How To Make Micarta | A DIY guide to what its really like to make this stuff

How To Make Micarta | A Journey to DIY Micarta a MUST WATCH video if your thinking about making this stuff.
Making your own micarta is a pain! Not to scare you off but you need to know what your getting into before spending a lot of money. Getting the correct materials before hand is important. Hope this video helps you in your quest to Micarta at home.
Thank you Total Boat for supplying the epoxy resin for the video! GO check them out! ⬇️
Get 20% off store wide with coupon code OUTDOOR
www.totalboat.com/
Some other stuff I used⬇️
Paint tray amzn.to/2UO293g
Liner amzn.to/2ULJBkg
Putty knife amzn.to/2LiQENh
Burlap amzn.to/2ULJIwc
This is a must have item for cutting amzn.to/2EmGVnt
About⬇️
Hi, Im Alex, im a knife maker and KZbinr, based out of southern Pennsylvania and my youtube channel is Outdoors55. This channel started as an outdoor backpacking channel, but quickly grew into a knife/ knife making channel. Everything I do on my channel is family friendly. I primarily focus on knife / knife making videos but occasionally throw in something different. Thank you for watching!😀
Knife Sharpening stuff I recommend ⬇️
amzn.to/2CnyFjl
amzn.to/2ETD3rN
GREAT BEGINNER SHARPENING STONES For Mirror polish⬇️
(usa) amzn.to/2SOCy9r
amzn.to/2PDqjOs
amzn.to/2PGfbQV
(canada) amzn.to/2AN5J67
amzn.to/2PKaTYA
amzn.to/2JFiBOd
(uk) amzn.to/2AMPB4o
amzn.to/2AM4kg2
Cheaper stones I use all the time⬇️
amzn.to/2EPU2vh
amzn.to/2Cmk1IW
amzn.to/2CkQlMz
Folding knives I recommend
Best value for the money⬇️
amzn.to/2lTFEcX love this knife!
Favorite knife as of now⬇️
amzn.to/2lQfE23
Best cheap fixed blade⬇️
amzn.to/2CND28e
Camera gear⬇️
Main camera amzn.to/2CAnaIA
other camera amzn.to/2CjteBP
Mic amzn.to/2CmZOmj
Other mic amzn.to/2ERSPUq
tripod I don't recommend but here it is anyway amzn.to/2COGboo
Action camera amzn.to/2JFoE5u
These are amazon affiliate links.

[@Tmaxar]

Dude...you are one of those who explain things in the best manner possible. Nothing important left out and nothing unnecessary added. Awesome video.

[@BennyBladez-]

He does for sure! That’s why I love his content

[@sirsir9665]

Late but useful for anyone interested still. Used to be an epoxy flooring technician. It's similar to other resins in a lot of ways. If it sets up (dries) too fast the air bubbles tend to get trapped. Also if any moisture gets under or in it, it can bubble as well. We generally wait 30 days to put down epoxy over concert because it's still drying and releasing air and moisture which will go up into the epoxy, causing air bubbles ir straight up cracks. You can also reduce air bubbles by mixing at a slower calmer pace in a figure 8 mixing motion. Also if you warm the resin and surface it's going on it pre-seal natural materials such as wood and paper with a brush on or spray sealant prior to resining. You can also use a heat gun to help remove air bubbles as well. This will work for resins and epoxies.

[@raihanmohammed4776]

From my little experience with epoxy I realized that saturation of the media is crucial. It may cut down cure time but a heat gun will make the epoxy so runny it will saturate the media greatly. Great video by the way.

[@nickvon-vader2548]

I’m not a knife maker. Alex, I watch these videos because you appear to be a really nice chap.

[@OUTDOORS55]

Thanks my friend! I appreciate you taking the time to watch! 👊

[@johndifrancisco3642]

@Matthew M I know I do! That face and voice help too ;-)

[@johndifrancisco3642]

@Matthew M, I wish more people were like you :)

[@shonaoneill5151]

@@OUTDOORS55 Hi there Alex, I have made my own micarta for years, and I will offer you an air tight tip. Make a small investment in a 6-12 ton hydraulic bench press, and make your own jigs from steel, I can make micarta with absolute success every time using this method. Hope this helps. Also, the material from which you make it doesn't have to be absorbant ie I make some micarta from epoxied layered paper (alternating colours ever 5 to 20 sheets).

[@loudieselj3165]

@@shonaoneill5151 do you think gold leaf would work?

