Shellac - never used it before

[EdK]

Ordered some Liberon blonde dewaxed shellac from Axminster. I bought it as I've never used it before and am keen to have a go and see how it looks etc.
Is this a good one to start with ? Being a natural product I was wondering if there are differences in quality - also I noticed a range of colours on the Ax. site. Can they be mixed or are you limited to what's in the bag?

Any tips on use ?

Thanks,
Ed

 

[houtslager]

yes it can be mixed with other shellacs, and also with spirit dies - aniline colours are many and varied.
hs

 

[Woodfinish Man]

Tips on use?....Mix approx 225gms into 1L Meths to obtain a ready for use thickness.

Ian

 

[EdK]

Thanks - found a book during my lunch hour and read a bit in it - seemed to say to mix it with white spirit or denatured alcohol. I have both but no meths. Does it matter what the mixing medium is ?
Seems that the blonde dewaxed version is bleached (according to the book) so will give a neutral finish. THink that is what I am after - just enhance the natural wood and all that...
Thanks,
Ed

 

[Sgian Dubh]

... mix it with white spirit or denatured alcohol. I have both but no meths. Does it matter what the mixing medium is ? Ed

White spirits won't dissolve shellac. Denatured alcohol is the North American terminology for alcohol which is the solvent for shellac. In the UK the type of alcohol you are after is called either meths, the blue stuff, or industrial alcohol which is clear. Slainte.

 

[Derek Willis.]

Edk,
Read some of the posts in finishes about Shellac and French p[olishing, do not use anything else except Methylated, it must be able to evaporate during use, and during the french polishing process, Blonde shellac is my most favourite one to use, and helps to keep the original colour of your timber.
Derek.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

... do not use anything else except Methylated... Derek.

Derek, I'll just add the rider that clear industrial alcohol (methyl alcohol, aka methanol, CH3OH) is the same stuff but minus the dye. However, assuming EdK is not a professional finisher it may be very hard to buy this stuff off the shelf as I do and he will only be able to buy the blue coloured meths. Slainte.

 

[EdK]

Well there you have it ! Never appreciated that meths was alcohol, all those New Years fondues... Anyway, more reading at lunchtime and feel I'm getting a grip on this shellac business.
Another interesting book with some good points on how shellac is produced (I kind of like to know about the history/production process/background of things rather than just use them).
According to the book it's mostly harvested in India where the lac bug lays eggs/larvae on a certain tree and then covers itself and the eggs and branch in 'lac'. Bug then dies, the babies bore their way out and then the branches are gathered and processed. (No bugs killed which is good)
Various stages involving heat and rolling out the lac, purifying it in some instances (for blonde/lemon) and then breaking the sheets into flakes.
All very interesting...
Book also said to try and use the purest alcohol you could - I can actually buy industrial alcohol from the local chemists - at least I ordered a bottle last year and had to answer some questions. The bottle is clear so fewer additives - reckon I'll try with that when my Ax. order arrives.

Anyway, didn't realise that pre 1840's ? (memory is hazy from lunchtime) most furniture finishes were oil or wax based rather than shellac/french polish then often alot of furniture was refinished with FP/shellac once it became popular.

More fasckinating facts... (or at least half remembered points from lunch) tung oil became popular after the 1920's when supply could run with demand once Florida started to grow the trees (tung trees I guess).

Anyway, enough. Will soak some flakes and have a try.
Cheers
Ed

 

[Anonymous]

Don't worry about the purple colour in meths, it doesn't show i the shellac or visibly affect the colour when compared to clear alcohol

 

[devonwoody]

What about Isopropyl Alcohol BP 70% v/v ?

Is that anygood to mix with shellac?

I got a large 600ml bottle from the chemist, I think it was around £3.99

 

[Derek Willis.]

Can't answer that, and I thought I knew all about finishes.
Derek.

 

[Woodfinish Man]

The only problem you'll encounter when thinning shellac with Isopropyl Alcohol BP 70% v/v is that the dissolved shellac solution will take slightly longer to dry than if you used Meths.

Ian

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks woodfish.

 

[yetloh]

If you have a Morrels branch near you, you can buy finishing spirit from them. This is methanol to which a small amount of shellac has been added (to make it unpalatable, I guess) and smells much more pleasant than meths - I use it all the time - I expect they do mail order too.

Jim