Replies

1. 
   gecko | Jan 30, 2004 11:31pm | #1

   how old are your flakes? how old is the alcohol? i usually mix mine in about a 2 to 2 1/2 # cut and they usually disolve in about 30 to 60 minutes. are you mixing them in a glass jar or are you using a metal tin. i know mixing shellac in metal will darken the shellac, which is not always a bad thing, but it may also cause other problems, particularly if the tin has some sort of coating on the inside of it.

   Custom Cabinetry and Furniture

   http://www.BartlettWoodworking.com

    

1. 
   cmascolo | Jan 31, 2004 01:22am | #2

   Ialways use a glass jar. My mix for this is a 1 lb. cut, which should make it easier for the flakes to dissolve. The flakes are about a year old. The alcohol about the same.

   Thanks for your help.

1. 
   gecko | Jan 31, 2004 01:37am | #3

   The age might be the issue than. I seem to recall reading that shellac should be used within a year - a may be wrong though

   Custom Cabinetry and Furniture

   http://www.BartlettWoodworking.com

    

2. 
   VeniciaL | Jan 31, 2004 08:03am | #4

   cmascolo,

   From time to time I have had this problem. Yes it is related to the age of the flakes. But NOT the age of the alcohol. I have had batches of shellac that disolved for years without problem. Others that became difficult to disolve about a year after we got them. I forget the factors that make shellac hard to disolve.

   I haven't had any problems at all over the several years since I have routinely ground my shellac in a coffee grinder before disolving. You can try heating the jar of partially disovled shellac by placing it in a water bath. I wouldn't go much hotter than about 140 F.

   VL

3. 
   Paul_Snyder | Jan 31, 2004 05:05pm | #5

   Craig,

   Shellac flakes that won't dissolve are a sign the shellac has gone bad. There's a brief discussion on the subject at this link - Shellac.

   Paul