Shellac Flakes

[John Doyle]

I have been trying to get my Shellac Flakes to dissolve with no success.
I have tried Methylated Spirits as well as Lacquer thinners and left for a few days with no result.
The flakes are about 2 years old and have been kept in an air tight container in a cupboard.
After having no result i left them out to dry and they appear to be just like i put them in the container.
Can someone give me an idea of what i am doing wrong.
John Doyle
Bowen

[watson]

From the Forum Library
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f212/d...-sheets-96907/

Its Data Sheet #5.

[Horsecroft88]

Hi John, if like me, you have had a look at Watson's recommendation and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the information contained in the ubeaut site, I think the one problem perhaps for you from my reading of the section, is that it doesn't actually discuss the issue of non-dissolving shellac flakes.

Now I have been using shellac to polish wood (antiques and antique joinery in my old houses) for the past 20 years and I am not sure I have ever struck your problem. I do know that during cold conditions (ie. winter) it does seem to take longer than in summer to dissolve and when using it in such cold conditions, it can result in a whitish powdery finish, which is a real pain in the you know what. But not dissolving at all, and especially as you would seem to have done the correct thing re storage, my guess is that there is something perhaps wrong with your shellac flakes, albeit that they are supposed to not degrade with time ?? Hmn, strange.

So if it were me, and given that shellac is not really expensive I think I probably would ditch what you have and buy some new shellac.

I have never used laquer thinners to dissolve shellac and was only aware that it should be dissolved in Metho. My usual practice is to place the shellac in a broad necked/lidded container with a covering of metho, which is say twice the volume content of the shellac, give it a good shake, (with the lid on) to start the dissolving process and leave it for a couple of hours before thereafter using it. If it is too concentrated (ie, thick) simply dilute with more metho. From my experience, shellac is very forgiving in its concentration and normally easy to use.

[Sturdee]

Can someone give me an idea of what i am doing wrong.
John Doyle
Bowen

It could also be the metho that you are using, if it is the cheap no brand name stuff from Bunnings or a supermarket it may consist more of water than metho.


Peter.

[Castaway]

Did these shellac flakes disolve in metho 2 years ago or is the first time you have used them. I sometimes find that when I get shellac flakes that they are clumped together and I have to break them up so they disolve properly. After I have added the required amout of metho to the flakes I then place the mixture in a large glass jar with a sealed lid and shake them for a while, a couple of mins later I do the same till I can see that all the flakes have been disolved. Good luck.

[mic-d]

If the metho is good, try pulverizing the flakes in a mortar and pestle. Stand the container in hot water to speed the dissolving process. If that doesn't work, buy some new shellac!

Cheers
Michael

[Woodwould]

Fresh (unopened) meths or ethanol is as important as fresh shellac.

To speed up the process, I sometimes reduce the flakes/buttons to powder in a cheap electric coffee grinder before adding the meths.

[auscab]

I was given some old button shellac and had the same problem, I broke it down by wrapping it in a rag and belted it with a mallet ,put it in a jar and it would not disolve ? even after weeks.

I have not seen it happen before ,so I cant help .

The guy who gave it to me said it was made from toppings and it is the same clear colour as a beer bottle , I thought toppings was the top clear layer after shellac had settled in the bottle that was used in the finishing stages, and had never heard of it being available as button shellac before ?

They were 50mm x 50mm squares stamped Angelo, any one seen it before ?

I have kept it and thought I may try to make some coloured shellac sticks with it.

regards Rob

[ubeaut]

G'day John - You may have had it for 2 years but how long was it on the shelf before you got it and in what conditions was it stored in. It's hot up there and shellac ideally needs to be stored at 4C to keep it fresh. It can degrade if not looked after properly, especially if stored in heat, bright light or tin.

You ideally need to use 100% Industrial Methylated Spirits (ethanol) if not available then 95% will be fine. If the label doesn't say 100% or 95% then it may have as much as 47% water in the ethanol and it will not dissolve the flakes probably wouldn't dissolve cornflakes.

If the flakes are degraded they will not dissolve even in 100%.

If you used 100% or 95% Metho the flakes should be pretty much dissolved within 1 hour. If not throw them away and get some more. Preferably from someone who has a large turnover of flakes, stores it in a refrigerated unit or directly from U-Beaut Polishes who only supply fresh properly stored flakes.

Ideally store any unused flakes in the fridge.

Hope this is of some help.

Cheers - Neil

[John Doyle]

Thanks to everyone who answered my call for non dissolving shellac flakes have tried all of the remedies with no success looks like it will end up in the bin.
A friend suggested that i try ether will kep you informed if it works.
Cheers. JD

[barnsey]

Good God - haven't heard from John for 24 hrs!!

Hope he didn't start sniffing that ether )

[ubeaut]

A friend suggested that i try ether will kep you informed if it works.

STOP IT!!!
Throw it out and stop playing with dangerous stuff.
If it hasn't worked with anything else then it's no bloody good. Get rid of it and get some new stuff if you really need it.

Do not use ether..... and give your friend a smack up the side of the head for suggesting it. Give yourself an even bigger one if you actually did use it.

[John Doyle]

Its in the bin it wasnt worth the expense.
JD

[ubeaut]

Well done John . We're all proud of you.