mixing shelac

[Farm boy]

hi there
i want to recoat the handles of a plane and believe they were originaly shellacted (sic).
there is some shelac flakes in mums old shed (golden flakes in a jar)
question how do i mix it and what do i mix it with
also do i just rub the handles of the plane back with sandpaper and recoat ?
best wishes
greg

[beejay1]

Shellac should be dilluted with methylated spirit 5lbs shellac to 1 gal meth, pro rata depending on quantity of shellac. This will give areasonable working consistency. Shellac does have limited shelf life. over six months could be questionable. French polish which is what youve now got should be applied using a rubber or a mop and as people seem to have their own ideas about how to make these i suggest you find a suitable thread and read up on it.

sand the wood with progressively finer grades wiping between sands, i,use white spirit usually,untiil the wood is ready.
At this point I would normally apply 2-3 coats of the polish diluted again 1:1 with meths knocking back between coats with Lubrisol 320 grit. dont overdo this stage or youll need to reapply, and then build up with a few more coats of regular mix until youre satisfied.
French polishing is very time consuming and cant be rushed so ask youself is it worth it for plane handles.
You could look at sanding, sealing and hard varnishing. easier and less maintainence required.
beejay1

[Farm boy]

thanks beejay

[TassieKiwi]

I have had great success applying shellac with a paint brush. Put as many coats on as you want (it dries within minutes) and leave the sanding until last. Much faster and will be fine with plane handles.