[@shootthemoon6072]

I clicked because I didn't know what micarta was. Thanks for addressing that in the beginning.

[@July-qo7jp]

You still don't.

[@yourmom1302]

@@July-qo7jp it's clearly just fabric with a polymer. Its not rocket science.

[@MountainFisher]

@@yourmom1302 Trademarked Micarta, which you can buy is not fiberglass resins nor epoxies. Real Micarta is Phenolic resin and has properties homemade micarta hasn't. It is harder and when grinding a knife Micarta will stay even with the steel so the blade handle area is not noticeable by feel, the steel doesn't stick out. I absolutely will not use anything but real Micarta.

[@MountainFisher]

@@July-qo7jp You're right, where's the phenolic?

[@IsaacGarciaGomez]

You might want to look into silicone spatulas (the ones used for cooking and cakes) to spread the epoxy. They are flexible like the foam thingy you use, but don´t soak up epoxy (or anything, for that matter). Also, epoxy wont stick and will come off easily do the their flexibility.

[@treygrubbs2550]

I use canvas or blue jean material. Layer 2 or 3 different colors. When you round out the handle, the micarta has a wood grain look. For cleaner method. Put a 2x4 across a garbage can. Sit the wood press perpendicular on the 2x4. All the drips go in the can. When you get through sanding the scales, paint them with 2 or 3 coats of super glue sanding between each coat.

[@OUTDOORS55]

Great tips👍👍 if I ever decide to try this again, the trash can tip is great. I would never have thought of that👊

[@adamalward3450]

The possibilities for the application of DIY Micarta is endless... Color schemes, materials etc. awesome vid!!

[@felixbelanger2659]

Tuck tape is great as well for release. Also, if you want to add some texture on one of the sides, I find that using a plastic cutting board works very well

[@chrisosh9574]

You are right, there are a lot of how to micarta videos but the presentation and simplicity of this one make it one of the top videos Gonna make a 4X2 press tomorrow. Thanks for the video.

[@erikbullard2289]

Really appreciate the detail that you go into explaining each process. It has greatly helped me in planning my projects. Keep up the great work, thank you

[@davidvanskike4628]

I love how up front you are about the mess..Really solid information. Thank you.

[@victor-antonioali378]

I really appreciate your videos and your style of narrative. I've worked a bit with resin and by far the best thing to wrap it in is plastic like from a grocery bag, but use it like you did the wax paper.

[@MrGodofwar666]

i have made micarta once, but i took the time to learn about what i needed to do, that being said stuff didnt go completely right but i like the result.. always nice seeing your vids, you really take the time to explain, thanks for that

[@jjchavez7108]

Great video I like how you explained the better way to do Micarta without being messy. Thanks!

[@mikelikesknives428]

I love your creativity. I have worked with fiberglass and resin for years and it isn't fun. This is a great tutorial. You are the man!👍

[@OUTDOORS55]

Thanks man! I feel sorry for you😂jk I think like everything you get better as you go. 🙂👊

[@ccs618]

My son and I are working on our first knife project. I’ve been watching thousands of videos but you keep it simple for us to follow your lead and affordable for us to try it without investing on expensive tools that may not be used often. I’m a volunteer firefighter and have a good bit of old hose on hand. So I used the coupon code and ordered the resin to make some knife handles out of yellow and red hose jacketing. Thanks for providing me hours of entertainment!

[@OUTDOORS55]

Lucky you have access to the fire hose. That will make some great scales and will probably be easier to work with. Thanks for watching my videos! It's always appreciated 👍👊

[@MrPYACOBY]

Saw this process for homemade armour. Very intriguing. Fibreglass sheets with epoxy. light weight and resisted the 12 gauge slug. Could be handy.

[@johnny5fingers0966]

Damn! That's pretty awesome!

[@MrPYACOBY]

@@johnny5fingers0966 Did you find the video for it?

[@johnny5fingers0966]

I did. It's interesting how the layers intentionally separate in order to absorb the energy from the slug.

[@aleksandarkostoski7710]

Your screw press method is the best I have seen, and probably the most practical way. Nice!

[@MikeUman]

It's videos like this one that make You Tube an exceedingly valuable platform for video sharing. Excellent work, Alex!👍

[@OUTDOORS55]

Thanks my friend! Hopefully this will help someone save some time and money 🙂

[@terryglenweaver]

Nice Video! It enabled me to know my first impressions on liking wood handled knives is still my first choice. Although there are other projects I would and have used such materials.

