Replies

1. 
   Westchester | May 03, 2004 09:49pm | #1

   Are you mixing the finish from flakes and if so are you using a good quality solvent?

   Are you allowing the correct dry time between coats?

   Regards,

   SA

1. 
   Rezberg | May 03, 2004 11:29pm | #3

   hi,

   flakes it is. A good quality. I'm not in the states so I use the metric system. 150 gr. of flakes dillutes in two liters of alcohol. Dont know how to transilate that. Be happy for a tip.

1. 
   Tao | May 04, 2004 12:07am | #5

   For starters, your mix is way too thin.

   A very thin mixture what we would call a 1 pound cut would be 120 grams per liter.

   A padding mixture (2 lb cut) would be about 240 grams per liter, and a thick mixture would about 360 grams per liter (3 lb cut.)

   Try increasing your concentration to about 240 grams per liter, and you'll get much better build per coat.  Don't try to brush it out, just flow it on quickly with minimal brushing.  I prefer to pad it on, myself, in most cases, but a good quality brush will work.

   You will still probably have to sand the shellac out prior to the last coat.

   Michael R.

2. 
   Westchester | May 04, 2004 03:12am | #6

   Hey Rezberg,

   Hope some of the good advise  by all has helped.  I usually work with a 3 pound cut.  That's 3  LBS. of shellac to a gallon of solvent.   Don't deny yourself trying pre-mixed shellac finish.  I'm getting great results with pre-mixed.  I use Zinsser Clear.  I have had no problems with this product.

   Regards,

   SA

2. 
   Tao | May 03, 2004 10:29pm | #2

   What are you finishing, and how heavy a cut are you using?

   On open grained woods, the pores are very hard to fill with finish alone, since the finish shrinks back about 75% as it cures.  You'd have to put on enough finish over a period of days to fill the pores, and then sand it back level. Better to use some pumice and a pad on the early coats to fill the grain.

   To level out the brush marks and the grain texture on closed grain woods, just sand the finish level with 220 grit stearated paper before the final coat.  Wet sanding works, too, but I usually save that for final polishing.  You could pad on the final coat or two to get an even better look, or shellac can be cut and polished beautifully. 

   Michael R

3. 
   Paul_Snyder | May 03, 2004 11:46pm | #4

   One of the uses for shellac is a sanding sealer; so you absolutely DON'T need a sanding sealer under shellac. And the gloss won't diminish over time except through wear.

   If you look at the texture of wood, you'll find there are low spots in the grain (pores) and high spots in the grain. Shellac and other film forming finishes allow the wood grain to show in the surface of the finish even as you apply multiple coats. The solution, as Michael pointed out, is to sand the finish level (called sanding back) until the surface of the finish doesn't have any shiny dimples. Then apply the final coat.

   If the finish isn't thick enough to sand back level without cutting into any dye or stain you used, you can sand it back a little and apply a couple more coats. Then sand it back again. Repeat until it's level. Only apply a couple coats a day, waiting a few hours between coats, and sand back the next day. That will give the finish time to shrink before you sand it. Depending on how large the pores are and how many coats it takes to get a level finish, there's a chance the pores will appear again in the future (can take several months) as the finish continues to shrink and harden over time.

   Paul

4. 
   jpohja | May 04, 2004 04:53am | #7

   FWIW, I found shellac extremely difficult to brush on; it dries so fast there is no chance to level as you go. I switched to a hvlp conversion sprayer and have had much better luck.  John