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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Greater Axedale (near Lesser Bendigo)
    Age
    75
    Posts
    145

    Default My first shellac finish!

    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.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Dec 2004
    Location
    Toowoomba Q 4350
    Posts
    3,491

    Default

    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

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2000
    Location
    Drop Bear Capital of Gippsland (Lang Lang) Vic Australia
    Age
    74
    Posts
    2,238

    Default

    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).
    Stupidity kills. Absolute stupidity kills absolutely.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Greater Axedale (near Lesser Bendigo)
    Age
    75
    Posts
    145

    Default

    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

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    .
    Posts
    4,816

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by 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
    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

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2000
    Location
    Drop Bear Capital of Gippsland (Lang Lang) Vic Australia
    Age
    74
    Posts
    2,238

    Default

    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
    Stupidity kills. Absolute stupidity kills absolutely.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Greater Axedale (near Lesser Bendigo)
    Age
    75
    Posts
    145

    Default

    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

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Aug 2006
    Location
    Greater Axedale (near Lesser Bendigo)
    Age
    75
    Posts
    145

    Default

    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

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