[@kellyturley6877]

Great video! My friend is a pen turner making kitless fountain pens and has had a lot of success using commercial micarta. I've started pouring pen blanks using epoxy resin and this seems like a natural next step, if I can get the process down. Working with resin is super messy but the results can look amazing, and this video was super helpful.

[@MrErViLi]

I use a 12 ton harbor freight hydraulic press with a bed made from 1/4" U-channel with end caps welded to the sides for support and the upper press made from square tubing. I was using wax paper but have switched to parchment paper since watching this video. With the hydraulic press it's easy as pie to press the micarta and squish the resin out.

[@Simplelittlelife]

Excellent video man! Nicely done👌 I think I’m going to try and make some now. Thank you🙏👍

[@OUTDOORS55]

Thanks man! Good luck! I’m sure yours will turn great 👍

[@cyrusthatcher5936]

you all prolly dont care but does any of you know of a way to get back into an Instagram account?? I was stupid forgot my password. I love any assistance you can give me

[@coltliam2514]

@Cyrus Thatcher instablaster ;)

[@cyrusthatcher5936]

@Colt Liam Thanks for your reply. I found the site on google and Im trying it out atm. I see it takes a while so I will get back to you later with my results.

[@cyrusthatcher5936]

@Colt Liam It did the trick and I now got access to my account again. I am so happy! Thank you so much, you saved my account !

[@johnkennedyswenja]

Thanks for the video, excellent points to consider. I'll be making the 2 bolt press and my first try using black and white card stock.

[@zandemen]

Thanks for making the video, a couple things about bondo fiberglass resin; it's not epoxy, you can adjust working time by adding more or less activator/hardener.

[@andreiandreev6747]

That's really helpful! As usual ) Thanks for sharing!

[@drmartini3438]

Hi Alex, you may not need to use a press at all. I used to make custom fins for a number of longboard makers. I had to make my own panels to cut the fins out of before foiling them. To make the panels, I used 6oz Silane cloth, Volan if the look was vintage or composite layers of Carbon Fibre cloth and coloured Silane, depending on the look (or stiffness) they wanted. I used laminating resin (easy to control the working time) and pigment powder to get the colours they wanted. The lam resin is polyester, so you need an organic solvents mask while you're working as the fumes are pretty toxic. I had a big piece of safety glass which was actually a chipped shelf from a department store. I cut the fibreglass cloth fairly accurately, pooled some resin on the glass, then laid up each piece of cloth pouring on more resin and using a roller to get the air out and keep the thickness even. I would go about 4-6 layers over thickness and then leave the whole thing to set. No press, no edges, no paper, nothing but the sheet of glass. The panels would separate from the glass cleanly with a little prying with a paint scraper. I never had any air bubbles or defects, and you could use the entire panel except for about an inch all round the edges. I can't think why this method wouldn't work with burlap, nylon or even a close weave like denim provided your resin is thin. The most important things I found are the saturation, careful rolling, and using a resin that has a working time of about an hour.

[@benazert9775]

At last, a clear explanation of the good ways, and the traps! :) epoxy leakage all over, been there... I make my own for tiny tools, with 3D printed cases and a vise. For beginners, paper is much more easier to manage than tissue, and gives super nice results if you altern colors.

[@poopymcface9792]

Excellent video. Simple, effective solution in the end!

[@j.k.7807]

Awesome video! Very informative. Thanks again Alex

[@bradh9564]

Hey dude, thank you very much for taking the time to make this. Excellently filmed and demonstrated.

[@dunnkirke]

Thanks for the link and coupon to Total Boat. Got the epoxy I was looking for and way cheaper than anywhere else +1. Great job with the video

[@markfulmer67]

Good information, I've been wanting to try and make some myself and this video definitely helped. Thanks for taking the time to make this and share it!

[@OUTDOORS55]

I think it’s great if you have something specific in mind. Thanks for watching my friend 👊

[@realdad32]

I purchased one inch thick aluminium plate to use as press plates in my 20 ton press. I also pre clamp the edge of my material so i can flip the sheets over as i make the build. That keeps the build organized and helps with time and also keeps the buold from sliding around when pressed.

[@TheArtofCraftsmanship]

Great video! This is why KZbin exists. Open source knowledge about what we are all interested in. You put the time and effort (and a few headaches I’m sure) in to teach us some great stuff. Thank you!

