White spirits, turps, etc are petrochemical dirivatives.

Methyleted Spirits (ethanol, pure alcohol, IMS, denatured alcohol, etc) are all made from sugar or grain and non potro chemical.

Look for Industrial Methymated Spirits when buying it for shellac, preferably 100% but 95% will do if the other is not available. Most Mitre10's have it as should Haymes Paints outlets although you may have to buy 4 litres.

We use only 100% pure ethanol in our shellac products because the shellac is mainly used as a base for our Shellawax friction polishes which have a wax content and will not mix with alcohol that has even a minute water content.

100% contains no water, 95% contains 5% - 10% or more of water all other metho could contain up to as much as 45% water. Then main stipulation for this product is that it must be Over Proof (OP) ie it will burn if a flrme is put to it, Metho will burn with as much as 45% water in it.

I have seen metho in the cheap $2 type shops being sold for the same price per litre that we pay (per litre) from the manufacturer for 1,000 litres. Makes you wonder what'n in that stuff, not much alcohol I'll bet. Have had people buy it and say our shellac flakes were off because they wouldn't disolve...... Well derrr. I wonder why.

Go hunt down some of the good stuff. It's definitely well worth the hunt.

Cheers - Neil