Shellac final finishing...

[FS7]

I like shellac, though I struggle with it. I haven't done it much, as my best results have really all been with waterborne finishes (like Polycrylic) and hand-rubbed (like Watco Danish Oil).

I've used it a few times on some different projects. Most of the time, I will brush it on (one or two coats) and then scrub it out with mineral oil and a Scotch-Brite pad. This works pretty well most of the time. I do this for light use things like drawer boxes, humidors, coat racks, and things like that.

At this point I'm doing a serving tray and I want it to be smooth. The best finish I ever got with shellac was by accident - I was making shelves for an aquarium stand and had researched that the best finish for moisture (not liquid water) was shellac. I was doing plywood shelves and I wasn't liking the streaking, so I dumped alcohol on them to try and remove the shellac. As it turns out I ended up leaving a buttery smooth film, which was perfect.

I'd like that on the try. I *think* what I did in effect was scrub it down with alcohol and mineral spirits, but I can't be sure. Right now there are two rough-ish coats of shellac on the tray. The "standard" at this point is an abrasive pad with mineral oil just to smooth it out, but I wouldn't mind trying something new. Does anybody have any tricks?

[TmanPDX]

Jeff Jewitt has a lot of other applications for shellac:

http://homesteadfinishingproducts.com/sh...b-results/

More in depth for padding: http://homesteadfinishingproducts.com/padding-shellac/

I'd also recommend looking into french polishing. It's a rewarding exercise with beautiful results.

[fredhargis]

I love shellac, but also struggle with applying it. I can spray it (really works well) and I can pad it. But put a brush and jar of shellac in my hands and I can ruin almost anything. That said, shellac will re-dissolve when DNA is applied, and what you did on the shelves was re-dissolve it and then smooth it out. That will work on your serving tray as well. Take a pad (a ball of cloth, typically recommended to be an old tee shirt or such), get it damp with DNA, and rub the finish...it should smooth nicely. Look into french polishing as suggested, it will explain some of this as well as introduce you to a wonderful finish. That said, I'm pretty sure shellac by itself is not what i would use on a serving tray...though it is easy to repair any damage (if some occurs).

[FS7]

I know about padding and french polishing but I've never tried it. I am not sure this is the right time to start...maybe a practice piece first.

[MattP]

I know about padding and french polishing but I've never tried it. I am not sure this is the right time to start...maybe a practice piece first.

padding shellac on is easy. Far easier than brushing, imo. Go on youtube and watch the English Polisher. The technique is similar to what you've already done. He dips a pad in shellac, rubs it in, when it starts to get sticky he dribbles some mineral oil on the surface and keeps rubbing.

Truthfully, french polishing is just as easy; it just takes a lot more patience to get your finish as close to perfectly smooth as you can. First refinishing job I ever did was a french polish, and it came out beautifully. There's an absurd mystique to it, but, in reality, it's just padding on shellac in tiny amounts. 

I love shellac. I need a darn good reason to use any other finish. The stuff is just a dream to use.

[FS7]

padding shellac on is easy. Far easier than brushing, imo. Go on youtube and watch the English Polisher. The technique is similar to what you've already done. He dips a pad in shellac, rubs it in, when it starts to get sticky he dribbles some mineral oil on the surface and keeps rubbing.

Truthfully, french polishing is just as easy; it just takes a lot more patience to get your finish as close to perfectly smooth as you can. First refinishing job I ever did was a french polish, and it came out beautifully. There's an absurd mystique to it, but, in reality, it's just padding on shellac in tiny amounts. 

I love shellac. I need a darn good reason to use any other finish. The stuff is just a dream to use.

Well, he certainly makes it look easy. At this point, I've spent enough time sanding, thinning, and rubbing that I could probably have just done the polish in the first place.

My technique is completely backwards - I put the shellac on very heavy, then sand, put on a lighter coat, sand, lighter coat, etc., all the way down to several with just alcohol.

I think what I just did looks terrible. The wood is fine, the stain was fine, the shellac, not so much. My wife isn't much of a critic and it looks "rustic" (bad) so she likes it. 

I'll learn eventually, I guess. I just wish I had done danish oil in the first place.

[MikeBob]

I like shellac, though I struggle with it. I haven't done it much, as my best results have really all been with waterborne finishes (like Polycrylic) and hand-rubbed (like Watco Danish Oil).

I've used it a few times on some different projects. Most of the time, I will brush it on (one or two coats) and then scrub it out with mineral oil and a Scotch-Brite pad. This works pretty well most of the time. I do this for light use things like drawer boxes, humidors, coat racks, and things like that.

At this point I'm doing a serving tray and I want it to be smooth. The best finish I ever got with shellac was by accident - I was making shelves for an aquarium stand and had researched that the best finish for moisture (not liquid water) was shellac. I was doing plywood shelves and I wasn't liking the streaking, so I dumped alcohol on them to try and remove the shellac. As it turns out I ended up leaving a buttery smooth film, which was perfect.

I'd like that on the try. I *think* what I did in effect was scrub it down with alcohol and mineral spirits, but I can't be sure. Right now there are two rough-ish coats of shellac on the tray. The "standard" at this point is an abrasive pad with mineral oil just to smooth it out, but I wouldn't mind trying something new. Does anybody have any tricks?

What pound cut of Shellac are you using? I find a 3 lb cut is to thick to brush, I like a 2lb cut, it is easier to brush, but it does take an extra coat or 2 to get the same depth of film thickness.

[FS7]

What pound cut of Shellac are you using? I find a 3 lb cut is to thick to brush, I like a 2lb cut, it is easier to brush, but it does take an extra coat or 2 to get the same depth of film thickness.

I actually have no idea, but it's too heavy. I've pretty well butchered the piece by now - the wood is simple enough that I may just try again and do something simpler.

When I poured a jar of DNA to thin and smooth, just dipping the brush in the jar turned it into garnet shellac again. I believe that it was a 1# cut. I used to use 1/2# on my drawers since it was thin enough not to screw up. I have learned three lessons - one, label my jars with the cut, two, too heavy of a shellac mix ruins the project, and three, the cut changes as you go.

[MikeBob]

I actually have no idea, but it's too heavy. I've pretty well butchered the piece by now - the wood is simple enough that I may just try again and do something simpler.

When I poured a jar of DNA to thin and smooth, just dipping the brush in the jar turned it into garnet shellac again. I believe that it was a 1# cut. I used to use 1/2# on my drawers since it was thin enough not to screw up. I have learned three lessons - one, label my jars with the cut, two, too heavy of a shellac mix ruins the project, and three, the cut changes as you go.

How does the cut change as you go? Other then some evaporation when the can/jar is open.

[FS7]

How does the cut change as you go? Other then some evaporation when the can/jar is open.

My guess is that using a foam brush and pushing it around ends up getting too much of the shellac in the brush, which combined with evaporation makes it a compounding problem.

I know it's illogical and the explanation is a reach, but it certainly seems like it's much thicker and heavier at points than it should be. The only thing I can think of is that I pick up the shellac from the piece, get it in the brush, and put it back in the jar where it dissolves again. I don't know how likely that is, but it would mean that I'm putting more alcohol than shellac on the piece and the shellac keeps getting transferred between the piece and the jar.