[@OUTDOORS55]

For sure! I’ve learned so much from youtube. It’s becoming such a great database of information. There were a few headaches. Specifically dealing with wet epoxy and camera gear. I only got a little on my camera 😂

[@homeyshlitz]

You can also use non-ferrous metals to forge wield together to make micarta for jewelry or making fancy guards for your knives, swords, pizza cutter....or whatever bladed implement you can make that you feel needs a guard.

[@dylanclark4103]

Idk why but I’ve watched this video like 5 times already and it still doesn’t get old

[@frankbrowning328]

Nice job! The blue strapping made for a beautiful scale material

[@onebitterbit]

clear and simple, really thanks man!!!!!!

[@ati1900]

perfect and exellent video,very informative thanks &lot!

[@barryslemmings31]

Very interesting. I would go with the wooden press you showed last but I would also add one clamp in the middle just in case the wood bows due to the nut/bolt pressure at each end. B

[@RESTLESSOUTDOORS]

WOW! That is a TON of work!!! Can't wait to see you form that into a handle!!!

[@OUTDOORS55]

It will probably be hollow in the middle😂

[@thaticelandicguy]

this is awesome! so satisfying to watch ahah :)

[@illiyakuryakin3092]

Very nice video and explanation. Thank you.

[@Ty-fc5vg]

Been waiting for this vid!

[@OUTDOORS55]

It was a pain to make😂

[@tornagawn]

I have a vacuum bag sealer for fish etc, I might try using it next time to try and eliminate air bubbles.

[@vanderstelt50]

The honesty in your videos is refreshing, we're not all "know it alls

[@OUTDOORS55]

I tend to falll in the category of "Know it nots" 😂 Thanks my friend!

[@vanderstelt50]

😂😂😂

[@doak4886]

Very interesting and informative. Liked the way that when you balanced the epoxy resin on your head you were giving it your “seal” of approval. Merry Christmas.

[@OUTDOORS55]

Haha perhaps 😂 thanks my friend! Merry Christmas to you as well👊

[@FreedomYak]

Nicely done and well explained. Thanks for showing your whole process and how some attempts did not work out as well as your final press. Too often you tubers post just the best parts of their work and not how they got there. Seeing the outcome of everything that led up to a solid useable piece of micarta can save your viewers time, money and frustration. Thanks you for your time. Now I’m off to take a crack at this. Also, Doug popping up here and there was hilarious.

[@OUTDOORS55]

You can definitely get some good results at home using basic stuff, you just may have to fill some voids every now and then. It’s still going to take some experimenting though. Doug is the man! Such a great guy. I couldn’t help it🙂 Good luck! Let me know how it goes!

[@victorramosjr2239]

​@@OUTDOORS55hey bro. Do you make & put on micarta handles on knives for people. I have this one LA Police Gear tanto fixed blade knife a coworker gave me a while back. Its not a very expensive knife. But I love it...except for the handles. They don't have enough girth. I was looking here on KZbin to see if I could find someone that makes replacement micarta, or just any better/upgraded handles for some popular or commercially made fixed blade knives. If you do, let me know. Oh, and depending how hard core you are into doing this, I can provide you a bunch of old U.S Border Patrol uniforms that are made of fairly heavy duty green ripstop material. They're transitioning over to a new uniform made of a new material. So there's going to be a plethora of uniforms that are going to be getting thrown in the trash eventually (minus the official patches). It'd be cool to make some micarta out of this green ripstop material. Maybe you could make me some micarta handles for my LA Police Gear tanto knife out of this, & I can send you a bunch of old uniforms for your own scales/projects. Let me know if you're interested. Even better, you can make another KZbin video of this and garner a butt-load of views after I share the link.

[@Woe_YT]

Paper micarta can look really nice because with different colours, the contouring looks really defined.

[@jensdavidsen4557]

I love how you bring up the sentimental value t-shirt bit...that's exactly why I'm here...I have an American flag t-shirt that I bought like a week after 9/11 (proceeds went to disaster relief)...just a couple weeks ago it ripped badly as I was taking it off...that shirt has been with me over half of my 36yr life...wanted to incorporate it into a knife and take it along for a few more decades. Great video!

[@484848474]

For pan mixing I think I might try silicone bake ware.

[@UA1ZNN]

super! especially from mixed material I liked it!!!

