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I'll be following this, since I've never heard of "hard shellac". Truthfully shellac is a fairly "hard' finish. That's why it scratches so easily.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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02-04-2021, 10:42 AM
(This post was last modified: 02-04-2021, 10:43 AM by Bad Splinter.)
I don't know if this helps, but I just ordered some Royal-Lac from shellacfinishes.com. They also make a seal-lac a sealer. It seems to have a good reputation so I want to try it on a Mahogany chest of drawers I am making. It is suppose to be even more resilient to scratching than regular shellac. They even make a post catalyzed version of Royal-Lac. It comes ready to use right out of the can. Keeping my fingers crossed I like it, because it ain't cheap
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I did find this background information. Apparently after shellac has been dissolbed in alcohol, some varnishes and other additives can be added to create a harder finish.
I found this:
SOURCE:
http://www.timberbits.com/hard-shellac-500ml.html
UBeaut HDW Hard Shellac - 500ml
Ever wished you had a finish that was as easy to use as shellac but with the durability of polyurethane? Well wish no more, because here it is.
This unique Hardened Shellac creates a film with a high resistance to heat, water and alcohol, yet it is used in exactly the same was as any normal shellac. It can be applied with a rubber as French polish, brushed, sprayed and dipped.
HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?
After shellac has been dissolved in ethanol* it is possible to introduce additives that cause the shellac to cross link after it has dried. This cross linking takes about 20 days to completely cure, less in hot weather.
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Well, it looks like something I'll never try...in store purchase only. I doubt there's a bottle within 200 miles of me. That is interesting, but it looks like you give up some of shellac's attributes..fast drying and easy to repair.
I started with absolutely nothing. Now, thanks to years of hard work, careful planning, and perseverance, I find I still have most of it left.
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02-06-2021, 07:32 PM
(This post was last modified: 02-06-2021, 10:09 PM by wood2woodknot.)
About the only ones I see talking about it are luthiers in Aussie land. Sort of a closed trade group, maybe.
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WoodFinishing Enterprises has a large selection of shellac flakes. With Zinnser Bull's Eye shellac being the only thing I can find on any store shelf, the flakes can give you a lot more flexibility with color.
https://woodfinishingenterprises.com/
