Thread: Shellac Again!

Rather than brush can you use a rubber?

There is a handy book on polishing known as A Polishers Handbook which I can highly recommend

Originally Posted by Chief Tiff

Rather than brush can you use a rubber?

There is a handy book on polishing known as A Polishers Handbook which I can highly recommend

Already got Neils book, fadding isn't a problem under ideal circumstances however I need to brush the shellac on as its going over dye stain.

Why not brush it on then flatten it by sanding it back, you can always repeat until you have sealed the surface and are happy to move on to the next stage which in this case is staining?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezTjHkErjx4

You may like this video from the same polisher

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1F3QBrR6e0

Also are you using a good quality brush here's a pic of one that I brought with me from the UK

Polishing Brush.jpg

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

I need to brush the shellac on as its going over dye stain.

Is this the same job where you’re putting shellac over poly gloss ?

Originally Posted by Camelot

Why not brush it on then flatten it by sanding it back, you can always repeat until you have sealed the surface and are happy to move on to the next stage which in this case is staining?

The stain is under the shellac not over it, apart from a little colour that I add to the shellac to tone it in area's. I do cut back after shellac has dried but it would be made easier without brush/lap marks, mostly lap marks hence my question.

Originally Posted by Camelot

Also are you using a good quality brush here's a pic of one that I brought with me from the UK

I use flat hake brushes for applying shellac.

Originally Posted by auscab

Is this the same job where you’re putting shellac over poly gloss ?

Yes same job Rob. There's been no issue with the shellac over the poly so far. I'm just experimenting with drying times on a new test piece and thought I'd have a go.

Those brushes will not give you the best finish a mop brush like my pic lays on the shellac better because the bristles are different lengths which leaves less marks, they are quite expensive but last years with the right maintenance

Here's a link to a good quality brush French Polishing Mops & Brushes
– Restorers Choice

And this is the company that make the one I have.

Liberon Soft Hair French Polishing Mops 12 – Sprayster

Originally Posted by Camelot

Those brushes will not give you the best finish a mop brush like my pic lays on the shellac better because the bristles are different lengths which leaves less marks, they are quite expensive but last years with the right maintenance

Here's a link to a good quality brush French Polishing Mops & Brushes
– Restorers Choice

I have about 250-300 odd brushes as I'm a portrait artist. I tried the mob brushes before but found the hakes give a much better finish and hold more material than the mops. Also, they're not very practical when doing a large table top.

Here's Paul Sellers using one:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UssYj-98oCg

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

I have about 250-300 odd brushes as I'm a portrait artist. I tried the mob brushes before but found the hakes give a much better finish and hold more material than the mops. Also, they're not very practical when doing a large table top.

It maybe down to your technique and speed of applying, you don't want a brush which contains too much shellac because that can result in uneven thickness being applied, it's not like painting with a oil based Dulux where on a flat surface the paint will flatten slightly during it's drying period

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

Is there a way to slow the drying time of Shellac as not to get brush or overlap marks when brushing?. I've heard you can add Mineral Turps, is this true?.

Its all in the technique of applying shellac on with a brush that gives the wanted result . If your seeing overlap marks then your not putting it on fast enough and then going over it to spread the shellac evenly as you go along. Or your going back over parts before the coat has set. Or maybe it has set and your doing single patchy strokes. You should be trying to lay down a coat and spread it out so it dries as one. Its still just going to look like brush marks. Which doesn't matter because the fine rub back and rubber later will smooth it all out anyway.

Originally Posted by auscab

If your seeing overlap marks then your not putting it on fast enough and then going over it to spread the shellac evenly as you go along.

I'll have a go at changing my technique somewhat. I've never had this problem before with other shellac finishes I've done. I haven't kept a note of my mix or cut of shellac unfortunately. Also the bottle of Hard Shellac I'm using is a few months out of date I didn't want to use a new bottle for test purposes. With that bottle I'm doing a 50/50 cut.

Originally Posted by auscab

Its still just going to look like brush marks. Which doesn't matter because the fine rub back and rubber later will smooth it all out anyway.

So its normal to have the odd overlap mark etc?.

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

I'll have a go at changing my technique somewhat. I've never had this problem before with other shellac finishes I've done. I haven't kept a note of my mix or cut of shellac unfortunately. Also the bottle of Hard Shellac I'm using is a few months out of date I didn't want to use a new bottle for test purposes. With that bottle I'm doing a 50/50 cut.



So its normal to have the odd overlap mark etc?.

I have never kept note of any Cut. I cover the stuff with metho to dissolve it and store it on the shelf like that in a big glass bottle and mix it down thin from there for use.
You would be getting more noticeable brush overlap marks if your using it to thick as well as not applying it right.

edit. I think knowing and describing Cut is of use for being able to describe to someone else exactly what mix your using in writing. But its not the slightest bit usefull, to me anyway , in doing the job.

You mentioned your doing a large top, so you will need to work across it quickly keeping a continues wet edge to allow the shellac to blend into itself to form one coat, should you yet to one end of the top, but when returning to start another line (or section) at the other end you may no longer have a wet edge this is where overlapping or brush marks can occur. If this is the case you could work the full width of the top but still following the grain in the tops length direction (assuming the width distance is less than the length) this should hopefully help maintain a constant wet edge to work from.