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Not happy with Shellac finish - fptahoe - 02-15-2018
I made a couple of nightstands and put about 5 coats of 1 lb cut shellac on them using foam brushes. Despite being very careful and having used the process with shellac before, I am getting imperfections - lines or ridges like where two brush strokes meet side by side, also some marks at the beginning or the end of a brush stroke. I have sanded it down and put another coat on it, but it happened again and I am afraid if I don't change something up, I will just duplicate what happened on previous coats. Really appreciate any advice. Thanks as always...FPT
PS: I gotta buy a sprayer
RE: Not happy with Shellac finish - jteneyck - 02-15-2018
(02-15-2018, 10:34 PM)fptahoe Wrote: I made a couple of nightstands and put about 5 coats of 1 lb cut shellac on them using foam brushes. Despite being very careful and having used the process with shellac before, I am getting imperfections - lines or ridges like where two brush strokes meet side by side, also some marks at the beginning or the end of a brush stroke. I have sanded it down and put another coat on it, but it happened again and I am afraid if I don't change something up, I will just duplicate what happened on previous coats. Really appreciate any advice. Thanks as always...FPT
PS: I gotta buy a sprayer
Yep, buy a spray gun. But for now you could use rattle can shellac. Alternatively, you could rub out your brushed finish. A few brush marks won't matter; the first sanding grit will get rid of them, and the finer grits will bring up the sheen to whatever you want. 600 grit wet/dry paper with mineral spirits to lube it is a good place to start.
John
RE: Not happy with Shellac finish - giradman - 02-15-2018
(02-15-2018, 10:34 PM)fptahoe Wrote: I made a couple of nightstands and put about 5 coats of 1 lb cut shellac on them using foam brushes. Despite being very careful and having used the process with shellac before, I am getting imperfections - lines or ridges like where two brush strokes meet side by side, also some marks at the beginning or the end of a brush stroke. I have sanded it down and put another coat on it, but it happened again and I am afraid if I don't change something up, I will just duplicate what happened on previous coats. Really appreciate any advice. Thanks as always...FPT
PS: I gotta buy a sprayer
Hi Fptahoe - first, just curious if you have used shellac before? Second, did you mix or buy your shellac? Finally, if applying shellac by hand, the brush to use is a natural bristle one - shellac's solvent is alcohol and a foam brush may dissolve, thus you used the wrong type of brush. Finally, 5 coats of shellac are a lot to produce a nice even finish that requires a LOT of experience (e.g. French polishing) - just my initial thoughts.
For myself, I usually use shellac as a first sealer coat or an intermediate coat between potentially two incompatible finollishes, e.g. most recently applied an oil gel stain, then shellac, followed by a WB (water-borne) poly clear overcoat. Next time, I would suggest that you come here first and ask about your finishing schedule. Dave
RE: Not happy with Shellac finish - fredhargis - 02-16-2018
All the foam brushes I've seen are marked "not for shellac" and I believe that's the biggest problem. But I can't add much to what's been said. I can only apply shallec 2 ways: I can spray it, and i can pad it on. Put a brush (a natural bristle brush) in my hand with a jar of shellac and i can ruin something fairly quickly. Most of us think of brushing shellac the same way we would brush other finishes, that doesn't work.
RE: Not happy with Shellac finish - fptahoe - 02-16-2018
(02-16-2018, 06:40 AM)fredhargis Wrote: All the foam brushes I've seen are marked "not for shellac" and I believe that's the biggest problem. But I can't add much to what's been said. I can only apply shallec 2 ways: I can spray it, and i can pad it on. Put a brush (a natural bristle brush) in my hand with a jar of shellac and i can ruin something fairly quickly. Most of us think of brushing shellac the same way we would brush other finishes, that doesn't work.
Thank you, all, very much appreciated. As I mentioned, I have used this same method (I mixed my own shellac from flakes) many times before and been very happy with the finished product. Based on your responses, though, I will use a natural bristle brush and seriously think about getting a sprayer - I see the Earlex is on sale from Highland Hardware currently. For this piece, I will go back over it with 600 grit and then 1000 grit paper and take it from there. Thanks again...
RE: Not happy with Shellac finish - Cooler - 02-16-2018
Lay on a few more coats using 400 or 800 grit on a wide block sander to even out the finish.
Finish up with automotive compound. Watch the Fine Woodworking video:
http://www.finewoodworking.com/2009/07/01/high-gloss-in-minutes
The thing that they don't mention is the wide block sanding. The wider the block the more you can make the top perfectly level. When the wide block dulls across the entire surface with no divots, you are ready for buffing.
Buffing will shine the entire surface but it will not make the surface level. And when it is buffed to a mirror finish the irregularities will show more.
RE: Not happy with Shellac finish - Rob Young - 02-16-2018
(02-16-2018, 06:52 AM)fptahoe Wrote: Thank you, all, very much appreciated. As I mentioned, I have used this same method (I mixed my own shellac from flakes) many times before and been very happy with the finished product. Based on your responses, though, I will use a natural bristle brush and seriously think about getting a sprayer - I see the Earlex is on sale from Highland Hardware currently. For this piece, I will go back over it with 600 grit and then 1000 grit paper and take it from there. Thanks again...
If I can spray the shellac, I spray it. Either with a turbine HVLP or using the (non)rattle can stuff.
For a brush, I've had very good luck with artists brushes made using "Taklon" which is a form of nylon. Got that recommendation from Don Williams, formerly of the Smithsonian conservation workshops. Works great and they are relatively inexpensive. You can get 2" and 3" wide ones all the way down to little bitty ones. And in different bristle "cuts" which can be helpful. Usually sold as watercolor brushes, but look for "Taklon" or "Golden Taklon" as the bristle material.
RE: Not happy with Shellac finish - roybs_123 - 02-22-2018
nice thread...
RE: Not happy with Shellac finish - fptahoe - 02-25-2018
(02-22-2018, 08:18 AM)roybs_123 Wrote: nice thread...
Nice thread, indeed. I did sand with 600 grit, then wet sanded with 1000 grit, then used Breewax with Breewax steel wool, which to me is much finer than 0000 steel wool, and it finished wonderfully. I (maybe nearly) always take the advice I get here and put it to use and have never been disappointed. So when I say thank you, I really mean thank you.
RE: Not happy with Shellac finish - JJO - 05-06-2018
Consider padding it on....No brush marks..Much easier