What resin is best for woodturning?

What Resin Is Best for Woodturning?

If you’ve spent any time experimenting with resin in woodturning, you already know there’s no shortage of options—and plenty of opinions. Over the years, we’ve tried several different types of resin in our own shop, and through a lot of trial, error, and turning time, we’ve found what gives us the most consistent and reliable results.

Why We Prefer Epoxy Resin for Woodturning

After testing multiple resin types, epoxy resin has become our go-to choice for woodturning projects. It offers a great balance of workability, consistency, and finished results—especially when paired with a pressure pot.

We’ve experimented with urethane resins in the past, but found a couple of drawbacks worth noting:

• Some urethane resins can turn cloudy or white over time

• Urethane can also cause strong allergic reactions for some people, which makes it less friendly in a small shop environment

For those reasons, we’ve moved away from urethane and stuck with epoxy.

Our Experience With Total Boat Tabletop Epoxy

One epoxy we’ve had a lot of success with is Total Boat Tabletop Epoxy. It’s proven to be reliable, easy to use, and forgiving—especially for woodturners who want predictable results.

Here’s why it works so well for turning projects:

• Consistent results – Smooth curing and dependable performance

• Food safe once fully cured – A nice bonus for bowls and kitchen-related projects

• 1:1 mix ratio – Simple and easy to measure

• Long open time – Plenty of working time for mixing, pouring, and adjusting

• Colors beautifully – Works well with both liquid dyes and mica powders

• Easy demolding – Releases cleanly from molds

• Turns nicely on the lathe – Cuts cleanly without being brittle

Better Blanks With a Pressure Pot

When epoxy resin is combined with a pressure pot, the results really shine. Using pressure allows you to eliminate bubbles and create dense, high-quality blanks that turn smoothly and predictably.

With this setup, you can confidently produce blanks for:

• Bowls

• Vases

• Candle holders

• Snowmen

• Ornaments

• And just about anything else you can dream up

Final Thoughts

There’s no single “perfect” resin for every shop or every project—but based on our experience, epoxy resin has proven to be the most reliable and user-friendly option for woodturning. Total Boat Tabletop Epoxy, in particular, has earned a permanent spot in our shop thanks to its consistency, ease of use, and excellent turning characteristics.

If you’re looking to step into resin turning—or want fewer surprises along the way—starting with a quality epoxy can make all the difference.