Shellac Polishing by Garrett Hack | EN Original Version
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- Опубликовано: 22 дек 2015
- Shellac polishing is a very simple finishing technique. The layers are rapidly produced, and the result is extremely durable. In this video, Garrett Hack demonstrates all the important steps involved in shellac polishing, from using alcohol to prepare the shellac solution, applying the liquid with a brush or a pad, smoothing, and then finally polishing the surface. He also explains where shellac comes from, and provides plenty of tips on how to handle this traditional and environmentally friendly form of surface finishing. You will find all products he uses at www.dictum.com
Garrett Hack uses the following DICTUM products:
Superior Shellac - reddish, 250 g (No. 810037) or 1 kg (No. 810038)
Komet Shellac - orange-coloured, 250 g (No. 810034) or 1 kg (No. 810035)
Astra Shellac - bleached, 250 g (No. 810030) or 1 kg (No. 810031)
Ethanol (Alcohol) 96 %, 1 l (No. 810039)
Flat Brush (No. 706155)
Packing and polishing tube, 20 m (No. 810008)
Polishing Cloth (No. 810029)
Pumice Powder, 250 g (No. 810050)
Mini Scrapers, 3-Piece Set (No. 703539)
Sanding and Polishing Steel Wool No. 000, super fine (No. 706472)
Sanding and Polishing Steel Wool No. 0000, extra fine (No. 706473)
Clourethan® One-Component Lacquer, 1 l (No. 716251) 
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What a great overview with so much useful information! Thank you very much.
This is great! My man is like a wood working Bob Ross.
A superb way of polishing good quality furniture. Thank you for reviving my memories.
You would know that this guy is experienced. Listen to a handy man that's missing a finger because he's been there and done that project you're thinking. Good job keep on teaching you're a good teacher.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge Garrett! I didn't know about using a scraper to level out a finish or adding dyes to shellac. This has been very helpful. Scott
Incredible video, thank you for making and sharing.. I appreciate how much specific and direct information and advice on how to use and finish up shellac, not to short and broad or brief but also not like some of the disorganized videos you find online that are hard to watch/learn from. Thank you!
Actually, if you use the hardware store alcohol like Kleen Strip denatured alcohol, it contains methanol which is toxic, an alternative is anhydrous isopropyl alcohol, it is commonly known as "rubbing alcohol" but unlike the rubbing alcohol you buy in the store- the water is removed, regular rubbing alcohol like 70% sold in supermarkets contains water which you don't want in the shellac,but anhydrous isopropyl alcohol can be bought on Amazon, a gallon is about $31. Considering the Kleen Strip denatured quart is about $7 or $8, the price is just about the same.
Thanks. You gave me a very good understanding of shellac and how to apply it.
Really useful video, has helped me immensely - thank you for making it.
If it's wood it has to be shellac. Nothing could be more natural than a bug's secretion. Great finish, texture and penetration. Thanks for the vid.
Very well done Garett !
That astra shellac is great!! Really good quality and dissolves very easily in alcohol .. thanks !!
Thank you for your sharing. Great overview and explanations. I'm using French polish shellac to varnish my hand made violins, and for old violins restauration. I'm not finishing with a synthetic varnish, just the ghosting so the varnish overall remains very thin, it is quite strong and mainly it let vibrate more effectively the wood, so better the sound.
Wonderful lesson. Thank you very much!
Man, you're like the Mr Rogers of woodworking
No. He’s the Ronnie James Dio of woodworking.
Wow. Great video 👍
Thank you for the information.
I just started using Shellac flakes I will never go back to canned shellac the finish on my projects came out smoother looks better and seems to have a harder finish your video is very helpful thanks.
Nice presentation
Nope, folks!
"Alcohol" is just a word that , scientifically, is used to describe a particular chemical structure. There are literally thousands of alcohols - all different, but with this (rather simple) chemical structure. the suffix "-ol" in chemistry always describes an alcohol. So, ethanol, methanol, propanol isobutanol, etc.
Ethyl alcohol (also known as ethanol) is the stuff that people drink the world over. It's in every "alcoholic" drink known on earth. It's not poisonous - although it makes you drunk, if you drink too much!
