TAKIMO 1 Gal 3X UV Resistant Crystal Clear Epoxy Resin Kit, 1:1 High Gloss

I used this epoxy to experiment with carbon fiber. I molded two 1/8" x 1" x 6" bars, one with chopped carbon fiber, and one pure resin. The pure resin cured into a hard, but slightly flexible strip. It returned to flat after being bent. Nice! It snapped when flexed to about a 90 degree angle. The carbon reinforced bar was so stiff I could barely flex it with all my strength! Just for fun, I then made a 1"x30"x18" table for my homemade bandsaw. I poured a very thin layer of this epoxy on top of a piece of plywood, put down a layer of carbon fiber, and repeated the process until the epoxy/carbon layer was 1/2" thick. It turned out crystal clear, bubble-free, and unbelievably stiff and strong.It took about 14 hours to fully solidify. I cured it in a 68 degree room with 40% humidity on a heating mat that kept the resin at 77 degrees the entire time.Properties of the freshly mixed resin:Very thin and runny--will seep into every crevice, even tiny ones.A 1/2 gallon batch has a LONG open time at 68 degree room temp and 40% humidity--60+ minutes in my case. Still pourable after that, but begins to thicken.Crystal clear.Not super sticky when first mixed. Becomes very adhesive and sticky after curing for an hour or two.Freshly mixed resin is easy to clean up with 90% isopropyl alcohol.Many medium-sized bubbles formed while mixing, but they very quickly dissipated once the resin was poured into the mold.My process:I mixed it exactly as directed after warming the resin and hardener in a bucket of 122 degree water. 1:1 ratio, mixed at low speed for 5 minutes with a drill and mixing attachment. I transferred the mixed resin to another container, scraped the sides of the first one, and mixed again for another minute.The resin never got hot, only slightly warm in the mixing vessel.I cured the resin in an open mold on top of a heating mat set to keep the mold at 77 degrees--as directed.I used a heat gun to warm a few spots where bubbles seemed to be stuck near the surface. It worked fine.If you want to play around with carbon fiber, or just want a good epoxy for molding stuff or tabletops, this epoxy is excellent! Follow the directions exactly and do not try to take any shortcuts. I was worried about bubbles/voids, but this stuff is like magic--99% of the bubbles simply disappear on their own, and the resin is so thin that it tends to soak into whatever it touches and fill voids. Obviously I would never use this stuff to make any structural parts for bikes, cars, or airplanes, but for hobbies, it's excellent.

Excellent Epoxy Resin – Crystal Clear and Easy to Use!I was very impressed with this epoxy resin kit. The 1:1 mixing ratio made it simple to measure, and it mixed smoothly with very few bubbles. The finish came out crystal clear with a beautiful high-gloss shine that really made my project stand out.I used it on a woodworking project, and it leveled itself nicely, cured hard, and produced professional-looking results. I also appreciate the UV-resistant formula, which should help keep it from yellowing over time.For the price, this kit offers excellent value and quality. Whether you're making tables, charcuterie boards, countertops, or other DIY projects, I would definitely recommend it. I'll be purchasing this brand again for future projects!

Nice and clear, glossy easy to use does what it says

I'm a convert! This stuff is fantastic! By convert, I mean that I used to exclusively use Envirotex for all my resin needs (i'm an artist). Compared to Envirotex, Takimo's Resistant Resin has many preferred qualities: with a 1:1 ratio, It mixes fast and easy with a bare minimum of bubbles, its cure time seems to be faster than Envirotex, and most important (for me, anyway....) is that it DOES NOT TURN YELLOW over time. It's also even more odorless than Envirotex. Once mixed, it becomes the consistency of say...corn syrup (but please don't taste it!)--it's not too thick and it's not too thin. Once poured, the clarity of the resin is crystalline. Whereas I would usually have to spend time 'de-gassing' poured Envirotex by either breathing on it or using a torch to release the bubbles, no such after process was needed with Takimo's Resin. If mixed and poured properly, the product is superior grade and cures in about 72 hours time to a durable, bright and crystal clear finish. VERY fast shipping. Would order from -- and probably will--again. Thank you, TAKIMORE! Great stuff at a decent and competitive price!

First time using this brand and was let down big time. I followed their directions and did my normal prep. Im very methodical about every client piece I make. I cleaned the boards and they sat for about 45 minutes before I poured the epoxy. I mixed it with a paddle on my drill for 3x as long as I have with any other products waiting for it to clear up like the instructions say. I even let it sit probably 5 or 10 minutes to let bubbles surface. When I poured the test panel, it went down clear and leveled well, so I went ahead with the main project. As I poured it, the epoxy laid down ok, not as slick as my normal stuff, but it was ok. I used a heat gun to get any bubbles and help level it out. It seemed to make bubbles so I stopped. I had made sure it was an even level across the entire board, but I came back an hour later and it seemed to be separating or something weird was going on. Checking on it throughout the day and it seemed to get a rougher finish. 9 hours later its still very sticky and looks very rough like heavy orange peel. It's been in a 70 degree room all day. I hope it hardens up enough to sand and possibly recoat with either a different product or something to save this. This was a multiple day project that was milled out with a special wood for the border and matching another one if I have to remake it will be nearly impossible. I'll update this when its all finished!

Fine grade bubbles are still visible with a magnifying glass up close so you still need a vacuum pot after mixing and a pressure pot while it sets up overnight. I found it still needs a little heat (110F ambient) after curing to bring it to max cure, which is good for me. Work time increase is significant if kept cool until you want it to cure, but cures anyway on its own.After that it's a good product. Note: dissolves cotton.... :D

Works well. I gives you about 30 minutes of working time to get done with adding to your project. This was my first time using Epoxy Resin and it was easy to use. I created an ocean scenery on a large wooden bench after filling all the large cracks of the slab with blue color in the resin and epoxy using the instructions that cam with it and researching online how other people added color and it was pretty easy, just messy, LOL! You need to get everything you need gloves, paper towels, acetone or denatured alcohol, stir sticks, containers for mixing and a timer set up on your cell phone or something else and follow the steps to prepare the epoxy and resin and pour away!

I am no expert with epoxy resins, and the instructions and guides for this product were not very helpful in learning. I can tell you my experience with this product though.It has a maximum pour depth of 1/4".It is very thick: thicker than I expected. Even pouring the resin 1/4" deep and doing my best to smooth it level, and keeping it at the optimum temperature of 77 F, it did not form a level surface. The surface was still a bit wavey and uneven, the variability being about 1/8". I could have sanded or routed it down, but you know, sanding away 1/8" from a 1/4" pour only leaves half the layer left.I did not have any trouble with bubbles, although I was careful not to add bubbles when mixing and kept it at the optimum temperature. It had only a little bit of a smell, which didn't seem noxious or unpleasant.It took about 2 hours to set, but probably much longer to fully cure. The end result was hard, but could be scratched by a nail without too much pressure.All together, I am not sure how this product should be best used. The pour depth is too shallow for any sort of deep pour, but the fact that it is so thick and doesn't really self-level means it is difficult to apply as a final coating. And then the setting time is rather long if you just want something to fill in small holes or voids.

It takes 2 days to nearly dry

No, it is still sticky to the touch even after a week. I expected it to be glass hard.