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Hi guys,
    I haven't use shellac yet and I have a couple questions.
I know the flakes come in differant colors.What would you reccomend for a sealer coat over carp.spruce? And what lb.cut would you spray with? Thanks

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

The beauty of shellac is that you don't have to spray to get great results. In fact I wouldn't begin to know how to spray.

I started here and it's a load of info.

French Polish

Thanks for that link Geoff. Right now I'm just going to use it for a sealer coat under nitro.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

For the first sealcoats over bare wood, I would use a water-clear shellac. If you use a colored one, sometimes the wood can absorb it differently here and there and make for a blotchy look. DAMHIK! Once you get the wood sealed, then you can add amber or orange colored stuff and it'll be much more even.

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

Good tip Mark. I'll have to go looking for "water clear".
so far super blonde is the lightest I've been able to find & it does show if you sand through.

Thanks Geoff, great link indeed and thanks Mark for the tip!

ZInsser now sells a pre-mixed shellac they call "Sealcoat". It has no wax so it's good as a sealer under anything. I bought a can at my local Woodcraft store but haven't tried it yet. It was about $10/quart.

Here's a positive review of it (by Frank Ford) at Frets.com :

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Luthier/ProductReviews/Mater ials/Zinsser/zinsser.html

Sorry if this doesn't come out as a "clickable link". Any help on how to do that? It must involve one of those little boxes on the reply page, but I haven't figured it out yet.

Phil

Phil's Link

Frank Ford Review of Zinsser Shellachoosierukes38800.317037037

Yeah, Thanks Mark,I'm going to use that clear.Thanks for your link too Phil.Use the globe with the chain links on it for "clickable links".

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Hesh-

I've an artist friend who swears by the Zinsser stuff. You really don't have to be too scared of the real deal. It's very forgiving. I throw some flakes in a jar of alcohol and stir. I may run it in a hot water bath to speed up dissolving...but waiting a day or two will do it.

I keep mixed shellac in ketchup squirt bottles. To build up I simple squirt it on and wipe off with a rag or soft paper towel. You can do this every 10 - 20 minutes and build up fast.

When this is built up you know it flat with pumice and a rubber (see article above). the pumice actually fills the pores to a mirror finish. You can actually feel the surface fill and become slick.

Shellac is great for a quick coat to avoid stain and color migration. Sanding ebony tail grafts and bindings no longer lead to grey halos around spruce tops and light mahogany. When you're finished, a spit coat will sand/scrape off fast.

Hesh-

There are folks that are really careful about keeping shellac fresh once mixed. I've not been one of them.

That being said, my last session everything came together beautifully...and I'd mixed the shellac the day before.

I think that the ketchup bottle container is a help. You can reach for it and use it with no prep, but the tiny opening restricts moisture tranfer and alcohol evaporation.

I have use Zinsser's Sealcoat for years as a sealer and for my French polish shellac it is 50% amber 50% blonde mix 2# cut. It can be sprayed straight from the can brushed or padded. it will impart a amber hue to spruce but not dark amber. Just a nice warm glow.

Be sure to get the SEALCOAT and not the Shellac finish or sanding sealer Only SEALCOAT is 100% dewaxed. Besure to look for the can to say 100%wax free. Only the SEALCOAT will say this.

You can use the other if you decant the shellac and allow the wax to fall to the bottom then strain off the shellac, but why go through this when you can get it dewaxed in the can.

Somethimes it is hard to find Zinsser's SealCoat. Most hardware stores do not stock it but will special order. Kelly Moore paint stores DO stock it. Home Depot does not stock the SealCoat, only the Sanding Sealer and they told me that because their wharehouse buyers do not buy the SealCoat they could not order it for me either. A bulk buy issue with Home DepotMichaelP38800.5347685185

I just love the stuff. Extremely forgiving. You can have a few 'sessions' on there, sand back to the wood (if you spot a ROS swirl mark ) and have the baby back to spit shine condition in ten minutes flat.
   I was a bit aprehensive before trying FP. Reading on the difficulties and time required to apply a good finish. But after just a few 'sessions' I'm sold big time. The secret is not to load with too much shellac/alcohol. Once you get the mix right, you're laughing.
   Here's a picture after my third 'session'. I had let it gaz out so that's why you see some of the oil permeating to the surface.

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Right on the mark Alain!

Not only can you fix swirls and be back in business...an entire finish can be applied and be ready to be handled within a day.

The amount of mix and oil on the rubber is, indeed, the secret.

Fabulous amounts of priceless information.....one of these days I'll venture into the Shellac finishes too!

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

[QUOTE=Hesh1956]I will be picking ups some Zinsser "Seal Coat" as soon as I can find some in my area.[/QUOTE]
Hesh...I just picked up a can of Sealcoat at my local Menard's for $6.99. BTW, check the bottom of the can for the manufacturing date. Zinsser says it's good (even after it's opened) for three years from that date, and from reports I've read, that seems to actually be the case.

For home brewed shellac, though, six months is the limit (mixed--dry flakes are good for years), and many won't use it after three months. The beauty of it, though, is that you can mix as large or small a batch as you need, and if you weigh the flakes and measure the alcohol each time, you'll get the same color each time, as long as the flakes are from the same batch. A tip I've learned: if you grind or crush the flakes before mixing, your shellac will be ready to use overnight--just give it a shake now and then during the first few hours so the flakes don't congeal at the bottom.

Hey thanks a lot guys. Michael, Just what I needed.It does make more sense to buy the Zinsser sealcoat.Just hope I can find some!Thanks Geoff, good info again
Oh,Michael You say it gives the spruce a nice warm amber hue.Mark was saying theres a chance of blotches so he uses clear. Ever have this problem? TIA.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

I'm sorry we hijacked your thread. All good stuff, though.

No problem, Saved my typing fingers Thanks Geoff

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755

Dave, I said that I put some clear on there before anything else, to seal the wood- then I do use amber or orange shellac for the nice color. It goes on more even that way. Colored coats are better used thin, so the color won't build too fast and become blotchy.
Hesh- hand -applied Shellac, or "FP"- french polishing- is an excellent way of getting a finish, and you don't have to spray. You could do it right in your small apartment, even while watching TV. <G> No fumes. Mark Swanson38800.6674305556

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Mark Swanson
Swanson Guitars
http://www.MarkSwansonMusic.com

OK, I got it Mark.Thanks for the help.

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Anderson Guitars
Clearwater,Fl. 33755