Ethyl alcohol is produced on an amazingly vast scale, all over the world. It is one of the most common (and cheap) solvents required by global industry. But governments don't want people to just go and buy pure ethyl alcohol and drink it. It honestly costs much less than a dollar per litre to produce, and so it would in fact be the cheapest way to get drunk - and all governments want the heavy taxes that they impose on alcoholic drinks, and it's not desirable to have large swathes of the population staggering around drunk on cheap alcohol!
So governments require that ethanol producers (that is, industrial scale producers) add a number of chemicals to the ethanol, to inhibit people from drinking the stuff. These include chemicals to make the stuff taste bitter, smell bad and color it (often blue). In the past (and still today in many countries), another kind of alcohol - methyl alcohol - is added to make people not drink it; and methanol is in fact poisonous, so that if you drink it you'll get sick (and if you drink pure methyl alcohol -methanol - you can become blind, and can in fact die!)
So, "methylated spirits" is in fact ethyl alcohol (ethanol) with around 5% of methyl alcohol (methanol) added to it to make it undrinkable. This is known in many countries as "metho", or "meths".
The 5% or so of methanol added to the ethanol doesn't change the solvent properties of the material in any meaningful way, so that it's pointless to try and buy "pure ethanol" for this purpose (acting as a solvent). You can buy pure ethanol at laboratory chemical suppliers - but the governments then load it with huge taxes, so that it's prohibitively expensive. If you have a commercial laboratory and MUST have pure ethanol, you can apply for an exemption from the taxes - but this is a complicated matter, requiring the keeping of careful records that governments periodically inspect.
Finally, the commercial production of ethanol yields a material that is 95% ethanol and 5% water. This is not because the producers are sloppy, or want it this way. Rather, commercially, ethanol is produced via distillation, and the purest that one can obtain ethanol by this process is 96% pure. The matter has to do with the formation of what are called chemical azeotropes. To get the last 5% of water out of the ethanol, a second (more expensive) process is required - and for the purposes of it being an industrial solvent, this 4% of water is not an issue.
The stuff you can buy in hardware stores around the world may have a variety of names, but basically, it will never be just "pure alcohol" or" pure ethanol". It's always going to have around 4-5% of water in it (no problem) and it may have one or more of a few additives (like around 5% of methanol, or something bitter, called bitrex) put there to stop people from drinking it!
I also stumpled across this: First he says 'it is basically the same alcohol you drink' and later he says methanol, which is actually poisonous when you drink it...
@@Tscharlieh "Ethanol" is what you want. Either buy denatured alcohol at the hardware store really cheap and be careful because it's poisonous or you can buy Everclear in a liquor store. However Everclear is not available in all states because it is 95% pure and should not be drunk straight.
This is really informative, thanks.
Thank you for the very good lesson on Alcohol. I learn something today. 👍👍
Good job. Many RUclips videos tend to mislead - not by design but by ignorance or half knowledge on the part of the creator of the show. But in fact I think the biggest culprit is our increasing reluctance to read or listen to more than a dozen words at a time. We have lost our attention span and are rapidly progressing back up the monkey tree we descended from.
Interesting: Thanks!
Very informative and really nice to have the products listed. For a brush application, how much volume would result mixing 250g of flakes with ethanol? Also, is it possible to reuse the brush just cleaning it with alcohol?
You can mix the flakes with alcohol with a mix ratio of 1:2 to 1:4. Yes it's easy to clean the brush, alcohol is enough.
Thank you :)
I think I may end up watching this many times👍👍👍
Thanks for showing the process.
I am however curious about if we can spray the Shellac with a pressure gun ?
For use with a spray gun try a very thin mixture. Really do not know if it works. Let us know your experiences.
@@dictum OK Thanks, I'll surly share my experience. Although I am from India where I see traditional woodworkers doing it the same way you showned and it's really classy to watch you/ them doing and feeling the final touch. Still sparying shellac will interesting to try a new way.
Namastey from India.
Helio, thanks for the video. Hoje do you remove the wax from shellac? Thanks.
You have to set it for a long time. The wax you can buy at DICTUM is already cleaned and without wax.
Dictum GmbH you mean the shellac is already dewaxed. (Simple typo). Nice video.
do you recommend a sanding sealer? What is the polishing procedure to obtain a gloss shine?
If you are working with shellack sending sealer is not required. To get a glossy shine you can apply multiple layers of shellack. But that’s a more complicated procedure.
Thank You. I enjoyed your video. Was wondering if I could put shellac over boiled linseed oil. Thanks.
