# Zinsser Bulls Eye SealCoat use?



## driftwoodhunter

Hi,
At the advice of the guy in the Big Box store, I bought some Zinsser SealCoat today - the wax free sanding sealer. I'm going to test it on some scrap walnut tomorrow (I hope) and I was wondering about some of the things I've been reading about it. Many folks have said it's best to cut it 50/50 with alcohol, and I wonder if I should? The container says nothing about this. What kind of alcohol do they mean? (not brandy, I guess - lol) Denatured? Rubbing? Vodka? I hope to start on some rustic walnut window benches (interior) soon, as I finally borrowed a ROS from a friend. After using the SealCoat, I was going to finish with an oil base satin Spar varnish because the benches will be in direct sunlight often. Any tips? Thanks!


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## BreakingBoardom

To cut the SealCoat (Which is dewaxed Shellac) you would use denatured alcohol. What that will do is make it thinner and it should dry faster and maybe penetrate deeper. I've been using it without mixing alcohol in it and have had good results. It may just be a matter of preference or what type of application you're intending on using it for. Shellac is very useful. Good luck.


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## Howie

Hey Breaking, does that work for a seal coat to stop blotching too?


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## bubinga

Zinsser Bulls Eye SealCoat use--*Amazing stuff*
The best thing is you can use it under water based finishes, your first seal, wash, coat,is best thinned out
After that if you want build your Finnish ,don't thin it
Denatured alcohol,in the Shellac, Vodka in yoo mouth !!!!
Highly recomened By ,Michael Dresdner

A great place for finishing INFO
Michael Dresdner
straight talk about wood finishing
http://www.michaeldresdner.com/

OVERVIEW:
SealCoat™ Universal Sanding Sealer is a solution of 100% wax-free shellac in denatured alcohol. Formulated using a patented process, SealCoat is guaranteed to be compatible over and under ALL clear finishes. It's guaranteed to remain fresh and dry to a hard film for at least 3 years after the date of manufacture.

PRODUCT FEATURES: 
Compatible with ALL clear wood finishes 
Great for sealing ALL interior wood, including floors 
Dries lightning fast - can be sanded & recoated in minutes 
Does not darken or yellow with age 
Easy clean up with alcohol or ammonia and water 
*Gives extra beauty & warmth to water-base polyurethanes *
*Can be used as a pre-stain conditioner for pine and softwoods * Can be used as a bond coat under new finishes - adheres to any existing finish

PDF] Bulls Eye® SealCoat™ Technical Data Bulletin
http://www.rustoleumibg.com/images/tds/CBG_ZIN_TDS_BULLS%20EYE%20SEALCOAT%20Universal%20Sanding%20Sealer_2010.pdf

OK is that enough info for ya ???


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## superstretch

Just remember…

friends don't let friends ROS drunk


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## Cosmicsniper

Cindy:

The ideal use of this product is to washcoat your project prior to coloring it. Its use is to prevent the colorant from penetrating unevenly into the wood, and thus preventing blotching. The amount of "cut" you use depends on the type of colorant and how it is applied. I normally use this product straight from the can, but I will often spray on my colorant, which means that it will naturally lay atop the wood, as opposed to a product that is rubbed or brushed on.

Yes, you cut it with denatured alcohol, but the amount you use depends on the type of colorant, how it is applied, and the type of woods being used.

The problem is that you have to find a balance between the amount of cut (to stop blotching) and the richness of the color you want. If the colorant is vastly different from the original wood, then too much sealcoat will make it almost impossible to achieve that color on the wood because it won't penetrate the sealcoat. But if you spray on a dye or perhaps "tone" the project with your colorant mixed into your film finish (poly, varnish, lacquer, shellac, etc.), then you will likely get better color…though you have to be careful how much you conceal the grain.

It works, but you have to do test boards to get the balance right.

I know Charles Neil makes a great anti-blotch product that is getting good reviews, which might be the better solution for those who don't want to experiment so much, but I haven't used it myself personally.

Many people hate finishing, chiefly because can be difficult to achieve this balance and yet achieve professional results. It's both an art and a science.


