My first shellac finish!

I am a (brand)new newbie - fingers still dirty with french polish. Thanks a million to all previous contributors who have helped me (unknowingly) accomplish my first effort at applying french polish. Had a very old 'nursing chair' I was going to ditch, but figured I would have a crack at the french polish before tossing it. After hours of pulling tacks, filling holes and sanding, and a couple of dozen rubs with french polish, the chair is stunning!

Used a fairly stiff shellac/meths mix, and gave it about 6 complete rubs with each session. After the first two rubs it started to shine, and after about 6 it was gleaming. I think it is blackwood - dark brown timber with a very tight grain - and it looks great.

Now, how best to finish it? It will not get a lot of use (our 4 kids are past the breast feeding stage!) but I want a good reasonably permanent sheen on it - suggestions most welcomed.

Trouble is I now have the bug, and I am eyeing off an old half-round hall table, an old wind-up gramophone cabinet and the old treadly Singer sewing machine cabinet! I have always used poly-urethane finishes on our old furniture - doubt I will ever open another can.

And by the way, just love this forum - it is so useful! And is great to hear of all those beaut projects other folk are getting into.

Congrats Woodsprite!
Once you get the hang of using Shellac, you are well on your way to many hours of fun and many beautifully-finished projects.

cheers
Wendy

Next step Hard Shellac, same properties for application but a very durable finish after a couple of weeks, and does not darken the timber as much as flake shellac (amber).

Thanks folks - for the support and for the advice. Seems like I might need to order a bucket of hard shellac so I can maintain and protect my projects. By the way, there was psot elsewhere on the forum about terebine - noticed that Home Hardware here in Bendigo stock it - about $13.00 for 500 ml from memory.

Will let you know how the finishing goes after I get some hard shellac.
Cheers,
Jeff

Quote:

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Originally Posted by woodsprite

Thanks folks - for the support and for the advice. Seems like I might need to order a bucket of hard shellac so I can maintain and protect my projects. By the way, there was psot elsewhere on the forum about terebine - noticed that Home Hardware here in Bendigo stock it - about $13.00 for 500 ml from memory.

Will let you know how the finishing goes after I get some hard shellac.
Cheers,
Jeff

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Sooooo, wheres the pictures?
Order what you need from here as far as finishes goes, should be on your door step within days.
http://www.ubeaut.com.au/ubhome.htm

Al :)

Hard Shellac:
1. Check the use by date, I was never aware there was one until I was reading the bottle once, nearly empty, Neil tells me that it is still probably OK for at least a year after the date, providing it is unopened.
2. $13.00 sounds about $10 too cheap, good pick up if that is right.
3. Lovely stuff, I use a fair bit of it for different applications, best thing since beer in cans:D

Thanks Al, you smooth talkin' woodie. Have just done the on-line ordering thingy and hopefully will have a fresh bottle of hard shellac arriving on my doorstep -intact - in a few days. When I have figured how to post pics I will happily put up a couple of then and now pics.
Jeff

Thanks Al, you smooth talkin' woodie. Have just done the on-line ordering thingy and hopefully will have a fresh bottle of hard shellac arriving on my doorstep -intact - in a few days. When I have figured how to post pics I will happily put up a couple of then and now pics.
Jeff