Thread: What are your thoughts on shellac ?

Ubeaut White Shellac

It is very easy. Dries very fast. More coats go quickly. No fumes. Thin down for sanding sealer. Great stuff. Hardened brushes just soften again in the shellac. Rags don't burst into flames.

Originally Posted by tea lady

It is very easy. Dries very fast. More coats go quickly. No fumes. Thin down for sanding sealer. Great stuff. Hardened brushes just soften again in the shellac. Rags don't burst into flames.

+1 to all your points TL.

With all the advances in finishes there is still no better sealer than shellac,you got somthing bleeding through it will seal it. We used to get it in hession sacks and you really had to strain it to get all the rubbish out.
+2 to all point TL.
Regards Rod.

Anything that uses alcohol has to be good.
It also is the fastest way to get a good looking finish. My wife's grandfather occasionally made coffins as needed. French polish was the quickest way to get the finish without the pallbearers sticking to the coffin.
Cheers,
Jim

I have used U-Beaut Hard Shellac several times with great results

Shellac is crap!

Insects deposit it onto twigs which are harvested and then refined. It makes one of the best varnishes around and also lends itself to French polishing... though I won't hold that against it. I can vouch for U-beaut's white shellac.

Originally Posted by Woodwould

Shellac is crap!

Insects deposit it onto twigs which are harvested and then refined. It makes one of the best varnishes around and also lends itself to French polishing... though I won't hold that against it. I can vouch for U-beaut's white shellac.

Good if you like to pick your nose a lot

Love the end result, hate the work that's needed (for me) to get it looking good.

My choice is blonde shellac. First known use of shellac is some 3000 years ago & plenty of surviving wood items finished with shellac that are hundreds of years old. All shellacs are great stuff - almost too good to be true. Its a primer, sealer & satin/gloss finish in one bottle; food safe - they coat pills with it & use it as food glaze; quick to apply; easy to repair; good insulator; seals out moisture; UV resistant; does not darken with age. But there has to be a down side - it mars easily with scratches, water & alcohol damage - but is easily repaired .

Great stuff for all the reasons everyone else has said.
Just as an aside, it is also used to coat hard lollies to make them shiny, and on television stage sets to make everything look crisp and bright.

In the words of the arab who sold the first european a ship load of the stuff......." Just don't tell em its beetle $##t"

I like it for getting into the timber a crisping up the grain, I use it on rough turned bowls and it turns soft end grain from something almost uncutable to something that cuts clean as.

There are lots of people who will tell you finishes don't penetrate fat into timber, I have had thinned out shelac almost running thru 10mm of timber from the inside of a bowl and dripping off the outside.

Lots of people make too much of a meal out of applying shelac, you don't have to go the whole french poilsh thing, you can lay it up and sand it back just like any other finish.......hell, you can probaly spary it like laquer, but I have not tried.

U beaut hard shealc and u beaut white shelac....great stuff

cheers