Official Luthiers Forum!

Over the years I have used a Ball jar to hold my mixed shellac. It is convenient and has measuring marks on the side.
My problem is when I try to open the jar to use the mixed shellac the lid is stuck like concrete and I have a very difficult time opening the jar back up.
Does everyone else have the same problem? If you don't, please tell me how you store your mixed shellac. My hands will thank you!

_________________
Formerly know as Mandodiddle.

I use a Ball jar, but I put a piece of wax paper between the lid and the jar when I close it up. Fixed the sticky lid problem for me.

Dave

I have used squeeze bottles and polypropylene bottles for storing shellac for French Polishing.

Wax paper sounds like a good idea, perhaps even wax alone might work? I have this issue too and always just injected alcohol into the cap and it eventually loosens up. Sometimes I use a pipe wrench to grab it real good too. As for jars, I just use a salsa jar or something like that.

My squeeze bottle has been dried shut for years I just squeeze it and dip the tip into the jar to suck some more in there.

I have had jars get dried shut too. They can be reopened by turning upside down and keeping the lid crack wet with alcohol until all the shellac in the threads dissolves. But mainly just avoid getting shellac on the threads to begin with, or wipe it off immediately if you do. And whenever the jar is empty and I'm going to make a new batch, I'll go at the threads with a knife and alcohol to clean off any dried shellac.

I prefer snap lid glass jars, with rubber seals. They seal up great, but are not stuck when you open them.

If you keep using screw cap jars, you might want to keep a strap wrench handy.

Been using an old Ponzu (Japanese) sauce bottle. plastic lid on a plastic pourer, glass bottle.
Shellac doesn't stick the plastic at all.

_________________
The name catgut is confusing. There are two explanations for the mix up.

Catgut is an abbreviation of the word cattle gut. Gut strings are made from sheep or goat intestines, in the past even from horse, mule or donkey intestines.

Otherwise it could be from the word kitgut or kitstring. Kit meant fiddle, not kitten.

Thanks much for the replies. Several great suggestions that I can file away and use.
Dave, right now I'm going with your wax paper suggestion. It works great and I already have the Ball glass jars.
Again, thanks everybody.

_________________
Formerly know as Mandodiddle.

What Dennis says for getting the lid off. I have used a plastic squeeze ketchup bottle to mix, store,and use my shellac - same bottle for I bet 25 years. It has a cap that is part of the lid. I mix about 1/3 - 1/2 bottle at a time and it lives on my bench. Almost everything I make out of wood gets a quick wash coat with a paper towel.

Ed