I’m having difficulty applying shellac uniformly at inside corners (e.g. inside
walls of a box). The usual balled-up rag can’t get in effectively and ends up
leaving an unsightly mess. Should I be using a brush? Should I mask off adjacent
surfaces?
I’ve been successful with shellac (#1 cut, garnet) many times in the past, but have
never had to get into tight spaces!
Any advice would be most appreciated!
Replies
I use an art paint brush and thin to a 1/2 lb cut and do very thin applications only till it color matches the rest. Sand lightly with 400 grit.
The best way to avoid this challenge is to pre-finish inside surfaces before assembly. Tape up the glue surfaces and sand off any shellac that bleeds under the tape.
Hope this helps.
Masking would help, but pre-finishing before assembly is really the way to go. Mask off any glue surfaces and finish the interior surfaces. As a bonus any squeeze out is a breeze to deal with.
Thanks! I did do one application before glue up, thinking I could do more afterwards; a mistake apparently.
That will be tricky. I have used Golden Taklon brushes to apply Shellac in some instances and they are fantastic, the best for it imo.
Spray. Gun or rattle can. Air brush also work well (maybe best for tight spots).
I agree with bilyo. Aerosol shellac works great for small pieces. Shellac works great as a stand alone finish or can serve as a sealer for lacquer, varnish or any other film finish.
I usually use a brush. Shellac is very forgiving.
Agree with the rattle can approach. I'm using that more and more for small pieces.
I'll wrap the rag around a stick and poke into the corners. Not as good as getting it done before assembly and might require adding more to the rag often but can work.
I use Q-tips. Works real well. Also good for oil finishes.
Pre-finish is my go-to. Don't have to deal much with inside corners, and it makes squeeze out much easier to pop off.
I use a Taklon brush with thinned Sealcoat and it works great. Brush might be 1\2" wide but my boxes are only 4 x 9".
One of the best things about using an air brush is that you can adjust the pressure and amount of spray in order to minimize the amount of bounce back. High volume and pressure (even from a spray can) can create a fog bouncing back out of a semi-closed space. This tends to prevent a lot of the shellac (or any finish) from getting into the angles and corners.
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