Time needed between Shellac coats

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jonbon
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Time needed between Shellac coats

Post by jonbon »

Hi,

I'm applying my final coats Special Pale French Polish (Clear Shellac) to a frame.

How many hours would you suggest is necessary in between coats to ensure the first coat is not reactivated/fully dry?

Thank you
Jonbon
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Re: Time needed between Shellac coats

Post by vintage frames »

I usually allow 20min between coats of shellac. So say I was painting shellac onto a well primed frame. This could be a painted or stained wood surface. First I'd be using a high quality brush to apply the finish. With shellac, the higher the quality of the brush and higher the quality of the finish. And shellac depends on the finest and thinnest of finishes.
Next I'd be diluting the shellac 50/50 with meths. Then it's paint on the shellac in long continuous strokes with just enough on the brush to wet the surface. Now let that dry for 20min.
The finish now needs de-nibbed with either 600grit paper or 00 wire wool. The secret of sucess here is to only dull the surface and not cut into the finish by leaning in too hard with the abrasive.
Wipe off the surface with a clean cloth and apply the second coat of shellac. This is now the final coat and it should now be left 24hours before any further work.
On the next day the finish can be dulled back with 0000 wire wool and wax applied.
Since we all now have nothing better to do but talk shop, it's good to have FF for these discussions and take time to experiment with ideas we'd normally never have the time to waste on.
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jonbon
Posts: 20
Joined: Tue 17 Sep, 2019 9:55 pm
Location: London
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Re: Time needed between Shellac coats

Post by jonbon »

Awesome, great help thank you.

I have a Da Vinci mop for applying my shellac which I do not use for anything else. I have included a picture of it for anyone else new to this process. (keep it clean and don't use it for anything else other than applying shellac was advice given to me by someone in the shop i bought it from).

I actually applied one coat of 100% undilueted shellac last night straight on to the finished moulding, not knowing the first step in the process you have just mentioned. It's applied straight onto a metal leaf i have coloured bronze. The finish looks pretty good with just the one coat, I think it could be sufficient, would you agree? I don't want to mess it up with another coat if it isn't necessary...

Thank you
Jonbon
Attachments
Shellac Mop.jpg
Shellac on Bronze finish 3.jpg.jpg
Shellac on Bronze finish 2.jpg.jpg
Shellac on Bronze finish 1.jpg
vintage frames
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Re: Time needed between Shellac coats

Post by vintage frames »

Ah-ah! You are now one of the enlightened. You have a mop.
As I said, you'll get the best results by using diluted shellac. Apart from the obvious use of disposable gloves, you'd find it useful to buy a pack of those aluminium foil takeaway trays. Home Bargains are cheapest. Plunge the mop into the tray with some shellac, squeeze out the mop FLAT between your fingers and draw it slowly over the surface to be sealed.
When you've finished you can keep the mop in a jam jar of meths. Make a hole in the lid to keep the mop suspended in liquid. Mine stays in there all the time.
Affordable Gilding Course for Professional Framers-https://www.dermotmcardle.co.uk/
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jonbon
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Joined: Tue 17 Sep, 2019 9:55 pm
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Re: Time needed between Shellac coats

Post by jonbon »

Hi Dermot,

Thanks for your help
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