Bulls Eye® Shellac is an alcohol-based solution of pure lac, a natural resin secreted by tiny insects on certain trees, mainly in India. Fresh-mixed shellac is an excellent film finish, and we go through a lot of it in our shop. Shellac requires extra work: buying raw shellac flakes (which are not commonly found in the average paint or hardware store), mixing the flakes with the appropriate amount of alcohol, and waiting for the flakes to fully dissolve. wdwerker 7646 Posted May 2, 2017. wdwerker. (i.e. I don't know what M. Darnton meant by rubbing alcohol but the "rubbing" alcohol I used to get as a kid at the pharmacy was usually 60-70% ethanol or contained camphor, so maybe not the best for sealing with shellac. To do this, shellac flakes are dissolved in denatured alcohol. I measure 1/4 pound (4oz or 113.5 gr) of shellac and add it to 1 pint (.5 l) of denatured alcohol. It can certainly be confusing to a novice. In this form it is quite usable as a solvent for shellac. Both can be used as cleaning agents, and as solvents in a variety of industries. Denatured alcohol is ethyl alcohol (drinking alcohol) with an additive to render the product lethal to drink. What else can I use to mix up a batch of shellac? This is good and bad. I don't use shellac that often but, when I do, I have just bought Zinsser Bullseye Sealer and cut it with denatured alcohol. Each type of alcohol and even different brands of the same type of alcohol will have different effects on the shellac resin. (NOT the same as Lacquer retarder) To Reduce Sheen: Shellac FLATT, a flatting agent especially formulated to reduce shellac sheen. The risk of mixing denatured alcohol and acetone is not something commonly people hear about. In fact, you can dissolve shellac flakes in alkaline water (hat makers varnish) and it will take forever to dry. About Shellac So I find out that California has banned the sale of Denatured Alcohol. The shellac can be in different forms depending on what you want. A natural resin, carpenters use shellac to give their pieces a lustrous finish, and they often mix the solution themselves to ensure that it is fresh. And per the recommendation of one of the guys at Highland Hardware, I bought a bottle of Golden Grain (or Everclear) at the liquor store to use as the solvent because, in his words, denatured alcohol is “heavy shit”! Put the mixture out of reach and out of sight. First, spirits is British for ethanol (ethyl alcohol). Needed for mixing: High grade 190 Proof Denatured Alcohol.Preferably less than 10% denaturamts To aid Brushing or Spraying: Shellac Retarder to slow drying & to help eliminate brushmarks. Another thing of note is that shellac dries incredibly fast. After it is harvested the dark, reddish-brown resin is crushed into granules, rinsed to remove the natural dye and then dried. For me, I like a ratio of 2/3 shellac and 1/3 denatured alcohol. the fumes are poisonous). Shellac (/ʃəˈlæk/) is a resin secreted by the female lac bug on trees in the forests of India and Thailand. I’ve never tried simply mixing the oil and shellac together. Use the mixing instructions for wiping on the shellac or using it as a polish. I haven't done that yet but will give it a shot next time. • Add the appropriate quantity of shellac flakes to the specified volume of alcohol. If you start with a nice Kusmi button lac and dissolve it in denatured alcohol you will get a very yellow and week looking color that lacks fire. Shellac is used in woodwork as a lacquer. Water will slow the evaporation rate. • Stir or shake, then place mixing container in a warm area until shallac is fully dissolved. This is probably totally wrong by me but I just kind of wing it when I mix my shellac. Shellac will dissolve in any alcohol, including watery alcohol, but if you don't know and can't reproduce the solvent mix, you'll get pretty unpredictable results. I apply it using cloth rags, lint free of course. Recently I went in search of high test Denatured. There are lots of… I especially like garnet on walnut, it brings out the richness of the wood. Before you suggest grain alcohol, we havent had that since 1969 Isopropyl alcohol and denatured alcohol can be alternated in some applications. Low grade alcohol solvents can cause shellac blushing. Can you also use mineral spirits to dilute it? Mixing your own shellac means you’ll always have a fresh batch ready for use since shellac has a relatively short shelf life once mixed of about six months. I've heard good things about it. It’s actually British for denatured alcohol. The problem with using ethanol for dissolving and thinning shellac is that it’s quite expensive (think Everclear that you buy at the liquor store). Give it a try. It comes in flake form for easy dissolving, and is available in light yellow, amber and dark auburn in 1/4 lb (113g) and 1 lb (454g) packages. Allow ample time for the shellac to dissolve. Many brands have as little as 50-60% Ethanol – and the balance cheaper alcohols and denaturing solvents. Stir or shake every 30 minutes. The main thing is after your final coat, let it set for a week or so. Shellac is a a wood finish created by diluting secretions from the laccifer laca bug in denatured alcohol. This creates a sticky substance which can then be easily wiped over the wood. Mixing and Using Shellac. the brain damage is only if you drink the denatured alcohol sold in shop since usually (in UK at least) it contains methanol. It’s the stuff you drink when you go to a pub. Oh hell no ! Therefore, denatured alcohol shouldn't be replaced with IPA when mixing shellac for woodwork. Until guitar-maker Brian Burns told me that he uses mineral spirits (paint thinner) instead of mineral oil as a pad lubricant. Mix the shellac or shellac chips with denatured alcohol in a glass container according to the manufacturer's directions. (See chart.) Never try heating it on or near an open or even indirect flame. I’ve always just dribbled some oil onto the wiping pad. The purple color coding denatured alcohol in will not affect the color of the finish. So, let’s walk through how to mix shellac yourself so you can get started today. You can buy shellac made ready for dissolving in different forms such as pearls, flakes or pre-crushed flakes. Personally I have not tried it but intend to at some point. It works great and dries all by itself — no need for a wipe down with naphtha. Denatured alcohol is recommended as the best solvent to use, but is difficult to obtain. It means that we can apply multiple coats in one day and not have to wait days to finish our project. Denatured alcohol is used because it is extremely high proof. Denatured alcohol has many uses, including window cleaning, improving the smoothness of a sanded surface, and fueling alcohol burners. Shellac is used in woodwork as a lacquer. Chris Schwarz in short uses Everclear to dissolve the shellac flakes as opposed to denatured alcohol for reason being that everclear dissolves the flakes completely while the latter doesn't. Then polish it with an instrument polish. It is an excellent sealer for use on woods with high resin content (e.g., pine) to prevent bleed-through after painting. I hope you try it using the patina flakes and their denatured alcohol or like the other fellow said a pure grain alcahol. What is Shellac? From the original questioner: I generally just apply poly, but thought I'd give this a shot. I have what it looks like on my home page. Pour in Behkol solvent or denatured alcohol and set the mixture aside to dissolve. My question is inspired from a recent article from Lost art press on mixing shellac. What Should I Do If I Mix Them? Even if the mixture makes it less explosive. Various denatured alcohol products still appear in ads when you search for “ethanol” online but you may not find it stocked on the shelves of any store in San Diego. Consequently, what is denatured alcohol used for? You still need to be careful while dealing with this type of combination. It is next to impossible to find a 190 proof alcohol at the ‘big box’ home improvement or hardware stores. Mixing Shellac. It is processed and sold as dry flakes and dissolved in alcohol to make liquid shellac, which is used as a brush-on colorant, food glaze and wood finish.Shellac functions as a tough natural primer, sanding sealant, tannin-blocker, odour-blocker, stain, and high-gloss varnish. Denatured alcohol in any form and with any additive that makes it Methylated spirits is highly inflammable. Here is how I mix it up for general use as a furniture finish (i.e. This creates a sticky substance which can then be easily wiped over the wood. 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. Good luck. Quote; Link to post Share on other sites. I tried several hardware stores, Loews, Home Depot, Walmart, Target, Costco and Rockler without success. One pound of dry shellac dissolved in one gallon of denatured alcohol is a 1-pound cut, which is what I suggest for finishing chip carvings. Use denatured alcohol. To do this, shellac flakes are dissolved in denatured alcohol. not as a barrier for urine, smoke or sap). A natural resin, carpenters use shellac to give their pieces a lustrous finish, and they often mix the solution themselves to ensure that it is fresh. And mixing it with denatured alcohol is going to cause it to dry even faster. If you are using shellac chips, mix the shellac at least 12 hours in advance of use to give the chips plenty of time to dissolve completely. Rubbing alcohol ls is usually around 70% which is kinda low.Vodka, usually 40% is way too diluted. Nothing else will work. The ratio of dry shellac to denatured alcohol is called the cut. I have used a lot of shellac, mostly with off the shelf denatured alcohol, have also tried behkol, other than the price I didn't notice much difference. Acetone and Denatured Alcohol are flammable. I agree what you want is a large percentage of ethanol so 190 proof grain would be best if you don't mind the expense. I have seen shellac that is purchased in the CAn diluted with denatured alcohol. If you're still concerned get methyl hydrate which is wood alcohol. It's my understanding that, from the can, it is a 2# cut; with half Bullseye and half denatured alcohol, it's a 1# cut. Shellac should be dissolved in denatured alcohol. By breaking the term down it’s easy to understand the correct translation. To begin with, shellac has a denatured alcohol base, so you could try adding more denatured alcohol to extend the working time (it isn't an extender, but a reducer, but it may help). Master Poster; Mentors ; 7646 14242 posts; Location.....Atlanta, Ga. Report; Share; Posted May 2, 2017. High test, 190 proof (5% denaturents), Denatured Alcohol is preferred as a Shellac flake solvent. Shake the jar frequently to prevent a lump of shellac from forming in the bottom. We use Tiger Flakes from Tools for Working Wood. Good idea. Natural shellac is a widely used finish for new work and restoration. Mixing Shellac. Should work like oil in a mix as well. And then there’s the whole shellac terminology thing: 1-pound cut, 2-pound cut, waxed, dewaxed, spit coat, etc. Another advantage of mixing your own is you can decide how diluted to make it. Colored shellac can give a real depth and warmth to wood. 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