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## Earlextech

Spray it! Thinned or not.


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## Cosmicsniper

Oh, just noticed you are using it on walnut…I've haven't had much issue with blotching on walnut, particularly since I try to keep walnut as natural as possible (I normally use oils to bring out the contrast in features). It's probably why I like walnut so much. It finishes very well…same way with oak.

In general, woods like pine and cherry are the ones that will really blotch..and ruin a project.

BTW, while your sealcoat can be used as an anti-blotch technique, I actually do it for a different reason in my projects. If you purchase wood from multiple sources and/or are using different types - some projects might use both hardwood and veneered plywood - then you would use the seal coat to help make the color more uniform across the different woods. Subsequently, I would chase the seal coat with a toner, as opposed to a stain.

Moral to this story…the more that a colorant lays atop the wood (dyes, toners, and gel stains), the more likely your color will be uniform and blotch-free. You just have to balance this with the tendency to hide the grain. In other words, the more the colorant acts like "paint," the more it will hide the wood's features, like paint.


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## Cosmicsniper

One more thing…the guy at the Big Box Store will not have a clue what to do…he's probably never seen walnut before. If he had, he probably wouldn't have told you to use sealcoat for your application.

If your walnut is anything like my walnut, I'd just put on an a little oil (BLO, Tung, or a danish oil mix) before using your spar varnish. If you go that direction, just make sure you give the oil a long time to cure. In fact, that's likely the best time to use the sealcoat…to seal in the oil and transition to the spar. Shellac (sealcoat) works well in that regard because it prevents the solvent in the finish from negatively affecting the undercoat of colorant. This is less true of oil, of course, but it's very true when using actual pigmented stains.


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## superstretch

Natural Danish Oil is my go-to for Walnut. You'd think that the wood had a hologram in it!


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## driftwoodhunter

Arghh! Well, I had a can of Watco clear (natural) Danish Oil in my hand, reading the info on it, when the guy in the paint & stain dept. told me the SealCoat was better suited to my needs (after I explained to him everything I said in my above question - walnut, oil based spar & all) I told him I had planned to try the clear Watco because I've used their medium & dark stains before and I love them, but he told me I couldn't put the spar on top of it. Said the Watco was a complete product in it's own, and anything I put over it would peel. Yet the can said otherwise, which I pointed out.

I can't go out & sand today anyhow, we have a high wind advisory until deep in the night. Maybe it's a sign I should go back out & get the Watco. I imagine I'll use it on some other project anyhow…

Thanks folks for all the responses!


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## superstretch

I use Watco then a couple coats of oil based satin poly for protection. Watco is a hardening oil, if I recall, and shouldn't make anything peel off it. I haven't experienced that at least..


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## JonathanG

Lots of good information has been posted above already, so I'll add a couple more things about the Seal Coat and also about your intended project.

The Seal Coat is a 1-pound cut of shellac straight out of the can. Wash coats, or seal coats are typically considered to be a 1/2-pound up to 1-pound cut of shellac. This basically means that there is between 1/2-pound up to 1-pound of shellac flakes, per gallon of alcohol (the solvent), or basically, your dilution/concentration rate.

If you haven't worked with shellac before, definitely practice on some scrap as it will dry very quickly and you may get runs or overlap marks. If this happens, you can take a muslin/regular cotton rag and put a bit of denatured alcohol on it to blend in these runs/lap marks, as well as pull a bit of the excess shellac up.

I blogged about my first experience applying shellac by hand, and fixing my too heavily sprayed shellac out of the can. It's a bit lengthy, but it tells what not to do, as well as how to fix your mistakes. I also included an external link that I found to be very helpful with the overall process.

With all that being said, you can certainly apply shellac under the oil-based spar varnish to give the grain a bit of extra "pop". You should get a bit of that from the varnish though with it being oil-based. Just give the shellac a little time to dry before applying the varnish.

You could also certainly go the danish oil route under the spar varnish to show off the grain. As mentioned, just make sure to give the danish oil plenty of time to fully cure. This will take days/up-to maybe 2-weeks to cure, versus a couple of hours/overnight for the shellac to dry.

