Canned shellac is convenient, but if you want more control over your finish you’ll need to mix your own. In this video, executive art director Mike Pekovich shows you how easy it is to make a batch of shellac from flakes.
Produced and shot by Ben Strano, Edited by Jeff Roos
Imagine waking up to birdsong in a small cabin among the pines, surrounded by clear glacial ponds and lots of folks with axes. That is the scene at the idyllic and historic Pinewoods Dance Camp, the site of Greenwood Fest.
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Mike: Can we spray this mixture? as you blended it?
slowlearner:
i find that if i apply a little vaseline to the threads of the jar, it can sit on a shelf for quite a long time and open very easily.
FYI- You only put in 5 squirts of alcohol initially, not 6!
How did they achieve the high-gloss shellac finishes you see on 19th-century furniture and pianos? Was the shellac brushed on or french polished?
One thing I learned was be careful mixing old alcohol with shellac. Alcohol absorbs water from the air over time, and the shellac won't liquify.
Lots of good information here. Thanks.
I use dewaxed flakes and alcohol. These are all good tips, especially the one about keeping the wiping rag in its own can. These glass pint sized ball jars are handy, but the lid will seal and that makes it almost impossible to remove. Soaking in alcohol and running under hot water doesn't usually help. I tried wrapping the threads with teflon tape. It worked once and then some of the tape came off and the rest was messy to remove. Does anybody have any advice?.
Well done tutorial.
Hi Mike thanks for the video I to would like to know the shelf life after mixing it up. If you could tell it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Great video Mike! About how long can you keep both the heavy syrup consistency mix as well as the ready to apply mix in the sealed jars you are using?
Denatured alcohol and methylated spirits are the same thing. They are both ethanol, i.e., drinking alcohol, with a little methanol added. The only difference that I know is that in the U.K. a purple dye is added, which doesn't affect the color of the shellac.
Denatured alcohol is ethyl alcohol (drinking alcohol) with an additive to render the product lethal to drink. Denatured alcohol is cheap because it is not taxed as a beverage. On the other hand, ever-clear, which is bought at the spirits store and is heavily taxed may be used, but at a higher price. Some finishers prefer ever-clear because of its slightly higher ethyl alcohol content.
Michael,
An excellent presentation. What is de-natured alchol, in the UK, we use methylated spirit?
When you had finished with your rag, you stuffed into the jar containing the remains of the alchol that you were using to thin down the shellac!