Replies

1. 
   Howard_Acheson | Nov 14, 2001 06:00pm | #1

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   You must use dewaxed shellac if you plan to overcoat it with polyurethane varnish. Poly varnish has poor adhesive qualities and will not have good adhesion to the wax in shellac. Sometimes you can purchase dewaxed shellac but generally you will need to dewax it yourself. Pour it into a glass mayonaise jar--Hellmans works best--and let it sit for a few days. The cloudy stuff on the bottom is the wax. Decant the liquid on the top and this is the dewaxed shellac.

   The newer Bulleye pre-mixed shellac does not dewax in this manner. They have done something to it to allow it to last longer and now the wax will not separate--at least for me. I have gone to shellac flakes and make my own.

1. 
   Danford_C._Jennings | Nov 14, 2001 08:01pm | #2

   *Steve,To expand just a tad on Howie's post...Remember that this maple will "amber" or darken over time naturally. So, the look you achieve today by using an orange shellac will be completely different a year or two down the road.Polyurethanes, with the exception of high grade marine polys, do not contain UV inhibitors. My suggestion would be to either "sun tan" the Maple prior to finishing or to rub in a thin coat of boiled linseed oil and let dry for about a week. In doing the latter you will get a slight ambering and as a side benefit it will "pop" the grain.If you use a wipe on poly such as Min Wax with 4 to 6 coats you will achieve a hand rubbed look with the durability of polyurethane. This would be my approach. FWIW.Dano