Shellac, obviously one of the most versatile finishing products available to us today
has been around for thousands of years.
It is a natural resin secreted by the lac bug on certain trees in mainly India and Thailand.
It is used in many industries including the textile, agricultural,
pharmaceutical and of course wood finishing.
Originally it was used as a dye
but since the mid 19th century has been used as a clear varnish.
Unfortunately with the rise of synthetic resins it became less popular.
However, in recent years it is being used more and more.
Shellac comes in several themes and variations.
In its most unrefined form it is known as seed lac or button lac and has a deep red color.
In its most refined form it is known as blonde and can be almost clear.
Basically there are three shades of colors, garnet, orange and blonde.
All of these are available in waxed or dewaxed versions.
Shellac can be sprayed, brushed or padded onto a surface.
It is very durable and was even used on flooring in the past.
Some of the pros are: in its dewaxed form it can go over or under any other finish,
its organic, you won’t poison yourself or blow yourself up.
No special equipment is needed to apply it, thus it saves you money.
You can purchase it pre mixed and even get it in a sprayable recipe.
It can be high gloss or rubbed out to a satin.
For us luthiers it also has a tonal aspect in that it can be applied very thin
so as not to inhibit the tonal vibrations of the instrument.
Depending on the color used it can be clear or add color to the wood.
Shellac also touches up nicely making instrument repairs easier.
I use shellac quite often in my shop and when I do I prefer to mix it myself from flakes.
So, let me show you how I do that. When mixing shellac we use the term pound cut.
For example, a one pound cut would be one pound of flakes to one gallon of alcohol.
A two pound cut would be two pounds of flakes to one gallon of alcohol,
three pound cut – three pounds of flakes to one gallon of alcohol
and therefore more concentrated. What I am going to do is show you how to mix a one pound cut.
This is what I use in my shop for repairs and for finish work.
If I were to mix one pound of flakes to one gallon of alcohol
I would have more than I could use before it goes bad.
So, I am going to divide those proportions down
and mix one ounce of flakes to eight ounces of alcohol.
This will give me a one pound cut in the proportions that I use in my shop.
Here is a little trick to help your flakes dissolve quicker.
Place them in a coffee grinder and grind them into a fine powder.
I then pace this mixture into a container that has liquid measurements written on the side.
I then add eight ounces of alcohol to the container.
I then place the lid on and allow the mixture to dissolve.
This could take a day or two.
If you put it in the coffee grinder sometimes it takes a little less.
You want to make sure it is all dissolved before you work it.
I also like to write some information on the bottle. First of all the pound cut,
the flavor and the date.
That way I know how fresh the shellac is.
You’ll notice that I am using pure grain alcohol to mix my shellac flakes
and there’s some reasons for that. 1.It is not poisonous.
Denatured alcohol gives me a headache so I don’t even like it in my shop.
Second, if there happens to be any wax in your flakes
a certain amount of that will dissolve into the denatured alcohol giving you a softer finish.
Third, the grain alcohol flashes off quicker and for my method of French polish,
this allows me to get a quicker build.
One the shellac has dissolved, I like to filter it before I use it.
Once mixed your shellac has a shelf life and here is how you can tell if it’s gone bad.
Place a little bit onto a hard surface like a mirror a tile a cd,
anything like that and let it sit overnight.
Come back the next morning and run your fingernail into it from your thumb,
if it is gummy, it’s gone bad.
If it flakes off, it’s dried, it’s hard, it’s good enough to use.
Now, I almost never throw out shellac in my shop.
Even if it’s gone bad I’ll use it for wash coats
and things that I know is gonna be taken off the guitar later.
Shellac: a very versatile and often overlooked finish.
Next time you need to finish your instrument keep shellac on your list of possibilities.