Thread: Help with Shellac

G'day all...I haven't posted here before,but picked up much great advice over time,and it's been a great help in getting restarted as a furniture maker after a 20 year break.

I was hoping someone could help with a finishing problem.
I'm trying to finish a Chestnut table, which has been stained with Haymes oil based stains.
Stupidly,and this may well be the problem,i've been using a U Beaut Hard shellac that i have had stored in plastic airtight container for some weeks, which i've drawn on to finish other stuff.
From time to time, i've added an amount of ethanol depending on whether i'm doing
first or subsequent coats.

The brush sits in a tin with ethanol, and i've reused that with fine results until now.

The second coat of about 60/40 shellac,ethanol goes on fine, but the second coat
using same container but probably being around 70/30 shellac, ethanol shrivels, and
actually looks like it's trying to strip the table.

In sanding the first coat with 1200 and using 0000 steel wool, it easily cuts through
the first coat,which shows when putting on the second.

I dare say,i shouldn't be using oldish mixed solution,the brush could be cleaned after
each use, and a more consistent ratio of shellac to ethanol might help too.

so, i was wondering if anyone can confirm that i've been a goose about the whole
thing, and or if there's anything else i could work on to get it right.

Namely the correct ratio's.....for first and subsequent coats.

Aside from that......has anyone successfully used Rustins spirit stains under hard .
They reckon it's ok,but i had this problem,same table(sigh) when i used their stuff,
thinking that was the problem,imcompatible with U Beauts product, but it's happened again with the oil.

Cheers and thanks,
Polski