Schellack Spraying? AM I CRAZY?

You could put that many coats on in a day’s time but I don’t know about 30 minutes. A coat of shellac will cure out, depending upon the ambient temperature, in about 30 to 45 minutes. On the bookcases that I posted I sprayed 5 coats of 2# cut without any problem over an 8 to 10 hour period with my Earlex 5000 HVLP system. Cleanup was really a breeze since all you have to do is rinse out the reservoir with alcohol and spray clean alcohol through the sprayer. I did go ahead and break the sprayer down and clean the individual parts with an alcohol wash but the total clean-up time was less than 15 minutes.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

You sure she wasn’t talking about a spray can?? Zinsser makes a clear spray shellac. I’ve never tried it, but with the spray can, it doesn’t seem like much trouble to give it a try.

-- Childress Woodworks

Scott, thanks! I will check out your bookcases… Childress, I do not know, I just took it that she was using a spay gun….

One more question, how is the polish after spraying, does the end coat still have to be done by hand to get the hight gloss? I would imagine that the spay would leave a matte finish. I also know I learned to use the final polish with a drop of oil… Is that also not necessary anymore?

-- Nicholas, Journeyman Cabinetmaker, Partenkirchen, Germany

Shellac is easy to deal with…Dilute it with denatured alcohol. If your buying the flakes, then you need to let them dissolve for some amount of time. If your buying pre mixed shellac, then dilute it to 70% alcohol and 30% shellac for your first couple of coats. Spray light, and each coat should be dry within 30 minutes. Sand or steel wool it down, repeat process. As you build up coats, mix heavier, 50% alcohol and 50% shellac always works well for me on the finals. Clean the gun with the alcohol, should be no problems. I spray with a DeVilbiss Gravity HVLP gun with 1.4mm tip no problems. Also just an added note, I use the shellac a lot of times just as a base coat for my lacquer finishes….Good luck

-- T&G, West Palm Beach

Nicholas, the finish came out with enough sheen for me but I did not try to polish it out. It certainly was not a piano finish but sheen-wise it was very close to that produced by gloss polyurethane, which I normally use as a topcoat. I have never had much luck with french polishing shellac. I have practiced it but never could get the finish I wanted. That is a technique that I would like to eventually learn

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Shellac is an evaporative finish, like nitrocellulose lacquer, which means it doesn’t really “cure”, the solvent simply evaporates. Apply enough solvent, and the finish goes right back to liquid. This is different than varnishes, polymerized oils, and catalyzed finishes, which actually go through a chemical reaction as they cure, reapplying solvent will not reconstitute them.

Evaporative finishes can be quickly recoated, as each coat will melt into the last. Very light, “tack” coats, can be rapidly dusted on. This will leave a slightly rough finish that will smooth right out when overcoated with a full, wet coat.

So, you really could apply 6 coats in 30 minutes. They might not be the thickness you’d normally see with a varnish.

Shellac is nicely wet-sanded using mineral sprits as a lube. Mineral spirits will not dissolve the shellac.

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I use the Zinser wax free shellac to seal everything before applying lacquer. I use a Earlex HVLP with a 1.5mm tip and it does a great job. Clean up is a snap. I have attempted to french polish, but as of yet have not fully grasped the process. Like Scott, I’d love to learn the process.
I have heard some good information on the beal buff for polishing out shellac. I am considering getting it. Anyone have any inside info on this?

Tom

-- Anybody can become a woodworker, but only a Craftsman can hide his mistakes.

Shellac WILL fry that fast, especially with thin spray coats.

The bugaboo is your gun must be absolutely clean of other
solvents and you have to clean thoroughly with denatured
al. – sprayed shellac demands a rigorous habit of cleanliness.

Shellac is a dream to work with once you figure it out.

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ok great thanks fellows! I will try out to see what I can do. I can do the normal style of schellack/french polish, so by hand and all that, but with the pistol it should go way quicker. Probably I will see if I can not get a pistol for just doing the shellack.

I have not heard of beal buff… what is it? would be interesting to know!

thanks again..

-- Nicholas, Journeyman Cabinetmaker, Partenkirchen, Germany

Waldschrat,
Here is the link to the Beal Buff

http://www.bealltool.com/products/buffing/buffer.php

-- Anybody can become a woodworker, but only a Craftsman can hide his mistakes.

Tom, thanks, i will check out the link out too!

-- Nicholas, Journeyman Cabinetmaker, Partenkirchen, Germany

So I tried out the whole spray thing and It worked great! Thanks for the help and the links and all! Its true Shellack spraying is a dream, way faster with great results!

Thanks again!

-- Nicholas, Journeyman Cabinetmaker, Partenkirchen, Germany