I would recommend experimenting on some scrap pieces, or cutoffs of your walnut before attempting to finish your piece of woodworking. I'm in-agreement that you shouldn't have to worry about blotching on the walnut, so you don't really need a seal coat, at least from my experiences with walnut. With that being said, if you have some sapwood that you're wanting to try and darken to match the heartwood, you'll want to lay down a seal coat, then use a dye or other colorant to try and match the two areas up.

Another alternative to blending sapwood and heartwood is using a tinted danish oil. They are supposed to help mimic certain species, with walnut being one of them. If you go this route, do not apply a seal coat of shellac, or anything else under the danish oil, as the oils are meant to penetrate the wood, rather sit on top of it. You could apply the colored/tinted danish oil to the sapwood to darken it up, then apply natural danish oil to the heartwood, as it doesn't need the extra color. I have not used any of the colored danish oils, so I'm not personally recommending them, but they do exist.

Once you figure out what looks good to you on the scrap, as well as feeling comfortable and confident in your application technique of whatever finish, or finishes you choose to apply, then move on to actually finishing your piece. It's better to experiment and learn on the scrap, rather than your carefully built piece of woodworking. Lots of us have made that mistake, myself included.


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## driftwoodhunter

Thanks Dan, that was my experience/understanding of Watco too -

The Watco can said you could finish with the poly of your choice after waiting the proper length of time.

On a side note, I went looking at paint samples yesterday too, to paint polystyrene-foam molded faux-tin ceiling tiles. I couldn't get the guy at Sherwin Williams (the store manager, no less) to understand the paint had to be latex, since propellents and solvents would dissolve/damage the foam.

Hopefully I will have better luck today. I have to renew my driver's license before the end of the month and I'm going today. That way if my aging eyes fail the eye exam, I have time to get glasses before my license expires! lol My eyes turn 50 this month - lol - I'll probably be jumping right into bifocals ; )


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## driftwoodhunter

Thanks Jonathan,

I have some scrap of the walnut to play on, and I will be sure to check out your blog. I'll keep the can of SealCoat, since I've never used shellac before - dewaxed or not. From all the things I've been reading here and elsewhere since getting interested in learning about woodworking, I know shellac is in my future somewhere! Now I can fool around with the SealCoat on scrap & learn something.

Someone mentioned using a sprayer - I should say here (sorry for the repeat for folks that already know) that I am a squeeky brand-new newbie, and I don't have hardly any tools, let alone a sprayer, workbench, etc. The workbench is something I'm hoping to find space for, but I don't know…but no sprayer, I'll be applying any finishes by hand.

Thanks everyone!!


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## JonathanG

I took a long time in submitting my above comment, so I guess you're familiar with the colored Watco DO then, sorry.

As far as I know, you can put oil based (anything) over the Watco, especially once it's cured, as Dan mentioned above.


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## superstretch

Yikes… Kind of describes the nature of retail nowadays.. people don't either look for or get the jobs they have knowledge at.. Growing up, my dad and I restored a 70 GTO and in doing so, I learned a lot about cars. By the time I got my own beater/introduction into owning a car, I knew that the weekly trip to Autozone/Advance would be followed by subsequent trips because they would inevitably supply me with the wrong parts, wrong advice, or parts for a different car. Aiming for the oldest sales associate used to be a good rule of thumb for getting the most experience/knowledge, but with times being tough, that's not even a safe bet any more.


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## JonathanG

Shellac certainly works well when sprayed and lays down really nicely, from what I understand. I haven't yet sprayed it through my Earlex (still sitting in the box). However, it doesn't have to be sprayed to be effective.


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## driftwoodhunter

Jonathan, no need to apologize, I appreciate the effort & time it took for you to go into such depth in your reply for me!

