How Much Epoxy is Enough?

[TheNewSteveH]

I have two coats of West System epoxy on the back of my walnut telecaster. Problem: I don't know when to quit applying it. I've seen two coats recommended, with three for really porous wood.

I have done a very poor job of capturing the finish in this photo, but I can describe it. Apart from some tiny goobers around the edge, the finish is perfectly uniform and glossy, but the pores are not completely full. It reminds me of a piece of oak furniture, if that helps. Definitely covered and flat, but not completely smooth.

My inclination is to hit it with one more coat.

I think I've confused pore-filling with sealing. I didn't realize there was a difference until yesterday. I'm not sure whether I should completely fill the pores and sand this stuff back to bare wood, or keep going until everything is submerged in epoxy and then finish it with shellac and nitro.

[DeepSouth]

Assuming you would prefer a perfectly flat finish you would need to sand the finish until it is pretty much completely smooth and then hit it with another coat. You would have to repeat this until the pores don't 'drink' any more finish. If it is an epoxy finish it will fill the pores eventually on it's own.

If you don't sand it, the next coat will fill put an even amount in the valleys and on the ridges i.e. it won't just fill the valleys it will also build the existing ridges. So you need to sand to the bottom of valleys which hopefully already has some finish over the top of the wood i.e. you have to be careful not to go to far and sand down to the wood.

It might take more than three coats - it just depends.

[TheNewSteveH]

Thanks. I guess it's going to be an endurance contest, then. Me v. the epoxy.