I am spraying multiple layers of tinted shellac to create a glazed finish, using an hvlp sprayer. I’m using super blonde dewaxed flakes (cut: approx. 8 oz. flakes to 32 oz. of alcohol), and have been having a problem with the subsequent layers of shellac (never the initial coat) appearing to “melt” – in spots – usually an area about 1/4″ wide x 1 inch, sometimes larger …

The visual appearance is not the bloom associated with humidity – I am familiar with that. It looks like a finish does when you put stripper on it, but reduced to a tiny, minute scale of that. It cures hard, but leaves a “frosted” spot in an otherwise perfect surface.

I suspect the alcohol in the shellac is acting as its own solvent on top of the previous layer?  I have tried modifying how far the gun is from the object being sprayed. It appears then that the shellac is almost drying before hitting the object being sprayed – totally negating the reason I’m spraying multiple coats to begin with. I have tried new mixtures of shellac – both with different shellac flakes and different cans of alcohol. There seems to be no discernable pattern to when this “melt” happens and when it does not – other than never on the initial coat.

Help?? Any suggestions?