Dan, I know exactly what you're saying. I work on the sales floor at Walmart. It's a double edged sword. I work in Fabrics, Crafts, Picture Frames, Luggage, Candles, and Stationary (yes, it's all one big department now). Yet most customers get sooo mad if I don't know everything about tools, tires, clocks, toddler clothes, and tomato paste. We've supposed to know it all! Having said that, management hires off the street people who have never worked retail before - even for assistant management postions! There is NO training whatsoever, just push, push, push the sale. Sadly, we just found out in a meeting that our store is the second worst in the district for turnover - the main complaint in the exit interview? Lack of training.

PS - this did make me smile a little, working retail myself…when I was at the paint store there were two men working that day. The younger man, maybe 20 - 22 yrs old, is the one that said he was the manager (and didn't understand about solvents & polystyrene). The older man, 38-ish, was behind him rolling his eyes is if thinking "why is HE manager and not me?" lol


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## superstretch

I shouldn't put the burden of experience (blame) on the applicant.. Companies have to hire based on bottom line some times and don't provide training and new hires are happy to just get a job and will pick it up as they go. Its refreshing to walk into the local Woodcraft store and be able to shoot the breeze with the people working there. This is a whole 'nother topic altogether, but since its a franchise business, the local owners and employees are passionate about WWing


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## Cosmicsniper

"Moral to this story…the more that a colorant lays atop the wood (dyes, toners, and gel stains), the more likely your color will be uniform and blotch-free. You just have to balance this with the tendency to hide the grain. In other words, the more the colorant acts like "paint," the more it will hide the wood's features, like paint." 
_

A revision to what I said here before. Dyes most certainly do not lay atop the wood. They penetrate deeply and form a chemical adhesion to the actual wood fibers. Because it lacks pigment, however, it disperses evenly throughout across the wood, unlike a stain which can distribute pigment unevenly atop the wood, especially in porous woods. So, I misspoke when I spoke of dye in that context. Dyes are generally uniform due to its own inherent virtues.


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## bubinga

The ideal use of this product ,is many things ,That's what makes it a great product


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## stevenhsieh

*Jonathan*

You are wrong. 
Seal Coat is a 2-Pound cut out of can.
It has 2 pound of shellac flakes dissolved in 1 gallon of denatured alcohol.

There is no need to cut it down to 1- pound cut unless your using it for wash coat use.

What brand of spar varnish are you using?
Most of them don't carry UV resins.
It wont last long. Even the good stuff needs to be maintained every year.
you should be using Marine varnishes like these varnishes
 
[URL]http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/search_subCategory.do?categoryName=Varnish&category=36&refine=1&page=GRID
[/URL]

After dry, sand it with 320 grit, between coats also.
( I would use 220 grit it is better for exterior use)
Apply the spray varnish, have at least 5 minimum coats.


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## driftwoodhunter

Hi Steven,
I was going to use the Cabot satin spar. (which I have never used before - I'm using Varathane on my floors) I have considered spar because these benches will be sitting in front of double windows in the living room, and I don't know if the sun that comes through when the windows are open can fade the natural color of the walnut. When the windows are closed, the glass has a built-in UV protection. Most times when they are closed, so are the shades. These benches will be inside, not outside. I can't abide any gloss to finishes or paint (werdo!), that's why I prefer satin. If there is a marine spar in satin, I'll take a close look at that…

I saved the website you linked to, (thanks!) I will check out these marine varnishes for outdoor projects - like so many people here, I want to make my own adirondack chairs! ; )


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## driftwoodhunter

OMG, I am madly in love - with shellac! At least the wax free SealCoat. WOW is all I can say. I'll post pics tomorrow if it's not raining (I want to use natural light). I did two tests on "scrap" walnut - is there really such a thing? All the wood has one coat of each product per side. One has SealCoat/Watco clear, the other wood has Sealcoat/Watco meduim walnut (cuz I had it on hand. I know the walnut doesn't need any help, and I love the sapwood constrasts). I saw an instant difference in the amount of chaytoyance (sp?). Admittedly, the wood will have different grain and pattern from side to side, but the difference between the two while they were still wet was shocking. I'm so excited to use the SealCoat on the bigger slabs the benches will be made out of! Let's see how they compare when dry…

Thanks to everyone for chipping in!


