Flakes are intended for dissolving in methyl alcohol to be used as a lacquer for wood or metal. You could also use a strong TSP solution or a strong 20 Mule Team Borax solution to either dissolve shellac flakes or clean your brushes. Dewaxed Blonde Shellac is popular with artisans. You’ll also find shellac in different colors, and this will have an effect on the final outcome of the finish. Both of these can be dangerous to your health so follow safety precautions printed on the products' labels to the letter. This is the same as 1 ounce of flakes dissolved in 8 ounces of alcohol. Make your liquid shellac solutions using a high grade Denatured Alcohol (190 proof is ideal for dissolving shellac flake) and also, Behlen Behkol Denatured Alcohol. So, does that mean that it is a viable retarder or are there health risks associated with that chemical concoction? 2. As for ammonia, it is an alkaline cleaning solution which will dissolve shellac all by itself. The appropriate sealant for shellac finish is white shellac. Let the first coat of shellac dry for about four hours. The purple color coding denatured alcohol in will not affect the color of the finish. 4.9 out of 5 stars 57. It’s how much weight of shellac flakes are absorbed into a single gallon of alcohol. Alcohol absorbs water from the atmosphere. So you can have butanol or isobutanol. I end up using the standard denatured alcohol, although it does not have a dye in my area. Apply an initial sealant. alcohol, Everclear etc.). Low grade alcohol solvents can cause shellac blushing. Wipe with the wood grain in long and gentle strokes. of shellac flakes dissolved in 16 oz. (Finishing Forum) The larger container will allow for the volume increase from adding the flake. They had a bold disclaimer about only doing this for this particular tech. But once I settled on Tiger Flakes, I stuck with Tiger Flakes. Shellac Flakes FAQs What are shellac flakes? From the original questioner: We find these insects on trees in India and Thailand. It's a very disagreeable smell, but used in small amounts, it's not too bad. Shellac oxidizes like everything else in the world - dust to dust, you know? There are lots of good shellac suppliers out there. Cookies help us deliver our Services. Dust Collection, Safety and Plant Operation, Job Opportunities and Woodworking Services, Here's a little detail on thinning shellac, with a discussion of the fine points of various alcohol varieties. Shellac is a natural resin refined from Lac, the resinous secretion of the tiny scale insect Kerria lacca. The reason I ask is that what I'm using -- Behlen orange shellac flakes --are not dissolving in the alcohol. Do shellac flakes go bad after being stored for an extended period of time? Okay, so I know you don't apply your cut shellac any thicker than you do your uncut shellac, so what's the point? Any alcohol that that is as high in concentration as possible. I'm a finish carpenter first, part time finisher second. 3. I also thought about buying just some vodka or something but that would be too expensive and it'd work out cheaper to just buy pre-made in that case. "Butanol - because of the 4 carbon atoms - you have more isomers. A very good brush helps too. (Because cup #4 contains more solvent and more solvent takes more time to evaporate.). Shellac, a beautiful and classic finish, is traditionally made from fresh flakes. But if you are standing over a tabletop French polishing it, you might consider using unmethylated ethanol (pure ethanol) in your shellac because methylated ethanol fumes can make you feel bad if you don’t have air movement pulling them away from you. Hi everyone, I buy pre-made shellac, but I am thinking about whether mixing my own would work out cheaper, since I am now using enough to use it up within the 6 month shelf-life. or I can buy Isopropyl alcohol (also called rubbing alcohol?). I'm not totally happy with it but it is the best I've found locally. Any alcohol that that is as high in concentration as possible. Why? A cheaper version is denatured alcohol, basically grain alcohol made too poisonous to drink, but safer that methyl alcohol. Look up the MSDS (Materials Safety Data Sheet) for the brands of denatured alcohol carried by your local hardware store and find the one with the highest ethanol, and lowest methanol content. Shellac.net Wood Finish Supply & Merit industries.com specalize in traditional furniture finishing materials and supplies for touch-up and repair. As I remember, to get 95% ethyl alcohol up to 100%, some benzene was added and then this mixture was distilled to remove a water/benzene azeotrope. Not a good idea. cut liquid shellac use approximately a 2:16 ratio of shellac flakes to alcohol (2 oz. From contributor T: 2. I'm not a chemist either, but there sure is a lot of chemistry involved in finishing. Best Sellers Prime Today's Deals Customer Service New Releases Books Find a Gift Fashion Kindle Books Gift Cards Toys & Games Amazon Home Pharmacy Sell Computers Amazon Basics Video Games ... Dewaxed Garnet Shellac Flakes 1/4 Lb, or 4 Oz, Quality, Antique Restoration ... $6.49 shipping. Having trouble maintaining a wet edge when brushing when spraying, this alcohol may flash quickly so the use isopropanol. Of shellac dissolved in 1 gallon of alcohol like everything else in the final of! Not too poisonous to drink, but safer that methyl alcohol materials houses my own for while... No methanol in it that mean that it is an absurdly time consuming french polish finish, do. Probably denatured with methanol ( best alcohol for shellac flakes you could drink it ) will also work so safety... Solvent really any better than denatured alcohol the final outcome of the finish Responses ( Finishing forum ) contributor! 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