Replies

1. 
   forestgirl | Apr 22, 2006 05:57pm | #1

   Ace Hardware, Home Depot, and Lowe's in the U.S. all carry denatured alcohol.  It is ethanol with junk added to keep us from drinking it (and paying taxes on it, LOL).  If there's some kind of law in Canada that makes it hard to find(!) maybe our Wanda can help you with a source.

   I've never dewaxed my own shellac, so can't help you there.  Zinsser makes a dewaxed shellac with a long shelf life, called SealCoat.  Here is one article on dewaxing yourself. 

   Do you have a couple of good finishing books?  Suggestions:  Jeff Jewitt (Great Wood Finishes; or better -- his new finishing book; Bob Flexner's new of edition of his.  Sorry, don't have the titles at the tip of my tongue and my books are in a messy pile right now.  Check at Amazon, you'll find them there.

   I didn't care much for Flexner's old edition, but I looked at the new one the other day, and it's at the top of my book list now.  Finishing is a toughie and oh so important.  Gotta spend some dough if you don't have a tutor, LOL.

   forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 
   

1. 
   philjohnwilliams | Apr 22, 2006 07:46pm | #3

   thanks for the reply. i will check home depot here, but every other place i have checked carries only methyl hydrate. it is possible that there is some strange law here that forbids the sale of denatured alcohol.

   i have been loking for a good book on finishing and i think the jeff jewitt book is the one i will get. i haven't seen the bob flexnor book, but have been reading his articles for a while and find them quite interesting.

   -pjw

   btw, the link to dewaxing shellac was helpful-thanks

1. 
   forestgirl | Apr 22, 2006 10:38pm | #6

   Hi again.  I'm at work now and have more time to browse (ROFL!). 

   I have 2 of Jeff's books, Great Wood Finishes and Tauton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Finishing.  If you like to be "eased into" the whole finishing thing, Great is a good way to go.  But if you want more comprehensive info, I'd say go for the new Complete Guide book.

   It wasn't until I read the CG book that I finally understood what he was doing with the whole Naptha-thinned varnish thing.  Wish I'd know that from the get-go.

   The thing about finishing is:  there are so many ways to do things!  Not only does one author not agree with another....any given author will disagree with himself!!  Too funny.  Now, please, gotta finish my lunch.  Crazy day, glad there are no customers right now.  Whew.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-) 

2. 
   SteveSchoene | Apr 22, 2006 06:04pm | #2

   I believe Canadian for denatured alcohol is Methylated Spirits. I can't believe it isn't available widely at just about every place that sells paint.  What you want is ethyl alcohol with stuff added to make it undrinkable.   

   While wood alcohol (methanol) will dissolve the shellac, it is nasty stuff you do NOT want to be breathing. 

1. 
   philjohnwilliams | Apr 22, 2006 07:48pm | #4

   if i can't find denatured alcohol, i wonder if i could just use cheap vodka? (kidding, of course)

1. 
   QCInspector | Apr 22, 2006 09:50pm | #5

   "if i can't find denatured alcohol, i wonder if i could just use cheap vodka? (kidding, of course)"Your not so far off with that idea. In the late 70's when I worked there during a few Springs, the Gov't Liqueur stores sold "Alcool" (I think that's the spelling) that was 98% alcohol. If it's still sold there I don't think the 2% water is going to be a problem, but I'm not absolutely certain of that. Someone with more French polishing knowledge can confirm.

1. 
   citrouille | Apr 23, 2006 02:41am | #8

   2% water can't be a problem because there is no such a thing as 100% alcohol (outside a lab).
   If I recall correctly, alcohol starts absorbing the moisture in the air at around 98%
   I dilute shellac with the heads of what I drink (somebody out there will know what I mean), mostly methanol at around 90%. Never had a problem.C.

2. 
   joinerswork | Apr 24, 2006 02:13am | #9

   phil,

   Here in VA, we used to be able to purchase in the liquor store, a product called Everclear, pure grain alcohol.  The college kids used it for spiking their frathouse punchbowls, but it makes a pretty good shellac solvent/thinner.  Unfortunately, no longer available in VA, but may be on the shelf where you are.  Higher proof than vodka.

   Cheers,

   Ray Pine

1. 
   Biscardi | Apr 24, 2006 05:27am | #10

   Bekohl makes a propretary solvent that has a little butyl alcohol mixed in it to slow the drying process a bit. It works well, you can get it from any of the catalogues.

   If you get a little sludge in it it wont hurt anything. You just don't want the heavy wax if you are using it as a sealer coat. Waxy shellac looks just fine on most things as long as you aren't going to put another finish on it other than wax.

   Frank

1. 
   SteveSchoene | Apr 24, 2006 02:39pm | #11

    It's only oil-based polyurethane varnish and any waterborne finish that won't adhere to shellac with wax.  Traditional resin varnishes will stick just fine. 

3. 
   mufti | Apr 22, 2006 11:13pm | #7

              Or, if you have any friends working in research you can get

              the real thing,you do not have to drink it! 99.7% ethanol is

              used in many labs and if your needs are modest you should be

              able to get a small quantity.