Oils ain't Oils

[Mick4412]

Being relative new to this BB, and woodworking in general, I am a bit puzzled by the terms "Lacquer" and "Varnish".
I have been contemplating using some sort of spray gun equipment for applying the initial and maybe subsequent coats(having read the Finishing the Cabinet Episodes) of Shellac ( I use shellac flakes and Metho)
I have read an earlier post on Shellawax, BUT my puzzlement continues.
Is it too simple to say that Shellac is a Lacquer, and Estapol and other polyurethanes are varnish??

[This message has been edited by Mick4412 (edited 27 August 2002).]

[ubeaut]

Shellac is shellac - French Polish. Applied with a pad, known in Australia as a rubber, and most other parts of the world as a feminine hygiene product, the good old tampon http://www.ubeaut.biz/ohreally.gif (I'm glad I live in Australia). Shellac can also be sprayed, brushed and dipped and I have even seen it dripped.

Lacquer - Resins and/or celulose esters in a volitile liquid. Nitrocelulose, Acid Catalitic and more. Isolac, Estalac, Mirrortone and many other trade names, designed mostly for spraying but there are also brushing lacquers and dipping lacquers along with hot lacquers.

Varnish - Basically an old fashioned term for almost any clear surface coating you put on with a brush, usually resins in an oil base (oil varnish) often containing a lead based dryer like terebin also available in as a spirit based product (spirit varnish) and almost impossible to buy today. Mostly now the closest you will come to varnish is turps thinned polyurethane. But even that may change as there is a push to make all varnishes water based.

The above is a very shortened look at the 3 types of finish I am sure others can expand on it greatly.

Thought you were puzzled before eh? Well.......
How ya feelin now. http://www.ubeaut.biz/laughing.gif

Sorry Mick.

Cheers - Neil http://ubb.ubeaut.com.au/ubb/smile.gif

[Mick4412]

Thanks Neil,
Up till now, I have been using Shellac & applying same with cloth - don't want to get into discussions of the uses of rubbers and tampons.
In your episodical report of "Finishing the cabinet" you mentioned spraying.
Now, for Shellac, what is YOUR recommended spraying equipment, as to apply shellacto a large area of raw wood can be a pain.
Thanks
Mick