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## stevenhsieh

Watco is just a oil/varnish blend.

It has polyurethane, mineral spirit, linseed oil.

The Watco walnut is tinted with asphaltum . It's a pigment stain, but is so fine that it acts much like a dye, giving a good clear tint.

Any dye or pigment coloring that can be mixed with oil based finishes.

Any wood will fade or get darker in direct sunlight overtime.


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## stevenhsieh

How hot does your living room get? With sunlight coming in and such


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## bubinga

Cosmicsniper

Come on ,you don't know what the guy at the Big Box Store has seen ,or not seen,he just might know more than you.
There is nothing wrong with putting Seal Coat, on any wood


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## driftwoodhunter

Steven,

My living room can get into the 80's, close to 90 on hot muggy days in the summer, if I don't run a/c. I had my windows replaced last fall, and I gave the guys the window a/c I had in the living room - I didn't want to ruin the sill OR the view! lol I was planning on getting two good tower fans, and putting them at opposite corners for the summer. I live in the mountains of Virginia - it most certainly gets hotter, breezier, and we have more storms than the Connecticut weather I grew up in. Will the SealCoat get tacky? I was hoping I wouldn't have a problem since it's wax free.


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## stevenhsieh

I dont know what look of finish your trying to achieve.
If It was me I would use boiled linseed oil,
let dry and top coat it with oil based varnish.


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## driftwoodhunter

LOL - don't confuse me. You mean I won't need a topcoat over the SealCoat? Since I started reading up on it, I was thinking about using it alone. I love the way it looks, I'm glad the guy at the Big Box store sold me on it! (I should thank him next time I see him there)


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## stevenhsieh

Sealcoat should not be final coat. It is not a finish. It is Sealer.

Zinsser came out with the SealCoat to allow it to be used as an undercoat under oil based poly varnish and waterborne finishes.


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## driftwoodhunter

Ah, thanks!
I am going for a satin finish, I don't like the glare off shiny furniture. These window benches are going to be rustic, with driftwood legs. I will go with my original plan, and finish with a satin spar.


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## Cosmicsniper

Bubinga:

I never said you couldn't use SealCoat on walnut. I said that the Big Box guy shouldn't be advising the use of SealCoat for anti-blotching on walnut, since that's not typically an issue with walnut.

SealCoat is a great product with tons of uses that we haven't even named yet. I've just mentioned a couple of them.

And if you really think that the guy working at the Big Box Store knows more than me, then that's your opinion…but please refrain from insulting, personal attacks. It's not becoming of you.


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## driftwoodhunter

Um, just to clarify, (and not to pick a fight, which happens here too much) I never said the guy at the store recommended the SealCoat for anti-blotching. That topic was never raised by me or him…


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## bubinga

Cosmicsniper

I'm just saying ,you don't,know him,
But 
I apologize, I don't want ,a fight ,nor do I want to start one
Sometimes we all read to fast and miss stuff


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## Cosmicsniper

Steven:

Actually, shellac is a finish AND a sealer. She could certainly use it as a topcoat…though I agree with you that it's not best for her application.

The term "sealer" is the issue…any FIRST coat of any finish is a "sealer." My big question is what with this walnut is she trying to "seal?" What do you need to keep IN the wood or what are you trying to keep OUT? It's not a refinishing project where you are trying to seal in residual silicone (or the like) which might affect your overlaying colorant. Is it to function a sanding sealer, to speed up sanding? Is it really for blotch control on walnut? To act as a barrier between a pigment stain and wipe-on film finish that both use the same solvent? A bridge from oil-based to water-borne?

Why recommend it in the first place and why use it for this application? Sure it looks good, but name anything that DOESN'T look good on walnut.

Not to insult such employees, but why recommend the product?


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## Cosmicsniper

Cindy:

You said you heard that it should be "cut" to thin it out. From that, I made the assumption that your use was for a washcoat, which is typically for blotch control or to make color more uniform across differing boards.

My apologies for making that assumption. Was just trying to be helpful.


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## driftwoodhunter

Cosmicsniper, those are good points.

