Shellac as a grain filler?

[Dengue]

Has anyone had any success using shellac to fill the grain of open pored timber? if so, do you use a heavy mix, say a 3lb cut, or several light coats before sanding back to the surface?

[Swifty]

It hasn’t worked too well for me by itself. I have pore filled using the pad with shellac, alcohol and pumice in the traditional way, this works but is time consuming, tiring and needs patience. I have also used AquaCoat, a filler used by luthiers, it works. I am about to try using hide glue, which will be cheaper. I sand to 800 or better before applying filler, allowing to dry then sanding back. Might need two or three coats.

[Dengue]

Thanks for this reply, Swifty. Where do you get your Aqua Coat from?

[Swifty]

Thanks for this reply, Swifty. Where do you get your Aqua Coat from?

It's clear so won't change the overall colour of the timber. Here's the link:

Online Store - Armstrong Lutherie

Also I learned pretty quick while practising french polishing that sanding sealers cannot be used as grain fillers at all, and shellac by itself sinks into the grain and doesn't really give a flat surface at all. I had a go at using Timbermate, it fills the pores very well, with the colour of the Timbermate being very obvious in the pores. I prefer the Aqua Coat because it is transparent. Yet to try out the hide glue method, but I am about to experiment with it on my current build. This subject is also covered by Neil (our UBeaut sponsor) in his Polishers Handbook, I recommend that book!
Cheers Swifty

[woodPixel]

+1 on Aquacoat

[auscab]

Has anyone had any success using shellac to fill the grain of open pored timber?

Yes.

if so, do you use a heavy mix, say a 3lb cut,

No

or several light coats before sanding back to the surface?

No.

Coating with a brush and sanding wont do it . Unless you think that a lot of time putting shellac on only to sand it off and throw 90% of it away is a good way to spend some time and money.

I explained it in your thread here post 29.
Why oil French Polishing pad?

[double.d]

Constantia Organic Finishes have a product called Seedlac which is liquid shellac and oil based and when used with their pure pumice dry filler is very effective as a grain filler.