Replies

1. 
   Sphere | Jun 13, 2004 05:10pm | #1

   should be no problem, just dry slower. I have used turpentine and it was fine..don't ask.

    

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations. 

2. 
   forestgirl | Jun 13, 2004 09:40pm | #2

   Thanks for giving me a little Sunday-morning giggle before I go to work.  Tooooo funny!  Sounds like it'll be ok.....or I wouldn't laugh.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
   Another proud member of the  "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>) 

3. 
   Alan | Jun 14, 2004 12:23am | #3

   nikkiwood,

   I have no idea whether or not it will work without bad things happening.  But being a great coward I would throw it out and take no chances.  It's lots cheaper and easier to toss the shellac than tossing whatever I'm finishing.

   BTW, is there a reason you don't make your own shellac from flakes?

   Alan

1. 
   nikkiwood | Jun 14, 2004 12:31am | #4

   I have a supply of the flakes around, but usually use them only occasionally.

   Mainly, I'm too lazy; it's easier to open a can.

1. 
   Alan | Jun 15, 2004 02:02am | #5

   Nikkiwood,

   Opening a can is certainly easier.  Once burned, twice shy though; I once brought home a "new" can of orange shellac that was too old--even though I got it well before the "expiration date" on the can.  Fortunately I tested it before I plunged ahead.  Being a coward and lazy, I now make my own;  it saves trips back and forth to the hardware store, and it sure saves the effort to remove sticky shellac.

   Alan

4. 
   CharlieP | Jun 15, 2004 06:57am | #6

   Remember that French Polish includes an oil (say oil base like Mineral Spirits is oil based) and shellac.  So the two work together without confilct, although the drying time and other characteristics may be totally odd. 

   ________________________
   Charlie Plesums  Austin, Texas
   http://www.plesums.com/wood

1. 
   nikkiwood | Jun 15, 2004 07:33am | #7

   Charlie,

   I want to use this stuff as a sealer coat. As a point of curiosity, do you think it would turn wierd and create problems down the line -- say, 6 months from now?

   I've pretty much decided it would best be consigned to some utility project -- like saw horses. But then again, I can imagine what the reaction would be if I walked into a job site with a pair of French polished saw horses...................

1. 
   CharlieP | Jun 15, 2004 03:28pm | #8

   I am not an expert on the long term effects, so I would personally probably use that shellac for something else - for the less-than-$10 involved why take a chance on a good project. 

   In terms of "conflict" between the chemicals, I don't expect a problem, because variants of the same ingredients, in a very different ratio, are used in French Polish.  Therefore, if you had already used it, I wouldn't panic.  I might allow a very long time to be sure it had dried as much as possible, and hand a chance to "vent" whatever came off the mixture.  But I wouldn't take the effort to remove it. 

   Since it doesn't sound like you have used it yet, I probably would start over.  You could have drying problems, maybe it won't seal the wood as well as it should , etc. 

   Incidentally I have often used shellac as a sealer, but last weekend I tried a special lacquer sanding sealer (to go under Lacquer finish).  It was far faster, easier to sand, filled the sandpaper less, and filled the wood better than shellac or anything else I have used.   So at least for now, I have a new sealer - not shellac.  ________________________Charlie Plesums  Austin, Texashttp://www.plesums.com/wood

2. 
   Alan | Jun 16, 2004 02:19am | #9

   Charlie and nikkiwood,

   I don't want to start a fight over this, but I've taken some lessons in French polishing (I have yet to finish anything with it though--it's too much work!) and I think it's a bit of a mistake to say mineral oil is used as an "ingredient" of the shellac when doing a French polish. 

   I was taught the mineral oil was used as only a lubricant to keep the tampon (no adolescent jokes, please) from sticking as the last of the shellac and alcohol is completely drying beneath it.  (What follows is overly general, but is basically what I was taught.)  IIRC, each step after the very first begins with the application of a shellac tampon; when that starts to get a little sticky, you add alcohol to the tampon; and when that's done, you put a drop of mineral oil on the tampon.  I also seem to remember the mineral oil wasn't used until you get close to the last application.

   Perhaps I was taught a renegade version of French polishing.  The man who showed me how was certainly unconventional.

   Alan

1. 
   nikkiwood | Jun 16, 2004 03:11am | #10

   When you say "mineral oil" -- are you using the term interchangeably with "paint thinner"?

   I always thought mineral oil was an entirely different fish than paint thinner.

1. 
   jazzdogg | Jun 16, 2004 06:01pm | #13

   When I was taught French polishing, a drop of olive oil was used to prevent the charged tampon from sticking & dragging. Since then, I've used mineral oil, "boiled" linseed oil, walnut oil (i.e., virtually whatever's on hand), and achieved acceptable results. After all, it's only a drop.

   That being said, however, I now use Qualasole for French polishing most of the time instead of shellac. It flashes off rather quickly, dries hard, and isn't as sticky as shellac to work with.

   FWIW,-Jazzdogg-

   Whether you think you can, or you think you can't, you're right.

2. 
   CharlieP | Jun 16, 2004 03:26am | #11

   I have been collecting information on French Polishing but haven't done it yet - I, too, thought it might be too much work.  But I have always assumed that the oil was linseed oil, not mineral oil. 

   If it is linseed oil, then I stand by my theory that mineral spirits is similar enough that it won't cause the shellac to vaporize or crystalize or burst into flame or anything, even though the "brain fart" did not create a mixture with a ratio of ingredients that I would choose for anything I have heard of. 

   But if French Polishing uses mineral oil, rather than linseed oil EGAD!  That is different.  I'm sure glad we are having this discussion.  ________________________Charlie Plesums  Austin, Texashttp://www.plesums.com/wood

1. 
   Dryrot | Jun 16, 2004 01:29pm | #12

   As I think you already said... Mineral oil is used as a lubricant. It really doesn't take very much. It is the same principal as using water (or spit!) to "spit polish" shoes... If you were ever in the military.

   I have never tried using linseed oil, but I do not think it would work well at all. So, the plane old type of mineral oil you can get at any pharmacy is the answer. And no it isn't the same thing as mineral spirits or paint thinner as someone up the thread asked. --- BRICK

    

   "They say that there is a fine line between genius and insanity. I like to color outside the lines...and then eat the crayons." ~ Me

2. 
   Alan | Jun 17, 2004 12:51am | #14

   Nikkiwood and Charlie,

   Nope.  It's plain old mineral oil that you get at the drug store.  I guess just about any oil would do, but I don't know.  I would not use any oil that would dry or cure, such as boiled linseed oil or tung oil because it would remain on the surface and dull the finish, and would eventually get sticky (though raw linseed oil might work).  But again, it's just a single drop of oil on the tampon, so maybe...

   Anyway, mineral oil is so cheap and so readily available I don't see the sense in using anything else.

   Hmmm.  Now I'm interested again.  Maybe it's time to try French polishing something.

   Alan

   Edited 6/16/2004 6:01 pm ET by Alan