Replies

1. 
   dgreen | May 07, 2007 08:07am | #1

   Personally I would stay with the shellac, Looks good, traditional and easy to repair.

   ------------------------------------

   It would indeed be a tragedy if the history of the human race proved to be nothing more than the story of an ape playing with a box of matches on a petrol dump. ~David Ormsby Gore

2. 
   myoung | May 07, 2007 11:32am | #2

   I'd stick with the shellac also, especially after using the waxy shellac. You will be risking adhesion problems by applying varnish ( or any other topcoat besides shellac) over it. If you had started with dewaxed shellac you would have been o.k.

   Malcolm

   http://www.shellacshack.com

3. 
   Gretchen | May 07, 2007 03:16pm | #3

   There wouldn't be anything wrong with just continuing with the shellac. If you are going to use it and it gets dinged, it will be easy to repair. It will be a nice finish.

   Gretchen
4. 
   user-83153 | May 07, 2007 04:17pm | #4

   JR,

     Really the only finishes you shouldn't use are poly or waterborne finishes.

              Rob

5. 
   hotwheels | May 07, 2007 05:36pm | #5

   Thanks all... I will stay with a shellac finish, it seems to suit the already dinged up character of the piece, although it is a very glossy look. From what I have read, the way to make the finish less glossy is to use 0000 steel wool after it has cured. Are there any other options such as 2000 sand paper and some mineral spirits?

1. 
   Rich14 | May 08, 2007 01:02am | #8

   hotwheels,

   4-0 steel wool will give a very soft satin finish to the shellac surface which I think will be very appropriate to the piece.

   But steel wool will not level the inevitable bumps, ridges and other surface irregularities of the shellac. It will simply polish all those irregularities with its abrasive pattern.

   Shellac should be leveled before final rubbing out. Leveling is done with a sanding block (rubber or felt) and 220-320 grit sandpaper (I use 320, but I also level between each shellac application). Leveling removes a lot of shellac and you probably will need a few additional coats, which (also get leveled) before the steel wool treatment.

   Rich

   Edited 5/7/2007 6:03 pm ET by Rich14

1. 
   hotwheels | May 08, 2007 04:06am | #9

   Rich,
   Thanks. I have applied the shellac in a few session so far, leveling in between 3-4 sessions. I am going to do a couple of more, then let it cure and rub it out with the steel wool. Does one of the 3m pads that is also 0000 have the same effect or is there something special about steel wool?
   Thanks,
   John

1. 
   Rich14 | May 08, 2007 04:18am | #10

   I prefer steel wool. The 3M pads just seem to burnish. With any finishing technique, you really need to try each option on test pieces to see what you like.

6. 
   stantheman | May 08, 2007 12:04am | #6

   wouldn't be my choice, but couldn't you put a coat or two of dewaxed over the waxed, then whatever else you wanted? 

1. 
   jimmy | May 08, 2007 12:42am | #7

   no