Steps in surface preparation and finishing?

[myxpykalix]

Ok here is what i have. I took an old bar top from my basement and pocketed off the scratched up uneven epoxy surface down to the wood.

My intent is to Vcarve the letters USMC and SEMPER FI into the surface and then use a TAP Plastic resin of a light color to inlay into the vcarving. Then to take a 3d file i've bought off ebay carve it into a light wood, pocket the shape out of the bartop and insert it. Stain the bar to a dark color. Then epoxy everything to seal it all in.

So correct me if i'm wrong in the sequence of how i should do this

Vcarve letters and pocket for 3d file
3d carve file for insertion
pour resin to fill vcarved letters
sand resin
stain bartop
pour epoxy over bar to seal all in

My confusion comes in where the dark stain meets the light resin and how not to stain over the letters?
Should i stain first, varve, apply sign mask, pour resin in vcarve? I'll still have to sand resin...right?

[shilala]

Jack, I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think you can sand the resin.
It'll surface up nice in the letters, it shouldn't be an issue. Plus you're going to clear resin over top...

[myxpykalix]

Well i had never poured this type of resin and did not know. However if you don't sand it how do you get rid of overfill and slop?

[shilala]

The stuff stays fluid for plenty long enough. I've put it in 1/2" high letters, then finished them off by dripping more in with a toothpick.
I tried sanding one before. Clean down to 800. It pretty much looks like it'd look if I sanded my windshield.
Mind ya, I never put another layer on top of the sanded stuff, but I've wet it, covered it with mineral oil, and poly'd, and they all looked awful.

So the short answer is, don't overfill or slop.
I've even used those 10cc syringes without the needles to fill stuff in, because I am the KING of slop. :D

[myxpykalix]

In talking to the guy at TAP plastic he said it's no problem sanding it right along with the wood then go ahead and coat it with the stain and wipe the stain off the plastic. Then just coat it with epoxy.