Shellac over oiled surface could be difficult. The linseed oil has to be dry totally (needs up to a month). Buy why do this? There is no need to put oil under a shellac layer. The shellac will protect the wood perfectly. If you like to change the color you could use stains to color the shellac or the wood.
Dictum: Thank You so much for responding. I read on a Google Blog that it was standard French Polishing technique to use Shellac over Boiled Linseed Oil. The reason I wanted to do it was that Linseed Oil made the wood grain stand out beautifully on a Bench I made and thought the Shellac would further seal it and give it more shine. BTW, I was at my wits end as to what to use inside some cabinets I'm making and really appreciate you speaking on this issue.
For that task, I would suggest hard oil. It will dry much faster than linseed oil and give a nice shine to the grain.
Yes, I've done this. It works fine. Of course, wait for the BLO to harden. I've also done this with Tung Oil as well. I like the extra depth Tung Oil gives to walnut. Often I will do three coats of Tung oil (letting each coat dry) then 6 or 7 coats of 1-1/2 to 2 pound cut of shellac.
@@joeleonetti8976 Hi, how long does it take the BLO to harden before we can apply Shellac coats over it? Thank you!
Please tell me what kind of red colors I can add to my shellac to varnish my violin. Please refer to many colors because I am living in a small city without access to various materials. By doing so, I may find one of them. And please say your idea about saffron. Thanks.
You can use any spirit stain to colourice the shallack. Or use a darker red shellack like our www.dictum.com/en/resins-dbi/liquid-shellac-superior-810036
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Thank you so much ... can you please suggest any trustable online store who ships internationaly? And which shallac is best in the world i mean which country pruduce best 1? Regards
Usman
Dear Usman, please feel free to use our online shop to order shellac or other materials and tools. www.dictum.com/en/search?sSearch=shellack# We ship worldwide.
Usually the origin of shellac is India. So, it is more important who is the manufacturer and how the shellac would be cleaned and produced. You will find further information about our shellac in our online shop.
i am covering a table top w shellac but wondering if I need to do anything with the underside? great video btw thanks for sharing.
Don’t worry. It is common to use shellac only at the top side. Since more than 400 years shellac will be applied at one side only.
Thank you very informative. Although I wonder how can you French polish without oil on the pad. I could never do it. It sticks to the surface. That’s a mistery
Try a very thin schallack mixture.
Would you use shellac on old "gumwood" paneling, wood?
Depends on the old surface finish. If they already had used shellack it would be the best.
Thank you very much for taking your time to make this video! It is very helpful.I just finished an office desk with shellac and did a french polish on it. It looks great but I want to give it more protection since it is gonna be used every day in the office.You recommend on your video here to apply a coat of varnish.Would a wipe on varnish be ok ? Water based, oil based ? Would it be ok to apply it right over the french polish ?I would love to spray some lacquer but I am in an apartment and the desk is very big.Thank you very much for your help!Julian
Garrett Hack suggested a PU Lacquer, like our Clourethan (716251) to give the surface a better protection especially against alcohol. So, for a normal used office desk shellac should be a good cover at all. If you like to protect it more you may use a PU Lacquer. You can applicate it in thin layers with a brush or rag.
Should I use sandpaper , 320 or 400 grit, before I apply the varnish over the shellac layers ?
To remove dust from the surface it is a good idea to use fine sandpaper or a scraper blade without a burr. If the surface is clean, you can use the varnish directly on shellac.
Thank you very much for your help! I was worried that the varnish might not stick. Could I use water based polyurethane? I have General Finishes Water Based Wipe On Polyurethane. I am very grateful for all your help! Julian
I kept watching your video over and over. You are a very good teacher!
I can't seem to finish the polishing without dull streak marks left behind. I tried using less DNA and it seems to stick more. I tried using more oil and that didn't help. I tried using more DNA and that dissolves the previous coats. How do you get that final polish where you can call it quits? This is so frustrating. When I start out a new session, it works fine, but as I work it out and start burnishing, the dull marks start to be left behind.
Do you already tried to use a finer fabric for polishing?
I've seen videos here on youtube where others have added a couple drops of mineral oil to the finishing surface to help keep the pad from dragging and making marks. Supposedly the oil doesn't interfere with the shellac drying and it wipes right off when you're done.I haven't tried this myself.
