# 1/2 lb cut of shellac as a clear coat, what is it in metric?



## Lucretia (12 Jun 2010)

Hi,

I'm about to prepare a piece of test pine for shellac/dye/shellac finish. I'm wanting a clear coat to go over the prepared wood before applying some dye and then attempting a French Polish (will be a first time for me).

This will serve as a test for a guitar I'm going to build. I'm looking to have the grain show up (if the pine is nice enough for that - the test piece is quite nice).

Now, I found this, but from what I know, I need a 1/2 lb cut, so should I be using 7.5 g of shellac flakes to my 100 g/125 ml of meths?

Also, am I ok to use a water based dye or should I dissolve the dye in alcohol? If I have to use alcohol, can I use meths for this or do I have to use a different solvent?

Thanks (I'm new to all of this),
Luke.


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## Lucretia (13 Jun 2010)

I don't know what all that "report to moderator" stuff is...but anyway, I've mixed up 100 ml of meths with 5ish g of shellac flakes to use as by base coat to stop the dye from blotching. We will see!

Luke.


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## Deejay (13 Jun 2010)

Lucretia":slbt4c6e said:


> I don't know what all that "report to moderator" stuff is...but anyway, I've mixed up 100 ml of meths with 5ish g of shellac flakes to use as by base coat to stop the dye from blotching. We will see!
> 
> Luke.



Mornin' Lucretia

The link you posted is in a spam trap. Once you have posted a few times it will stop.

Someone should be along soon to release it.

Cheers

Dave


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## Sgian Dubh (13 Jun 2010)

Lucretia":2kl1dhz8 said:


> ...from what I know, I need a 1/2 lb cut, so should I be using 7.5 g of shellac flakes to my 100 g/125 ml of meths?
> 
> Also, am I ok to use a water based dye or should I dissolve the dye in alcohol? If I have to use alcohol, can I use meths for this or do I have to use a different solvent?
> 
> ...



This is what happens when you read American woodworking information-- you get all confused because the methods of work are alien to we Brits and they use different terminology.

A 1/2 lb cut means you should put 1/2 lb of shellac flakes into a US gallon of alcohol, aka meths, industrial meths or industrial alcohol in the UK. There are 3.8 litres in a US gallon and a pound weight equals 450 grammes. Use a conversion factor of 0.263 to get the proportions correct according to the US information you read, ie, 3.8 litres X 0.263 = 0.9994 (near enough 1 litre for your needs). Then take the 1/2 lb equivalent in grammes which is approximately 225 grammes and multiply by 0.263 thus: 225 X 0.263 = 59 grammes.

Therefore stick about 60 grammes of shellac in 1 litre of alcohol.

Dissolving the dye depends on what type you've got. If it's spirit dye, use alcohol or lacquer thinner. If it's water dye, use water (and some people would say preferably distilled water, although I never bother), and if it's oil based use white spirits or naptha. Slainte.


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## Lucretia (13 Jun 2010)

Sgian Dubh":3j6amuo2 said:


> This is what happens when you read American woodworking information-- you get all confused because the methods of work are alien to we Brits and they use different terminology.



Tell me about it!  



Sgian Dubh":3j6amuo2 said:


> A 1/2 lb cut means you should put 1/2 lb of shellac flakes into a US gallon of alcohol, aka meths, industrial meths or industrial alcohol in the UK. There are 3.8 litres in a US gallon and a pound weight equals 450 grammes. Use a conversion factor of 0.263 to get the proportions correct according to the US information you read, ie, 3.8 litres X 0.263 = 0.9994 (near enough 1 litre for your needs). Then take the 1/2 lb equivalent in grammes which is approximately 225 grammes and multiply by 0.263 thus: 225 X 0.263 = 59 grammes.
> 
> Therefore stick about 60 grammes of shellac in 1 litre of alcohol.



Thanks for the info, I put about 5-6g in 100ml, so that's about right for the 1/2lb cut. I don't need much, I have a test piece which is quite small.



Sgian Dubh":3j6amuo2 said:


> Dissolving the dye depends on what type you've got. If it's spirit dye, use alcohol or lacquer thinner. If it's water dye, use water (and some people would say preferably distilled water, although I never bother), and if it's oil based use white spirits or naptha. Slainte.



Well, it's Liberon powered dye, can be used in water or alcohol. I'll prolly just use water.

Thanks,
Luke.


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