Table Finish-Epoxy?

[bhstech]

I have a 86 Cat-27 with a bulkhead mounted galley table. It is a formica covered particle board table and weights a ton. I have procured some Catalpa lumber(also known as tulip tree). It is light and very stable. I was traditional used as fence posts because of the tolerance to rot and warping. Looks very nice as well.
I would like to finish it with a clear epoxy like that sometimes seen on bar tops or restaurant tables. This type of finish it poured on and runs over the sides. That's fine for those applications but I need both sides to look nice.
Has anyone had any experience with this product on a boat? Is there a better alternative. The wood has a large grain to it. Think Oak. It is sort of soft compared to Oak or Maple but much lighter. I made a step stool for the boat out of it last year and it works very well.

[Boracay]

I've used generic 5:1 epoxy (the type used to finish floors) on the saloon table in Boracay. It's worked out well being resistant to stains with a smooth durable finish.

I just mix it up carefully and apply it full strength with a cheap brush. Thinning does not seem to improve penetration much and the final finish is not as good.

The softer woods do soak up a lot and its good to get the wood as saturated as possible with the first coat. These days I use peel ply and absorbent pads to suck up any drips but only where it won't show in the final finish.

Keeping the area and the job as dust free and oil free (no sweat drops!) as possible helps a lot in getting a good finish.

When recoating don't believe anyone (even the manufacturer) that tells you it won't blush. I use a little bit of cloudy ammonia in water until my finger "squeeks" when rubbed acros the surface. Doing this before sanding saves having the waxy blush ground into the first coat.

As you can see from the photo the saloon is still a work in progress.

[Thumbs Up]

I have used pour on bartop finish on two large countertops (in houses), one was african mahogany, the other ipe. The trick to a nice bullnose edge is to just let it run over the edge and drip onto the floor (cover with newspaper). afterwords you have to sand globs of the bottom edge but that is easy. Not sure how you would pull off a double bullnose but you could finish the bottom afterwords. A few pointers: this stuff mixes thick but once poured finds its own level and will flow out of the smallest crack or pinhole. Bubbles are a problem especially with open grained wood, it helps to apply a thin coat initially and warm the wood beforehand. A propane plumbers torch can be used to pop air bubbles before the surface gels, play the flame over the surface but don't get it hot or it will scorch. Let us know how it turns out!

[JusDreaming]

Mirror Coat is what I have used
System Three Mirror Coat