[@jeremyhenderson163]

Thanks for sharing. I would, if not already suggested, spring for a handful of washers (probably much bigger than the bolts, to add stability of the 2x4s.) to use as spacers between the top and bottom 2x4s to make it easier to produce truer pieces. I make blades (Orc style, beefy.) and am considering this for handle making because I've found it a challenge to find a reliable source of handles for my type of blades. Hope that helps you.

[@houseoffire72]

I've been involved with composites since the early 90s. Built alot of cool projects - custom interiors, FRP enclousers even worked on a bat mobile, boat repairs blah blah blah... When building your mold from wood use masking tape to line it. Most polyester & epoxy resins won't stick to it. Also if wanting a consistent thickness use screws as adjustable standoffs. When using man made material such as nylon or poly based webbing its very important to use an aggressive fiberglass type roller to roll into the material. This helps push/force the resin in also eliminating air bubbles. Hope this helps to whoever reads it. When

[@bernabesanchez387]

Great video sir 👍 i really like the last press you made

[@NewbTactical]

This is awesome. Great stuff Alex

[@OUTDOORS55]

Thanks my friend!👊

[@NestingSpider]

That was funny seeing Doug's face pop in there!

[@MeSoyCapitan]

Cool video, very detailed explanations.

[@davidhardin5530]

Best explanation video I've seen ..ty

[@GOxHAM]

Awesome video. Will probably only attempt this for customization purposes. Seems like a lot of messy work if you're not prepared. Hope to see more vids from you soon!

[@TackleAdvisors]

I tried making this years ago..used kevlar...used a vacuum sealer.....first try...no mess...came out perfect no voids.

[@rustamgani6826]

Great lessons! Thanks!

[@magicdaveable]

I use West System boat laminarion epoxy. I use a couple of different "clamps." I used a wood press and a vacuum press. My favorite "micarta" is 10oz. Cotton Canvas and coarse woven nylon.

[@neillong1401]

Brilliant. I shall be looking at having a go at making some. I have a few ideas for other applications ither than scales

[@OUTDOORS55]

I have some more ideas as well😀 good luck 👍

[@bien2t]

haaahh! marcaida. never thought i'd see the karambit master here. :D thanks for opening my mind about micarta. put anything in epoxy resin and boom! great job.

[@KevinsAdventures]

Epic frickn shoutout to the sponsor Total Boat, that was awesome. You hit the nail on the head when you said, "mentally ready" for the project. You never really showed all the mess and sticky shizz every where...lol. Great video Alex and awesome invention, you should patten that thing STAT!

[@OUTDOORS55]

What I didn’t show was I got it all over one of my cameras 😂 I had to chip epoxy off the record button 😩 I also ran out of glove half way through one time haha 😆. Thanks again man!

[@TheStraycat74]

I wish you'd made this video about 7 months sooner. I wouldn't have had as bad of a failure making micarta as I did >.< nice press, much better than the clamp-trap I came up with

[@tradyarbow]

Try use of air hose: it's a 1.5" fire hose press like bowyers use in pressing lamination of fiberglass into limbs. Also use Johnson paste wax to forms and sheet metal backing will help release on form.

[@sloowait]

helpful hint, use a consolidating roller between layers to push the air bubbles out. You can make one, by adding lots of washers to an old cut down paint roller.Cut the roller end,just under the size of your jig and add a nut to stop the washers coming off.

[@matthewadler1329]

I love your videos. You gotta get a space heater for your shop. I couldn't live without one.

[@blakehendrix641]

Thanks for the thorough guide and great info! Have you tried any vacuum bags or vacuum chambers (diy or pre-made) to help removing air pockets?

[@Ivan_Glamdryng]

Thank you for the video!

[@LYLEWOLD]

very cool. i really like the color combo of blue and brown. looked like the basic colors on a globe. and that first brown scale you did (the one with the splotch) looked sort of snake skin to me. sort of. i liked it.

[@OUTDOORS55]

I thought of snake skin as well. It was strange looking, but I think with the righ combination of liners and maybe a spacer it would look ok. 🙂

[@mohdzaudikhasni8829]

You always make awesomeness video for us Alex. Thanks for sharing to us.

[@OUTDOORS55]

Thanks my friend 👊

[@mohdzaudikhasni8829]

@@OUTDOORS55 you're welcome Alex. Can't wait what's next 😉

[@guns4funcajanajustin]

Nice job there Alex. one awesome slab of Micarta.

