Hey everyone! I'm a woodworker with a solid background in working with wood, but I've never dipped my toes into the resin world. I'm interested in creating paddles that incorporate live edge wood pieces combined with resin. My main questions are: what should I be cautious about when using resin? How durable are these paddles, especially regarding impact? Also, is there a risk that the resin might separate from the wood? I'm planning to sell my creations eventually, so ensuring safety is really important to me.
2 Answers
What kind of paddle are you aiming to make? Canoe, kayak, or maybe something like a pizza peel? Different paddles require different considerations. Generally speaking, resins can vary a lot in terms of impact resistance and brittleness, depending on the type you use and how you apply it. There’s definitely a chance of the resin separating from the wood if you don’t get everything right. I’ve made several watersports paddles with resin, so I understand where you’re coming from!
That sounds like a solid plan! If you’re doing a deep pour with sections around 1 inch wide, you'll get plenty of surface area for a good bond. Keeping the resin more as an accent instead of structural support should work out nicely. Just make sure to run some tests before selling; you want to cover all your bases!