rodger. Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 I use an earlex 5500 for spraying, and am thinking about spraying some shellac on my next project. Was just looking for some General advice. Since its not a sealer in my case, I will prob go with regular waxed shellac. Should I make my own, or just go with off the shelf shellac? Also, what pound cut is good for spraying? How about needle size? I use a 1.5 mm needle for polyurethane, and it seems to do well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 ==>I will prob go with regular waxed shellac ??? ==>Should I make my own No, not to start with. ==>what pound cut is good for spraying? 1.5ct ==>How about needle size? I use what's in the gun -- typically 1.0 -- certainly not anything over 1.3mm ==>General advice Go to the paint store and get a quart/gal of standard clear dewaxed (Zinsser, whatever), and a gal of denatured alcohol. The pre-mixed stuff will be #3ct... Shoot some scrap, cardboard, etc... After a seal coat of #1ct, shoot two #1.5ct to get some solids. Wait an hour or two (until you don’t get corning) and sand-back to get a smooth surface. Shoot a coat or four of #2ct to build a body – sanding between, if necessary... Wait a week or three, then rub-out... You should execute the entire schedule on a couple of scrap items and get success before shooting a real project... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted May 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 ==>I will prob go with regular waxed shellac ??? ==>Should I make my own No, not to start with. ==>what pound cut is good for spraying? 1.5ct ==>How about needle size? I use what's in the gun -- typically 1.0 -- certainly not anything over 1.3mm ==>General advice Go to the paint store and get a quart/gal of standard clear dewaxed (Zinsser, whatever), and a gal of denatured alcohol. The pre-mixed stuff will be #3ct... Shoot some scrap, cardboard, etc... After a seal coat of #1ct, shoot two #1.5ct to get some solids. Wait an hour or two (until you don’t get corning) and sand-back to get a smooth surface. Shoot a coat or four of #2ct to build a body – sanding between, if necessary... Wait three weeks, rub-out... Using standard shellac is not a good idea? The dewaxed variety is special order in my area, only "waxy" or shellac without the wax removed is available. I could be confused here, on what is dewaxed and what is not. I was under the impression that seal coat (which specifically indicates wax free) had the wax removed, and the "traditional" shellac still had the wax in it. Here is an example of what is typically available to me:http://www.homedepot.ca/product/shellac-clear-473ml/943748 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Or sure.... Make me use Google.... http://www.rustoleum.com/~/media/DigitalEncyclopedia/Documents/RustoleumUSA/TDS/English/CBG/Zinsser/BEY-06_Bulls_Eye_Shellac_TDS.ashx http://www.rustoleum.com/MSDS/ENGLISH/304H.PDF The MSDS is mute on wax, the website says wax-free and the TDS says the surface should be free of wax... I'd call the 800 number -- they are usually home 24/7... Note: for those new to finishing -- the website is owned the Marketing, the TDS by Development and the MSDS by QA/QC/Legal --- when researching a finish, mostly ignore the marketing and go for the TDS and MSDS... Marketing will tell you what you want to here --- the TDS tells you what it is and the MSDS tells you not to drink it... If in doubt, call the 800 number for tech services -- I've always found them to be a big help... As for wax -- I generally avoid it until a finish cures... Until then, wax has little upside and loads of downside... For instance, suppose you shoot a shellac finish and decide to pop the piece with a quick shot of Deft -- wax can only hurt... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 In a pinch, I believe you can 'de-wax' the stuff yourself by letting it settle for a few days and decanting it off. I've seen videos of this for those who mix from flakes, but don't know if it works with the pre-mixed stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted May 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 This begs the question then, why make "waxed" shellac at all? It appears that the vast majority of finishers either make their own "dewaxed" from flakes, buy "seal coat", or siphon off the shellac and leave the wax behind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Lol! Shellac is a biological excretion that naturally contains wax. Kinda like your ears. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trz Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 I'll be shooting shellac w/hvlp on some book cases only I'll be using Zinnser Amber Shellac. Any different advice for me? Hoping I'm not highjacking! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 ==>why make "waxed" shellac at all? Removing wax requires an extra processing step that increases COGS and decreases yield. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodger. Posted May 17, 2015 Author Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 Lol! Shellac is a biological excretion that naturally contains wax. Kinda like your ears. If shellac is your top coat, the wax is not an issue. I've been doing some reading - it appears that the wax makes shellac LESS resistant to water. Has this been your experience? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tpt life Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 No clue Pug. I just know the back story on the biological end. I do know a lot of waxes soften when flooded. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 In general, shellac offers poor protection from water, heat, alcohol (obviously) and most anything else you can spill... I spend a good percent of my summers dissolving and reforming antique shellac finishes in an effort to repair spills --- especially drink rings... Shellac has outstanding clarity and rubs-out like nothing else... For decorative, formal or other low-abuse items, shellac is great... If you build a QA low-boy, shellac is awesome --- just put a little ‘no drinks’ sign on it when guests stop by... You think I’m joking – I know several people who do that with their public-space antiques – paying $10K to get a piece refinished is no joke... Pug --- less thinking, more spraying... Forget the BORG, go to a paint store and they’ll help – you may need to anyway to get the alcohol... A paint store will have de-waxed... If they don’t, then they can get it. They may need to order-in the alcohol – I’m not sure about Ont, but they do in Que. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stobes21 Posted May 17, 2015 Report Share Posted May 17, 2015 The shellac flakes I bought from woodcraft came dewaxed. Mixing them up is pretty easy, especially with those little mixing cups with the measurements and ratios all printed in the sides that the woodworking stores sell. I've never sprayed it though so I'm afraid I can't help with that much. Didn't Marc do some tests in a video a while back and found no difference in how poly adhered to waxed vs dewaxed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trip Posted May 18, 2015 Report Share Posted May 18, 2015 ==>found no difference in how poly adhered to waxed vs dewaxed? Yea, if a few days of adhesion testing has some basis in reality, then sure.... have at it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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