houstonwoodworker Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 I have seen shellac that is purchased in the CAn diluted with denatured alcohol. Can you also use mineral spirits to dilute it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 Oh hell no ! Use denatured alcohol. Nothing else will work. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
houstonwoodworker Posted May 2, 2017 Author Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 Glad I asked!!!! Thx so much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick S Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 10 minutes ago, wdwerker said: Oh hell no ! Use denatured alcohol. Nothing else will work. Except Everclear. That works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdwerker Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 You got me there. Denatured is drinking alcohol with enough wood alcohol to make it poisonous. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 There is an article on the Pop Woodworking site (you can Google for it) about adding mineral oil to shellac to improve the finish. That seems odd to me since mineral oil doesn't really dry, but one of the comments was about adding a little mineral spirits to improve the application (and reduce the drag) of applying the shellac. I've never tried it, but it should not be too hard to try any of the options (turpentine, MS, MO) on a scrap board.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhighlander Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 There is an article on the Pop Woodworking site (you can Google for it) about adding mineral oil to shellac to improve the finish. That seems odd to me since mineral oil doesn't really dry, but one of the comments was about adding a little mineral spirits to improve the application (and reduce the drag) of applying the shellac. I've never tried it, but it should not be too hard to try any of the options (turpentine, MS, MO) on a scrap board.... Shellac, lubricated with oil, is the recipe for french polish. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jfitz Posted May 2, 2017 Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 1 hour ago, wtnhighlander said: Shellac, lubricated with oil, is the recipe for french polish. duh on me. of course, should have remembered that. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post wdwerker Posted May 2, 2017 Popular Post Report Share Posted May 2, 2017 So I learned a few things and remembered a couple too. But basically you should still use alcohol to thin shellac. It still has a place in anyone's finishing possibilities. Shellac is a great barrier coat between dissimilar finishes. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DRonly Posted July 11, 2019 Report Share Posted July 11, 2019 How about 95% grain alcohol? It is less toxic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mick S Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 2 hours ago, DRonly said: How about 95% grain alcohol? It is less toxic Not always! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gee-dub Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 There are certainly variations and even "special" alcohol products for shellac. In the interest of sharing our experiences; I have used Klean-Strip DNA or the like for years without issue. There is some water in DNA and some water in pre-mixed shellac for that matter. Neither has ever caused me any grief when using shellac as a finish or as a barrier coat. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkinneb Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 10 hours ago, gee-dub said: There are certainly variations and even "special" alcohol products for shellac. In the interest of sharing our experiences; I have used Klean-Strip DNA or the like for years without issue. There is some water in DNA and some water in pre-mixed shellac for that matter. Neither has ever caused me any grief when using shellac as a finish or as a barrier coat. That's what I use as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immortan D Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 I use ethyl grain alcohol 95% pure, no problems there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted July 12, 2019 Report Share Posted July 12, 2019 I don't have a lot of experience with shellac, but reading stuff by those do suggests that pure ethanol is the very best. Availability can be an issue though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark J Posted July 13, 2019 Report Share Posted July 13, 2019 Getting ethanol from a 95% ethanol 5% water solution to 100% ethanol requires the addition of a tiny amount of benzene, which is a known carcinogen. This may be the reason for the availability issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drzaius Posted July 13, 2019 Report Share Posted July 13, 2019 I learn something new every day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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