If thinking of it as strictly a sealer, no, I'm not trying to keep anything in, but maybe out (more on that at the end). I have been trying to learn here and elsewhere online about the differences between bringing out the grain, and bringing out the figure. The walnut I have for the benches has some very pretty figure in it. As I understand it, some liquids enhance that figure better than others. I don't have the luxury of time right now to try tung oil, boiled linseed, etc. I should have explained that to begin with I suppose. I really like the speed that the SealCoat lends to the project. The figure on the scrap wood really popped under the SealCoat, but not with the Watco Natural. That's one reason I was hoping I could use it by itself, I'd hate to dull that look with another product on top of it. Also, and this is so gross! - the benches are really so my two cats have something to sit on - one for each of them, so they stop fighting over the windows. They are cats. They spew. They spew hairballs & all kinds of nasty things. I want to block the liquid I know they will eventually barf onto the walnut. If I can sand & refinish the benches easily, that's a big plus.

I told you it was gross! lol


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## driftwoodhunter

Oh, Thanks for explaining that to me, Jay. Yes, I had been reading online from several sites. The few comments I read about diluting the SealCoat didn't say why they were doing it. They must think all their readers are skilled already!

You have been very helpful, I like to hear all the different sides to things - I'm learning a lot.


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## driftwoodhunter

No, they are only going to be there for me to look at (I love walnut) and for the cats to sit & barf on. They aren't functional in the true sense, no one will be sitting on them & they won't substitute for tables. (no glasses).


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## driftwoodhunter

Also, water resistant (cat barf, sweating glasses - it's all the same - lol) is one of the features that attracted me to the spar. As I understand it, it's more durable, being an exterior finish.


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## stevenhsieh

*Jay *

Thanks for correcting me.
I remembered doing french polishing with it, which is fun.


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## driftwoodhunter

Here are the beasties, and here is the wood. Both slabs are 22" wide by 72" long, by 1" thick.

The lack of odor from the SealCoat is nice, too - I'm doing this all in my living room. (no, I haven't put the pine floors down in the room yet)


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## bubinga

If you thin it for a wash coat,it will flow out better ,the work will go faster , and it will penetrate better,but 
you really don't have to thin it.
You could use regular amber shellac, on top ,but the spar would protect from sun better


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## superstretch

Every time I see those pictures, I get shivers up and down my spine. Walnut has such class and drama that most woods can't touch. Walnut is the James Bond-in-a-tux of woods.


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## JonathanG

@ StevenH and Original Poster,
I went back and looked at my posting and I did type that it was a 1-pound cut, not a 2-pound. Sorry for the mistake. I need to proof-read better.

@StevenH,
I was referring to cutting the shellac for a seal coat, or wash coat, which I tried to explain, but maybe it wasn't worded the best? Made sense to me when I typed it, but then again, I also typed that it was 1-pound to start with. 
That's what I get for not thoroughly proof-reading. Thanks for catching and correcting my mistake.


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## driftwoodhunter

LOL - Dan, you crack me up. Now I'll always think of James Bond when I see walnut. In a tux. I really hope the next time you see pics of them, it will be in a series showing how I finally did a project!


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## TheOldTimer

When buying shellac from the Borgs be careful and make sure trhat you check the date of manufacture of the product. I have seen some 3 year old and older shellac on the shelf. I never buy shellac older then 1 year old. If the shellac is too old, it may not dry and you will have a real mess on your hands. I make my own shellac from flakes and store the flakes in a air tight container in the shop refrigerator. Here in Arizona temperatures can hit 115 during the day or higher. Shellac stored in those temperatures just does not last. That is why I only make what I need for a project. The shop shuts down in the middle of May till October. It is just too hot outside to cool my three car garage shop. By the way, I brought the old out dated shellac to the attention of the paint department people who thought I was insane. Don,t trust people who know nothing about finishing and finishing supplies.


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## bubinga

TheOldTimer

Good point, Your right about the old shellac, and surly not insane


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## Cosmicsniper

Very good point, indeed, TheOldTimer!


