared as the stuff was really starting to cure. There was one big one that I could not get to pop with the torch, so in a moment of stupidity I tried to pop it with a toothpick, however the epoxy was so thick at this point that it just stuck to the toothpick and then never 'settled' out, so I have a bit of an indentation and then some raised roughness.

Here is a close up of the blemish:

Anyone with more experience working with this stuff have any suggestions on how to fix this? I have plenty of space left to pour another thin layer of epoxy, I just need to figure out how to smooth out the blemish without it looking horrible. I might try using a sanding-stone on my Dremel? And then touch it up with some 400 grit sand paper? Does this stuff behave like polyurethane, where you can scuff it and then when you put another coat on it fills in the scuffs and is clear again? Any suggestions on how to fix this will be much appreciated!

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try sanding it in steps and using an acrylic polish. you may find some help at the auto parts store. look for headlamp polishing compounds or a restoration kit. Best advice I can give and no, i have not tried it on epoxy.

If you have more material, "dig" out the bad spot with a grinder or similar, fill with material, and then go to the sanding and polishing steps.
If you don't have (or don't want to purchase another kit), the surface can be sanded and polished much like the "cut and color" process used in automotive finishing as long as the blemish is not too deep.
If you don't have the sanding and polishing equipment, it may be easier/cheaper to just dig out the bad spot, and then completely recover the entire top with an additional layer of epoxy.

acidrain said:

If you have more material, "dig" out the bad spot with a grinder or similar, fill with material, and then go to the sanding and polishing steps.
If you don't have (or don't want to purchase another kit), the surface can be sanded and polished much like the "cut and color" process used in automotive finishing as long as the blemish is not too deep.
If you don't have the sanding and polishing equipment, it may be easier/cheaper to just dig out the bad spot, and then completely recover the entire top with an additional layer of epoxy.

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Thanks man, I appreciate it... I'm definitely planning on pouring another layer over the entire surface. I have a Dremel with all sorts of different shaped grinding stones, so I think I should be able to remove the bad spot with no problem... My concern is just with how the new layer will look on top of the dug out spot, will it blend perfectly clear with the epoxy below it?

I forgot to mention that the stuff I used (Glaze Coat from Lowes) has an 800 # for tech support, so I'll be calling them on Monday before I do anything.

I use two part epoxy everyday. It's very forgiving when you add additional coats. You can sand out the defect, I use 400 grit between coats and it still finishes clear. A little bit of scuffing helps the new coat stick to the old one. You will have to get the defect to the point the the fresh coat can fill in.

If you use too much heat with the torch you can actually make more bubbles. Avoid the temptation to keep hitting the same spot with the heat. Allow it to cool between passes. Also be sure the temp is above 65. Applying below causes the epoxy to set thicker and makes it harder to remove the bubbles. Personally I try to apply above 70 and the mixture gets very thin and is much easier to work with.

I have patched small spots before without a complete new coat. just be sure you measure the parts accurately. hard to do with small amounts. Once set you will have to sand it level and the apply several coats of liquid wax to hide the scratches. Sometimes it takes 5 to 6 coats to hide the scratches. If you try that be sure to use 600 or finer grit paper. The liquid wax will make the surface extremely slick. I had a customer tell me it was "slick as snot on a doorknob".

You can PM me if you have additional questions.

raysmithtx said:

I use two part epoxy everyday. It's very forgiving when you add additional coats. You can sand out the defect, I use 400 grit between coats and it still finishes clear. A little bit of scuffing helps the new coat stick to the old one. You will have to get the defect to the point the the fresh coat can fill in.

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Sweet, thanks, this is precisely the answer I was looking for. I'll post back here later this week with results after I get a chance to do the repair.

raysmithtx said:

I use two part epoxy everyday. It's very forgiving when you add additional coats. You can sand out the defect, I use 400 grit between coats and it still finishes clear. A little bit of scuffing helps the new coat stick to the old one. You will have to get the defect to the point the the fresh coat can fill in.

Click to expand...

Thanks again for chiming in on this, I used a grinding stone on my Dremel to remove most of the blemish and then touched it all up with 400 grit sandpaper. I poured the additional coat today and there is absolutely no sign of the initial blemish, I am beyond thrilled!

Glad it worked out. It is kind of amazing how blemishes disappear with a properly applied top coat. FYI 2 part epoxies will fade in direct sun unless you added UV protectant. It's a common complaint I hear.

I use epoxy from liquidglassepoxyresin.com at least a few times a month. I have also done the same thing you did. Dealt with a bubble after the top was already hardened by puncturing it. The bubble did blend out, but it took effort. Epoxy is something that we all love to hate. Even people who use it daily can run into problems at times, but it all fixable with patience.