Wiping on amber shellac (thinning?)


javajake

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I am using some amber shellac on a vanity, and having a hard time getting a good finish because it tacks up so quickly. Would thinning it make it easier or harder to get a coat on before it tacks up? I thinned the poly, and I can't believe how much easier it was to get a good finish with that.

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I am using some amber shellac on a vanity, and having a hard time getting a good finish because it tacks up so quickly. Would thinning it make it easier or harder to get a coat on before it tacks up? I thinned the poly, and I can't believe how much easier it was to get a good finish with that.

I've thinned shellac with denatured alcohol and wiped it on before, to decent results.

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+1 on the denatured alcohol to thin.

I always spray shellac (sometimes all over me, but that's another story). If you wipe and get streaks at all, remember that you can sand it nicely to a glass smooth surface with P400. I used wet/dry P400 on my last project. Kills the nubs and bumps. Even if any streaks or lap marks show after sanding, the final top coat will get rid of that.

As an aside, I usually buy an aerosol can of shellac for quick touch ups and small projects. Not worth setting up the HVLP for that (uhg, I hate cleaning it). Sure, per-ounce, it is more expensive than a quart of SealCoat, but very handy.

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Like Paul, I spray, and hell yeah, damn happy to clean the gun :lol:, but I have read...the hand job guys... sometimes cut the shellac with rubbing alcohol (contains water which evaporates slower) to slow the dry. Never tried it...........like anything in woodworking/finishing applying shellac by hand takes practice. Thin light coats is the trick.

-Ace-

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Like Paul, I spray, and hell yeah, damn happy to clean the gun :lol:, but I have read...the hand job guys... sometimes cut the shellac with rubbing alcohol (contains water which evaporates slower) to slow the dry. Never tried it...........like anything in woodworking/finishing applying shellac by hand takes practice. Thin light coats is the trick.

-Ace-

Ooh, that I will try; never thought of that. In AZ, anything to slow evaporation is a bonus.

Oh, uhm, some curious wording in there :lol:

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Bulls eye makes a thinned version of the amber to apply as a first coat. You do not have the tack problems with it. After that you can just apply a a regular coat of the amber. Just note that most of the shellacs you get are 3 or 4 pound cuts. I still thin these down to about a 2lb cut as it applies easier. The best way though is to spray it if you can.

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