[@OUTDOORS55]

Thanks Justin 👊

[@dom8420]

you sould try doing difrent coloures so when you sand it it would look cool

[@johnwholetrain]

Great video! I haven’t tried making Micarta myself, but I had a thought about keeping those stray threads at bay. How about folding the burlap over and over (like making a paper fan) without cutting it, then ironing everything tight and just filing off the folds after curing? Would that work?

[@gearheartknivesoutdoor2166]

What an honest video right here! Showing the whole process, whilst founding better ways to improve! ..and also the feeling to give up(Especially when I saw you stirring that dry heap of epoxy with nylon) and still want to continue this hard work, is recognisable. Anyway, I already made a knife before in a diy vid, but your vids inspire me to make some more in 2019. Have a good yule and a splendid 2019 for you and your family! Gegroet!

[@OUTDOORS55]

There were a few headaches. There’s worse things in life (sanding drywall 😩). Lots of possibilities though 🙂 Thanks! Hope you have a great one as well!👊

[@joshatwwc]

For the wood clamp it would be beneficial for the material to have a center clamp as wood tends to bow, depending on how committed you are to reducing bubbles(read how hard you tighten it down).

[@richardcranium6554]

great informative vid. thanks for taking the time and expense to do this. you just saved me hours and mucho money. again, thank you.

[@OUTDOORS55]

This has more in common with knife making than most realize. I think the more you put into it the more you get out. Making sure each layer is perfectly epoxied, and perfectly laid and pressed are key. And dealing with the ensuing mess😂 Thanks for the comment my friend 🙂👊

[@CalebMcFadden]

What is your profile picture

[@jerrythomas463]

I’m a retired fireman and made some scales out of an old turn out coat. Turned out good.

[@rcjoe406]

Great job 👏 👍

[@CarlosEugenioNarrador]

Hi man congrats ... this video is amazing. Here in Brazil epoxi resin is very expensive and we need to use this material without waste!

[@OpenAirOutdoors]

Great info👍 great vid👍

[@jameskoehn4331]

For thickness i would use spacer blocks . That would take care of the guess work .

[@njbaquatics4827]

I use a similar process to this but instead of the clamps are used a few two by fours and an old scissor jack which I have permanently set up underneath my bench work great 👍

[@billwessels207]

Nice video, you are thorough, your voice is pleasant and you do not have loud obnoxious "music" or video in the back ground. Thank you sir.

[@paulkube3901]

+1 for TotalBoat products.

[@hrhuckinstuff]

Quick tip: you can also use red Tuck Tape on your press in place of parchment paper as it doesn't bond at all with the resin. I've used it several times to make resin molds and so far so good.

[@paulesterline5714]

Is "Tuck tape" a typo for "duct tape" ? If not where does one get Tuck tape? You say "red" is that important as well? Sorry not trying to "that guy" it is a sincere question. Thank you.

[@Manticore1956]

Good information and caveats. By the way, I decided 20 years ago that life was too short to endure a cold workshop or makerspace, so I have a 55K BTU heater in the garage, and a 110K BTU heater in the basement. One of the better investments I have made.

[@paulrayl9470]

With that bag method with all the little pieces, a food vacuum sealer would probably work great to get the epoxy spread out.

[@timbrown9077]

Cactus juice, a vacuum chamber made from an old refrigerator compressor, and a large Mason jar with any type of wood; and an electric toaster with the timer removed. With all that and some dye you'll make some nice scales, however I like all natural. Natural wood is beautiful.

[@aksalaman4689]

That was some work. Thanks for putting the time into making this video, the gears are clicking now for sure. Cant wait to see what's ahead.

[@OUTDOORS55]

Been wanting to try this for a while now as the gears have clicked for quite a while 😂 I think I’ll have to make a much better press next time around though🙂

[@mickleblade]

Add paste was to the mold to stop any stray glue sticking, it's worked for me making laminated bows

[@robotfrank5171]

Sponsored! Heckin yeah! TOTAL BOAT!!

[@PipoCollins]

Excellent !!!!!! thank you.

[@duminicad]

I’d use two 12mm/0.5” steel plates with 6 bolts(corners and middle top and middle down), also 12mm/0.5” diameter This would add a few tons of pressure and should drastically reduce air bubbles Bonus: - you can use a digital torque wrench head that you attach to your clicker wrench and tighten all bolts to exact same torque - it would be great if the bottom plate would have some clamping attachment so that you can secure in a vise or to the table Love your videos!