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## stevenhsieh

I don't anyone notice but on newer cans. Maybe just California, I don't know.

They* STOP PRINTING DATES ON THE CANS!!!!*
They want us play this code guessing game.


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## driftwoodhunter

I went looking for a date on the can I bought, and all I found was a code - useless to the consumer!

Anyway, here are rhe pics of my test samples. I know most of you know all about finishes, but there may be other newbies like me looking at this? The effects are much more dramatic in person, and since I was taking the pics inside (very stormy today) they are a little too reddish in color. I find the SealCoat gives much more depth & figure - that could be due to it having a sheen, whereas the Watco Natural doesn't have a sheen yet(all of these pics are one coat each, so no build-up).

Watco on the 1st side, Zinsser on the 2nd

















I know there is less figure in the Watco side, but still…

Here is a little piece with raw walnut on the 1st side, Zinsser on the 2nd.


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## stevenhsieh

On the second one you used Watco and the seal coat?


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## Sawdust4Blood

Personally my favorite finish for walnut is BLO then I might seal over that with de-waxed shellac before your varnish but that's just a personal preference. I love using shellac as a sealer but I'm not a fan of Zinsser. While their can claims it will last up to 3 years, I've found that if the date on the can is more than few months old, it's best to pass. All shellacs begin to undergo a process called esterification after they are mixed. The older the mix is, the longer it's going to take to dry until eventually it gets to the point that it won't ever fully sept up and leaves a gummy mess. I prefer to buy de-waxed shellac flakes and mix my own. Not only do you ensure freshness (and believe me you'll notice a difference) but using different types of shellac or tinting the shellac with transtint dye gives you all kinds of options to create different effects (of course you could tint the Zinsser too). As mentioned previously, applying shellac by hand can present some challenges but if you have the set-up it sprays like a dream.


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## driftwoodhunter

Hi,
Steven, on the first set of pics, the 1st image is just one coat of Watco Natural. The 2nd pic is just one coat of the SealCoat by itself - no Watco.
Sawdust4Blood, I was reading up again today on shellac, and it was interesting to learn where it comes from, the different colors & grades of the flakes, etc. I think it would be in my best interests to get some flakes to keep in the fridge if I'm going to use more of it. I haven't even made my first project yet, so actually seeing all these finish elements is brand new to me, too. Heck, I used an electric sander for the first time, to sand these scrap walnut pieces! I'd hate to waste the walnut slabs by ruining them, so perhaps I should take the time to let an oil like BLO dry, and use it. If that kind of extra step under the SealCoat & spar will make the wood look even better without giving me problems later on because of the sunny location the benches are going in, I should do it and do it right. Right? lol

I have a splitting headache, so my post my not be as coherent as I like, I can barely look at the screen to proof read. So I'm offline until I feel better - see ya later ~
~ Cin ~


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## stevenhsieh

Is Watco you used fourth picture down? It does not look like seal coat only.


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## driftwoodhunter

Pic # 1 = Watco Natural only, one coat.
Pic # 2 = SealCoat only, one coat.
Pic # 3 - raw, untouched walnut.
Pic # 4 = SealCoat only, one coat.

I only used the Watco in the first pic.


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## stevenhsieh

Cindy sorry 
I thought the last photos have finish in on same board, but actually 2 boards.
If seal coat you like, then top coat the board with varnish. You should be fine.


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## superstretch

One question and one comment:

What was your method of applying Danish Oil? The first time I used it, I painted it on lightly and got results like yours.. I did the next piece: Keep flooded for 15 mins, wipe off, flood once more, wipe off right away, keep wiping off any seepage.

I actually caught a New Yankee Workshop episode this morning (pouring rain + 4am bedtime = lazy day) and he had this gorgeous walnut table.. BLO and then 12 coats of shellac.. The last couple coats wet-sanded 400 then like 600 or 800, then polished after the 12th coat. It was a mirror finish and the walnut was like kick-in-the-face gorgeous.


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## stevenhsieh

Oil/varnish blend can be wiped on with rag or brushed on. 
Make sure to wipe off excess.


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