Thread: Shellac, tell me all you know!

Thanks Alastair.

In Vic Mitre 10 often have or can get in 'industrial' meths made by Sceneys.

Thanks Alistair

One of the things I love about shellac is that you can get so many different kinds of finishes from the one product. Whether it be sprayed, brushed, wiped, rubbed or however you like to apply it, a finish like no other is relatively easily achievable. When you talk to "experts" it is often quite amusing to hear how many different forms the best method of application takes (and how wrong everyone else is).
My five cents worth is to remember it is not paint, if you try to use it like paint it will only frustrate you.
It is the easiest polish to use but can also be the hardest at the same time.
If you have a method that works for you then use it.
Always be open to new ideas as sometimes even a small change in your perfect method can yeild some great results.
I have been using shellac professionally for nearly 25 years now but would never claim to be an expert or to know all there is to know. I still surprise myself occasionally when I learn something new or try a new method.
And if you dont like how your finish came out, just wash it off with meths.
Hhhmmm, think that might have been 30 cents worth.
Anyhow, never be too afraid to experiment with how you apply shellac as you wont find a more forgiving polish.

Excellent 30 cents worth

Astrid

A shellac related question.

I'm doing up a second hand desk and it has a fairly big dint (about 8mm deep) in the top that I will need to fill. The desk top is made of plywood and I'm wondering what I can use to fill the hole. I have an idea of using some of the wood just mixed with shellac and painted on in thin layers.

Are there any downsides to do this? Will the fill end up darker than the surrounding wood?

The desk is for a child so while it needs to be functional and I want it to look good, it's very cheap and I'm not worried about trying out new techniques on it.

Get a plug cutter and cut a plug from an area of the desk that is out of sight (underneath). Insert the plug into the hole then just fill any remaining fine imperfections. I'm assuming the hole is reasonably small of course.

Groggy - Thanks for the info and link on the plugs. I am a real novice so wasn't even aware of the concept. The plugs look like a lot of fun...I could just imagine doing something decorative with different types of wood.

I didn't mention that I'm taking part in a "no spend" challenge so I was hoping to use items already at home.

I actually tried the shellac mixed with wood dust a bit earlier. It has worked really well though it's darker than the surrounding wood. The fill fits in quite well with the wood grain colour (even after finishing). For an even better colour match, in the future, I would try white shellac. At least the fill I used looks better than the existing, almost white plug on the side of the cabinet.