Shellac as a finish

[Craig D Peltier]

I just built a dresser for a family member.Its maple, it has fiddleback on doors,legs and top.I would like to bring that out.The dresser is to be clear coated. I was going to use shellac since it doesnt yellow.
Should I put a sealer first or any other prep?
Can I sand it down to 220 and the shellac work fine?
Any suggestions o bringing out the fiddleback.Its not AAA fiddleback but BBB I guess.

Thank you:)

[Carl Eyman]

How are you going to apply it, Craig? Padding or wiping on is tedious, but I think does a good job. No, shellac is a good sealer in itself; so you don't need to seal anything. If you are brushing you may want to us a low cut on the first coat. 1 1/2 to 1 would be good. After you get a good build-up (maybe a dozen coats) you may want to rub it with 4/0 steel wool and oil or wax. I like to use Watco's Satin Wax. It is caranoba wax in a mineral oil.

There are many options, but these are some I like.

[Chris Friesen]

I just built a dresser for a family member.Its maple, it has fiddleback on doors,legs and top.I would like to bring that out....Any suggestions o bringing out the fiddleback.

You might try rubbing in a coat of BLO or Tung Oil (possibly cut with solvent) to bring out the figure in the wood, then putting shellac on top. I've also heard of using a water-base dye before or instead of the BLO.

As with any new finishing technique, try it on some spare pieces first to see if you like it.

[Craig D Peltier]

How are you going to apply it, Craig? Padding or wiping on is tedious, but I think does a good job. No, shellac is a good sealer in itself; so you don't need to seal anything. If you are brushing you may want to us a low cut on the first coat. 1 1/2 to 1 would be good. After you get a good build-up (maybe a dozen coats) you may want to rub it with 4/0 steel wool and oil or wax. I like to use Watco's Satin Wax. It is caranoba wax in a mineral oil.

There are many options, but these are some I like.

I was hoping a foam brush 3 inch or so, Its 20x60 top and its 44 inch high an 20 deep.
Cut with what turpentine?

[Steven Wilson]

Pop the grain with a mixture of Tung:BLO:Turpentine in the ratio of 1:1:2, wipe off and let dry then top coat with shellac. What do you want the final color to be? If you're looking for something light use blonde dewaxed shellac. Just be aware that if you pop the grain with any oil it will impart an amber color to the piece. As always try your complete finishing schedule on scrap first. As for your sanding schedule I would go through the grits (say starting at 120) up to 400 or 600 as 220 can be a bit rough (i.e. 120, 180, 220, 260, 320, 400, 600). Make sure to check for swirl marks by flooding the surface with solvent once and awhile. For applying shellac on a large surface I like using a very good brush (Omega Lily Oval varnish) with a substantial reservoir and a 2lb cut of shellac. The last coat or two should be applied by padding.

[glenn bradley]

I was hoping a foam brush 3 inch or so, Its 20x60 top and its 44 inch high an 20 deep.
Cut with what turpentine?

Cut with Denatured Alcohol. I sand to 400 but, I'm anal. As shellac doesn't build quickly I find the closer I am to the finish smoothness I'm after the quicker I'm done. This varies however based on the build thickness you require for protection. If you're gonna go 6-plus coats, 220 is probably fine as the shellac will fill to some degree. A dresser is not a dining table but the tops can get some reasonable abuse; car keys, spare change, etc. so judge based on lifestyle and intended use.

You can pop your grain with BLO but there will be some darkening on maple. Test on a scrap that has been through your sanding protocol first to be sure it isn't too much for your taste. For example, I use BLO to take some of the red out of red oak and lean it into the brown spectrum.

[Jim DeLaney]

I was hoping a foam brush 3 inch or so, Its 20x60 top and its 44 inch high an 20 deep.
Cut with what turpentine?

Be careful about that foam brush. Some of them disintegrate pretty quickly with shellac, and leave little black globs of dissolved foam on your project.

My preference is a synthetic bristled brush - Taklon is one brand name.trademark. They work very well with shellac. Actually, padding it on with a lint-free cloth is probably the overall easiest way to do it, with good results.

[Larry Fox]

Craig, a dye-stain would really pop the figure in the tiger-maple if you are willing to introduce some color into the piece (especially if you can spray it as you can get a really consistent coverage). TransTint's are a really good option and you can mix it with water or even DNA. You can go over to HomeSteadfinishing to see the color chart with the dye applied to tiger maple. If you don't want to go that route you can use blo as others have pointed out but it will imart an amber tone to it which is likely to become more pronounced over time.

Another option that I seem to recall reading about is to apply your dye stain, let it dry and sand it back. The theory is that the dye stain will stay with the curl and highlight it under whatever topcoat you choose without coloring the wood per se. I have never tried this one and will have to read up tonight to make sure that I didn't imagine it.

Lots of good advise on the shellac from other posters so nothing I can add there.

However, as others have pointed out - practice on scrap.

[Craig D Peltier]

I tried a Semi Gloss Lacquer on a figured piece, suppose to dry in 30 minutes.I put three coats.
Then I put Minwax gloss poly on it, also fast drying and the poly made it pop more I guess due to the yellow.
So maybe I can go with poly, I really dont have much time to finish it.Three days 6 hours first day 4 hours second and third day, dry enough to deliver by friday night.
Right now its sanded to 220 on %80. If I poly it, do you suggest foam brush or rag? Do you sand poly in between coats.I just read shellac you dont but I think poly you do.

[Craig D Peltier]

You might try rubbing in a coat of BLO or Tung Oil (possibly cut with solvent) to bring out the figure in the wood, then putting shellac on top. I've also heard of using a water-base dye before or instead of the BLO.

As with any new finishing technique, try it on some spare pieces first to see if you like it.

Ill try this this morning.Thanks

[Craig D Peltier]

You might try rubbing in a coat of BLO or Tung Oil (possibly cut with solvent) to bring out the figure in the wood, then putting shellac on top. I've also heard of using a water-base dye before or instead of the BLO.

As with any new finishing technique, try it on some spare pieces first to see if you like it.

I tried this but I did the cut wrong think I did too much tung oil.Anyways it looked clear like the lacquer I tired on another test piece.
I went with minwax quick dry poly.I have been steel wooling #0000 and some 400 in between first and second coat. The yellow tint to the poly really brought out the figure also.
Thanks