A while back, maybe a couple of years, I purchased a can of Orange Shellac for a project I was doing. I didn't end up needing the whole can so I put it on the shelf with my other finishes. This week I was looking for a can of stain that I had and moved the can of shellac as I was looking for the can of stain.
Today, I went to get my can of pvc cement for a different project and as I walked over to the shelf I saw a puddle of brown stuff on the shelf and also on the floor. As I moved stuff off the shelf wiping off the wet shellac, I found the can of shellac looking like this:
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That large lump on the side is dried shellac. Apparently the shellac and alcohol have eaten through the side of the can. It appears the leaking has been going on for some time. The first leak appears to have started at the side seam, but there is also a pin hole on the other side, covered by the label.
My shop is heated/cooled by the house system so the can did not rust through from the outside. This is the second time I have had this happen with a can of shellac.
Is this a common occurrence with old shellac?