Applying Epoxy on Vertical Surfaces

Technical Advisor Greg Bull explains why epoxy runs or sags on vertical surfaces and how to prevent that from happening.

In 1947, my parents took me to Gatlinburg, Tennessee for my first vacation. I was fascinated by a wood turner and resolved that I would one day learn the craft. In the early 1970s, I found an ancient used lathe in a flea market. I bought a box set of chisels at Sears and set out to learn the craft. I didn’t have a teacher and I made a lot of mistakes.

During my first 20 years of turning wood, I finished my work with Danish oil, lacquer, varnish, tung oil or polyurethane. In 2003, I switched to West System® Epoxy, and I have never looked back.

I keep a careful record of my work: to date I have finished over 600 pieces with West System Epoxy. Here again, I didn’t have a teacher, but with my background in chemistry, I understood epoxy materials on the molecular level. I still made many mistakes.

The Technical Advisors at Gougeon Brothers have been very helpful, but there is a limit to solving problems over the telephone. I didn't know of any other wood turners who used epoxy as a finish. I have since taught a number of others the techniques I have laboriously learned on my own.