What were the types of wood you were using, especially the "banded" type - Thanks for the video btw - very informative.
This was maple or rather curly maple. In Germany we say "Riegelahorn".
@@dictum Nice one! I have a secretaire with drawers that looked identical to the wood you were showing. Now that I know it's curly maple, I can now go ahead and try and make a missing piece. Thanks again.
@dictum What shellac cut do you use for a thin coat?
You can setup your mixture as thin as you like it with any schellack. Just add alcohol.
The Old Garage I use a 1-1/2 to 2 lb cut which comes out to 1.5 to 2 oz of shellac flakes added to 8 oz of ethanol.
I have a piece with a glued handle, I am having trouble getting coverage where they meet and also end up having a build up along the edge and kind of splotchy area where my rubber changes direction, right where they meet. How can I French polish along this handle ? I can t remove the handle.
Difficult! Maybe you can use really thin shellack and apply multiple layers.
Have a few questions about shellac, what’s the best way to contact you? Thanks
To contact Garrett directly visit www.garretthack.com/contact please.
Brilliance.Brilliance? What is that?clarity?depth of the finish?
This is what I learned at California College of Arts & Crafts in 1963-64:
1. Brilliance refers to its reflectivity, associated w/a highly polished finish.
2. Luster/lustre is how light is reflected;
3. Clarity refers to how a finish appears 3-dimensional, as if it goes into the wood as well as covers it.
I hope that helps. I'm 76 in Feb 2019, a BC Dept of Labour Certified Journeyman Carpenter since 1974, passed the exam 1st time.
More than 30 years ago, I always used Shelac flakes but nowadays can shellac is more convenient and readily available in different colors.
Yes, we now offer ready to use shellec, too. www.dictum.com/en/resins-dbi/liquid-shellac-superior-810036
Great video. Can't understand why it has so few views.
Thank you for the praise!
Because he’s a chancer, he likes to talk , and for people like yourself to think he knows what he’s doing, I’ve been doing all my life he can’t fool a pro.
California has banned denatured alcohol. what else can I use?
You can use Everclear which is 95% Alcohol.
Thats crazy. Shellac is so harmless compared to lacquer and polyurethane
@@hunterfagan6272 It's not the shellac, it's the alcohol that is banned. I was just at HD and they still sell shellac...makes sense, right? Oh, that's right, this is California; nothing makes sense here anymore.
I miss closeup pics!
Please be gentle with us. It's one of our first videos. In the last view years we improved our video skills.
I'm putting shellac in chest of drawers. Because the wood smells of moth balls. I've already sanded the wood. But i need to know when the shellac dries, will it stain my clothes?
If it is dry the schellack woun't stain your clothes. Schellack is alcohol based, so even wet clothes should not be a problem.
Let’s see you french polish a black grand piano.
In deed real french polishing is a more advanced technic and needs more skills than the shellac finish Garrett do demonstrat here. So we decide to change the misleading title.
Not a criticism of you ,but most demonstrations of French polishing showing perfectly flat pieces of wood. Wish people would show the reality of polishing raised surfaces internal corners and mouldings. Sometimes different techniques have to be applied.
Thanks for your comment. Maybe we could pickup that issues for a tutorial video.
Whoa, dipping the pad? The pad should not be wet. You need to squirt a bit of the shellac onto the wadding inside the pad. You are using way to much shellac! You are essentially painting on the shellac. You actually need very little shellac and reactivate by squirting a little of the ethanol onto the wadding. Way too much shellac.
Yes, I'm gonna agree. This might be A finishing method but it's not French polishing. And then he puts polyurethane on at the end ????? Ugh.
This guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about.
Why do you say this , just curious
@@outinthesticks8176 Hi I’m 60 years of age , I’ve been a french polisher all my working life, its my field of expertise, hope it answered your question, stay safe
@@Leroyy536 can you point me toward a video on youtube that demonstrates it properly?
French polishing involves using oil to lubricate the rubber, come back when you have a skill to show.
There is more then one way to use shellac. Come back when you have open minds for new ideas.
Dictum GmbH for your information I’m a professional french polisher, I’m now 60 years of age been restoring antiques for all my working life, you sir are a cowboy, you can fool the novice but not a professional.
To much inaccurate information, sorry, but those watching this should read up on this instead of assuming what is said here is correct.!!
What the hell are you talking about.