Shellac problem, need help!

[Harry Thornton]

I have never used shellac until now so I am claiming ignorance. I just finished my first walnut turkey call pot and applied a shellac finish. The directions indicated that additional coats should be applied while prior coats were tacky. I reapplied until I achieved a nice glossy finish.

Problem: after several hours the glossy finish seemed dry to the touch but not hard. (It would stick to a wooden surface if I put it down for a few minutes.) I put it on a stationary rack in the clothes dryer and turned it on for a few minutes. Bad idea! It appears that tiny air bubbles came to the surface.

Question: Should I now sand and reapply shellac or strip shellac and start over? Do I have wet shellac trapped under a dry surface? Will it eventually dry?

Forgive me if this is a stupid question. As Forrest's mother said: "stupid is as stupid does." Guilty.

[Jeff Sudmeier]

Harry, the shellac experts will be along shortly to offer more information for you.

What I do know is that if you make a mistake using shellac you can use alcohol on a rag to smooth out the surface. I would think that this would be your next step.

Good luck and listen to the next few posts more than mine :)

[Erin Raasch]

Harry,

I'm a little surprised that the directions said to apply a second coat while the first is still tacky. I'm assuming that you used a commercially prepared product, as opposed to mixing your own.

The first thing I would try is to take a rag dipped in denatured alcohol and see if you can remove the tacky coats. Take it down as far as you need to to get a good smooth and non-tacky surface. Failing that, you may need to sand it down, but I think the alcohol should do the trick.

Once you have a clean surface, what I would probably do, if using a commercially prepared product, would be to cut it about 50/50 with denatured alcohol. You can get "waterless" alcohol specifically formulated for cutting shellac. Then wipe on thin coats, letting each coat dry to the touch before applying the next.

If the shellac is thinned down, it will dry very quickly. I like to use a very thin cut that typically dries to the touch in about 10 minutes or less, then apply several thin coats.

I think you'll get better results than from applying only a couple of thicker coats.

Good luck!

Erin

[Jerry Olexa]

Above is good advice. I have nener heard of applying shellac over a tacky surface. I believe that is your problem. Let each coat dry before applying the next. Good news is you can easily repair by wiping off w a saturated cloth of alcohol and then basically start over. You also may have old shellac. HTH

[Jim Becker]

Shellac "burns in" relative to previous "coats"...so they all become one. It is not necessary to apply subsequent coats when it is tacky and this will, in fact, cause the drying time to lengthen. Until the alcohol all flashes off, it will remain tacky. Thick, thick coats hurt that process. In fact, some experts say that shellac should be applied in ONE coat, adjusting the cut to determine the actual film thickness. Alternatively, multiple very thin coats padded on (with proper technique) can result in a mirror finish.

[Richard Wolf]

Your profile doesn't say where you live. Humidity can have an effect on shellac, but I never heard of applying a next coat before the first is dry. The beauty of using shellac is that each coat will amalgamate with the pervious coat.

Richard

[Harry Thornton]

The product I used is Zinsser spray shellac. I will not use it going forward. Actually, I was ill-advised that Deft (clear finish coat) was shellac. Actually, it is lacquer. Deft is what most game-call makers use because it drys very quickly. Some of the call "turners" use a burnished finish...but I don't have a lathe.

Thanks for the info. Next step for me, buy some denatured alcohol and some spray Deft...someday I will purchase a lathe and do this project the right way.

[Byron Trantham]

Harry I have used a lot of shellac it needs to dry between coats. It doesn't take long. I used 320 sandpaper between coats if needed. Generally I use shellac as a barrier coat between, say BLO and WB lacquer. In any case, let it dry between coats. If it "feels" a little rough, sand it with 320 and do it again.

[Erin Raasch]

Sounds like a fun little project (well, except for your finishing woes). In lieu of a lathe, what do you use to shape the calls?

I hope to acquire a lathe myself someday, but I don't see it happening for a year or two. I tried making a chisel handle using a spokeshave, but it turned out pretty lopsided. Any tips to compensate for the lack of the preferred tool?

Thanks,

Erin

[Harry Thornton]

the call is a disk that is hollowed out with a lip for a round piece of slate or glass to sit on. There are holes in the bottom to allow the sound out. To make the sound of an adult hen turkey you rub the end of a rounded wooden dowel across it. It is called a friction call or a slate call.

After I route the pot out of walnut I cut the disk out with a band saw. I then use a belt sander to refine the shape and hand sand it smooth. Then I drill holes, apply shellac, glue in pedastals, clamp, glue in surface, clamp. It is a lot of effort and if I ever sell them I will make about 75 cents per hour.;)