My first shellac finish!

[woodsprite]

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.

[RufflyRustic]

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

[Iain]

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).

[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

[ozwinner]

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

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

[Iain]

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

[woodsprite]

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

[woodsprite]

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