Used shellac for the first time - need advice

I don't know what it is, but it's definitely horrible stuff. My shop stank for several days afterwards. The can of "denatured alcohol" smells exactly the same, so I take it the Bullseye stuff is made extra noxious on purpose.

I'll be coming up with something less noxious when I get around to ordering some flakes. Everclear has been banned here for quite some time. Too many stupid college students killing themselves with it. I'll have to come up with something else, and whatever it is, it damn sure won't be "methylated spirit."

Yes you are talking about mineral spirits, but the question we have is

On Wed, 05 Nov 2003 20:10:48 -0500, Silvan scribbled

Luigi Replace "no" with "yk" twice in reply address for real email address

OK, let's look at this more closely. You've spent days, weeks or months on a particular project. You've spent hours on the design, chosen your wood carefully, dimensioned it all precisely, surfaced it to baby's butt smoothness and done all the joinery so it fits perfectly.

Now you're telling me that in order to get some shellac that you know is fresh, de-waxed and the proper cut, it's too much of a hassle to take some flakes, stir them in a solution of alcohol and wait overnight?

Uh ... yeah ... OK ...

Chuck Vance

You could look for a source of anhydrous isopropanol. It is a good solvent for Shellac if you don't mind the longer drying time. It doesn't have to be denatured so you won't have the noxious odor. As organic solvents go it is pretty safe, although I would still use good ventilation and wear a respirator with charcoal cartridges if you are working with it for long.

Rubbing alcohol without all the water in it, basically?

Chuck,

just talking about the "relative" delay of making it vs opening a can. I can do some projects in a few hours and want to finish them with shellac on the spot. Pop open the can, wipe or brush it on. let it dry.

Other projects from start to finish takes months. granted. but not always. work with me a little on this one. I'm not saying I'll never use flakes, as I can see a legitimate need. Just don't discount the "need" for quick and easy too. Deal?

dave

C>

Isopropyl will take longer to dissolve the shellac and is very hygroscopic (absorbs water from the air). It won't be anhydrous for long in a humid environment.

I am very happy with the denatured alcohol from woodfinishingsupplies.com. In addition to the very mild odor (not significantly worse than pure ethanol), the gallon I bought came in four very nice plastic quart bottles, making it easy to handle, measure & pour.

Martin

Hah! You wouldn't believe some of the saps on this newsgroup. They buy wood, square it, thickness it, cut it, smooth it, join pieces together, and more! Me, I just get in my car and go to the furniture store and buy it. No prep hassle at all.

Ken Muldrew snipped-for-privacy@ucalgazry.ca (remove all letters after y in the alphabet)

My only point was that while preparation can sometimes be a hassle, it is more often the whole enchilada for recreational woodworkers.

Ken Muldrew snipped-for-privacy@ucalgazry.ca (remove all letters after y in the alphabet)

When was the last time a house guest exclaimed "You MADE that?" to you?

I rest my case.

Barry

to which he replied sheepishly, "no that's from Ikea..."

dave

B a r r y B u r k e J r . wrote:

FWIW, the alcohols I buy from the BORGs really dosen't smell bad to me. Am I used to it, or did Silvan just get some weird, stinky stuff?

This is very common in the radio control airplane industry. Quart bottles are not subject to the same HAZMAT regulations as gallons, so many mail order joints ship gallons as (4) quarts.

It is handy for users,a nd it seems to keep some chemicals, like alcohol fresh longer.

Barry

Over the years I've gotten more "You made THAT??" than "You MADE that?" exclaimations. - My tub to shower conversion, chunk of bicycle inner tube, garden hose piece, lawn sprinkler, clamps, electricians tape. It worked the whole 6 months we lived in the apartment. - A business office closed & I got two 3' x 6' desks. The unwarped desktop became my 3'x5' drafting table. (1) The two sets of drawers from each got screwed together & castors on the bottom to make two 4-drawer roll arounds. One is in my office & the other in the shop. - To save floor space in my home office, a bookcase screwed into the wall

There are several pieces around the house I'm proud of (for the skills I had at the time ) But there are a lot of useful things around the house ("NOT in the living room!" - SWMBO) that are cutoffs, butt joints & drywall screws. After I made my router table it's now cuttoffs, rabbets & drywall screws.

Everyone always posts such nice work in a.b.p.w. Maybe I'll post a sense of humor tester... ;-)

-- Mark

(1) Nothing to shake your head about with a tilting top drafting table, UNLESS it's Rube-Goldberged to a computer table in such a way as no additional holes had to be drilled in the computer table. Which it is. With nearly matched scrap pieces on each end...

I might just be sensitive to it. It's not really "stinky" like a fart is stinky. It's just seriously overpowering.

Maybe it's just what you're used to. I grew up doing models with those old Testors enamels in a closed bedroom. Lots of mineral spirits, not very much alcohol. Maybe I burned out my mineral spirits smell receptors. :)

reminds me of using airplane dope. Whew! gave me a headache.

dave

Silvan wrote:

the answer WE have is "read Andy's comments preceding mine". I believe he is in the UK. Have you been inhaling MEK again and lost the last few billion of your brain cells? I can't believe you have asked 3 of the stupidest ever questions in the last 24 hours. You are a real prize, my friend.

dave

Silvan wrote: