Shellac finishing problems

[Kevin Stauffer]

Greetings, I'm new to both woodworking and sawmill creek, and I'm working on finishing my nightstands I've built. I have built them out of poplar, and used transfast black powder water base dye, let it dry, then stained it with a walnut stain. I like the color, and it's what I was looking for. I then sprayed them with zisser bulls eye shellac straight from the can. I have a few coats on the project, and now I'm trying to get a finish smooth coat. I've read that I should sand the shellac, to smooth it off. I don't think it's fish-eyes, but my several coats of shellac are built up, and maybe too thick? I tried a few different foam sanding blocks (320, 220) and also a fine sanding sponge(220). They keep filling up with shellac. I also tried 220 sandpaper on a foam block. This filled up as well. The project has been sitting in my shed for a month or longer since I've applied shellac. It's dry but when I had it in the sun, It softens up and my fingerprints can still be left behind.

1) Did I choose the wrong finish over top my water based dye and stain combo?

2) Did I spray the incorrect way? Should have I rubbed It?

3) Is there a good way to smooth it out and get a nice top coat?

4) Would It help to cut the shellac and in turn smooth the finish that is applied currently?

It's my first project and I like the way it turned out If I can only put on a smooth topcoat.

Kevin Stauffer

[Scott Holmes]

Kevin,

Shellac is perfectly fine as a finish on a nightstand.

Your troubles are coming from using shellac as if it were varnish. The perfect shellac finish is the thinnest possible coat that is flawless.

Varnish and lacquer can be built up shellac should not be too thick. As for sanding it back that's one way albeit the most difficult. As you have learned shellac is very hard.

You may want to read up od padding shellac. You already hav enough on your project, so now you need to move it around into a smooth thin coat.

Here's an excellent description... http://www.hardwoodlumberandmore.com/hardwood/Finishing/Shellac/ApplyingShellac.html

[Benjamin Brisjar]

Scott,

The link you posted on applying shellac is great. Thanks!

[Jim Becker]

Steve Mickley, who wrote that article, is a wonderful maker and finishing guru.

BTW, Zinsser SealCoat is "ready to spray" out of the can, but the Bulls Eye Shellac (waxy shellac) is a heavier cut and needs to be adjusted for best results no matter how you apply it.

[Jerry Olexa]

Shellac is different from varnish. Sounds like you have too much on there, Thin is good on shellac. I reco you set up a pad with emphasis on DA and eventually you can smooth it out. Don't sand it anymore just pad in circles w the DA laden pad and it should blend together. Search for S. Mickley's articles on this. He is the expert...

[Kevin Stauffer]

Thanks for the link, I think I'll try making a pad and then try to use Steve McKinkey's step 2 50/50 DA and Shellac in the pad. Then on to step 3, 100% DA. Hopefully it will smooth out my thick coats of shellac. (oops)

PS.. anyone think I should wipe on straight DA to get rid of all the shellac? or should I go straight to the 2 steps I listed first?
Thanks in advance
Kevin

[Kevin Stauffer]

sorry Jerry, I read your post after you gave the suggestion about sticking with DA... I'll try that
Thanks


Shellac is different from varnish. Sounds like you have too much on there, Thin is good on shellac. I reco you set up a pad with emphasis on DA and eventually you can smooth it out. Don't sand it anymore just pad in circles w the DA laden pad and it should blend together. Search for S. Mickley's articles on this. He is the expert...

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Kevin,

The great thing about shellac is you can work with it. The next coat becomes part of the current coat. So if you use light coats thinned with denatured alcohol and you feel like you need a heavier coat...add another thinned coat. Unlike polys.....shellac doesn't bond with the current coat to form another coat..it becomes part of the current coat.

Before the idiots in the turning forum sent me a lathe, I'd never worked with shellac. Now it's one of my favorite finishes.

If you decide to take straight DNA (Denatured Alcohol) on a pad and even out the current finish...you can always add another coat later.

Thinned shellac in my experience flows better and leaves fewer brush marks, dust nibbs etc. The only catch is you have to add additional coats to build the thickness you desire.

PLay with it. You really can't hurt anything in my experience.