MIMF

Hello,

What's everyone's favorite Shellac and where do you get it? I don't mean Royal-lac, I mean the regular kind you all talk about with phrases like, "Use 1lb. cut shellac...". I never used it in my pro days and I need to add this to my skill set.

Thanks,

-Eric

I use brüggmann shellac. Not sure if it is available in the US. Behlen is another well known supplier. In fact my wife is the one who bought all I have used to date as she used to use it in her art work but does not any more so I am working my way through her supply. A box will need to be purchased soon however. I will continue with Brüggmann.

I've played around with several "fancy grade" shellacs over the years but it's hard to beat the convenience of Zinsser's bullseye "sealcoat" dewaxed shellac. Just check the date on the can before you buy and test it on scrap to make sure it dries hard.

David King wrote:I've played around with several "fancy grade" shellacs over the years but it's hard to beat the convenience of Zinsser's bullseye "sealcoat" dewaxed shellac. Just check the date on the can before you buy and test it on scrap to make sure it dries hard.

Do they list the weight of it like 2lb. or 1lb.? I'm new to this and need to learn the nomenclature.

Thanks,

-Eric

Why not "shellac.net"? 2 ounces in 8 ounces of alcohol gives you a 2 lb cut. I use Everclear 190 proof grain alcohol so that I can work in my shop without worryng about inhaling or absorbing the denaturant from denatured alcohols. Sometimes, I just get the blond, dewaxed shellac flakes from LMI or Woodcraft when I'm making an order from them.

You probably want to read the Milburn tutorial: http://api.ning.com/files/fBYtwDmBUnDWf ... itars.docx

Start down this path and you can't go back.

Zinsser "seal-coat" is sold as a sanding sealer and is actually a 1# cut dewaxed shellac. It's the best over the counter product if it's fresh, and there is a date code on the lid. Zinsser has about a dozen sanding sealers, and the other ones are not shellac. They also have clear and amber shellac, which is a 2# cut non-dewaxed shellac. Seal-coat is not available where I am, so I buy the clear, let it sit for a few days and decant off the top half of the can - you can clearly see the wax. some people filter it after that, I don't. I then thin with an equal amount of 99% denatured alcohol (medical rubbing alcohol is what I use) so that it is a 1# cut. Where I use shellac is to seal the surface of the wood. A great example is pre-stain - I wash on two coats as thin as I can, then use an alcohol thinned dye as a stain. The alcohol in the stain merges with the shellac, but doesn't over-penetrate the wood, the shellac lets it sit on top to some extent. I also use it to seal the edges of the top and sides in the binding groove. I wash-coat the groove to seal the wood prior to gluing the binding in, I use ultra thin CA glue that wicks in and stains unsealed wood, and the bond to the shellaced wood is equal to the bond to the bare wood. I also use shellac and sanding dust to pore fill mahogany.

Shellacfinishes.com. They make Royal Lac, which I really like for my guitars. They also sell "seal lac" which is just a 2lb shellac. They also sell shellac flakes.

Randolph Rhett wrote:Shellacfinishes.com. They make Royal Lac, which I really like for my guitars. They also sell "seal lac" which is just a 2lb shellac. They also sell shellac flakes.

Thanks for the tip. And they are having a big sale right now too. The site says that Seal-Lac is a mixture of shellac and other resins. Is it still fine for general sealing like just 1lb. cut shellac?

Thanks,

-Eric

Bob Gramann wrote:Why not "shellac.net"?

That's where I get mine. Lots of info about shellac and on using it there too.

https://www.shellac.net/

Brian Evans wrote:Zinsser "seal-coat" is sold as a sanding sealer and is actually a 1# cut dewaxed shellac. It's the best over the counter product if it's fresh, and there is a date code on the lid. Zinsser has about a dozen sanding sealers, and the other ones are not shellac. They also have clear and amber shellac, which is a 2# cut non-dewaxed shellac. Seal-coat is not available where I am, so I buy the clear, let it sit for a few days and decant off the top half of the can - you can clearly see the wax. some people filter it after that, I don't. I then thin with an equal amount of 99% denatured alcohol (medical rubbing alcohol is what I use) so that it is a 1# cut. Where I use shellac is to seal the surface of the wood. A great example is pre-stain - I wash on two coats as thin as I can, then use an alcohol thinned dye as a stain. The alcohol in the stain merges with the shellac, but doesn't over-penetrate the wood, the shellac lets it sit on top to some extent. I also use it to seal the edges of the top and sides in the binding groove. I wash-coat the groove to seal the wood prior to gluing the binding in, I use ultra thin CA glue that wicks in and stains unsealed wood, and the bond to the shellaced wood is equal to the bond to the bare wood. I also use shellac and sanding dust to pore fill mahogany.

I'm seeing conflicting things about whether seal-coat is a 1# or 2# cut. I can't find any real specs on it. Is there a source somewhere?

Thanks,

-Eric

I'm far from a shellac or French polish expert but I have never once measured my shellac. I mix my flakes using everclear and the tea bag (really just a square of old fabric) method Alan uses. I suspend a bunch of flakes in a jar of alcohol and let it do its thing. I never have any idea of what the cut is. If I feel it is too thick I pour in more alcohol. Too thin (usually never a problem) put more flakes in the bag.

When I French polish, I am going by feel. The way I see it, I'm adding drops of shellac and drops of alcohol to the pad so why do I care what the cut is. I'm after a pad with the right mixture. If I feel I need more alcohol I add more drops to the pad; too thin, fewer drops. Since I'm not an expert, I'm constantly adjusting every time I charge the pad to get where I want to go. I suppose if I had more experience I might want a more reliable concentration in the shellac jar. Or maybe as I get better, that will matter less and less as instinct takes over.

They don't say exactly what cut it is. BTW, their spray shellac is the same stuff, but roughly twice as viscous. I tried to use it for sealing but it went on too thick. https://www.rustoleum.com/~/media/Digit ... r_TDS.ashx

Shellac Shack Platina - lasts longer than other dewaxed bleached shellacs once mixed, but that may be just how I store it, quality of alcohol, etc. I've been doing a monthly glass test on a batch I've been using for all the little stuff that a repair shop does with shellac (sealing wood where PSA will be used, sealing dings prior to CA fills on poly-finished tops, etc.) and have 18 months on that bottle of 1 lb cut. I still mix a fresh batch for big finish jobs or french polishing, but nice to have some stuff on the bench that is colorless for quick use. About $36 per lb with shipping included, and discounts for 5 lbs or more.

For sealing rosettes and binding channels for CA work, or for top protection during building, I use Zinsser spray - dewaxed, very close to Platina in color, and goes on evenly from the can.

+1 on shellac.net. Like Bryan, I was taught to mix by look and feel. I have never measured and it always works great.

New question about flake shellac source. Has anyone bought flake shellac from shellacfinishes? The produce Royal Lac.
Thanks.

I've gotten stuff from shellacfinishes (but not Royal lac), and they've always been good. A couple of the local wood dealers also sell shellac from a local source, and I usually get that when I need it as I'm loading up on expensive wood.

For the small quantities of shellac I use I have bought from these people:
https://wellermart.com/t/shellac
They will sell as little as 2 oz. at a time so you can buy several different types to try without a large investment.
I mix 2 oz of shellac with 8 oz. (1 cup) of alcohol to make a 2 pound cut, and then will add alcohol to some of it if I want a thinner mix. Ordering smaller quantities and keeping most of it as flakes gives it a better shelf life and creates less waste for me.
If you can find Jasco Green denatured alcohol it has a higher percentage of ethyl alcohol than many of the others and should be somewhat less toxic than most.