Somebody check my math here, too, please... So I'm trying to mix up a small amount of shellac in a 1-pound cut -- i.e. 16 ounces (by weight) of shellac per 128 ounces (by volume) of alcohol, right? The ratio 16:128 is the same as 1:8, so this should be equivalent to one ounce (by weight) of shellac flakes in 8 ounces (by volume) of alcohol.
Which I stirred up just before going to bed on *Sunday* night.
Forty-three hours later, despite frequent agitation of the container, only about half of the flakes are actually dissolved. What's going on here? Old shellac? This stuff isn't especially fresh, but it's been stored in a sealed zip-lock bag, at room temperature, away from light, moisture, and heat.