What do you mix with shellac to make French polish?

French polish is a mixture of shellac and oil. Little oil is needed; it acts as a lubricant for the shellac.

What are the ingredients of French polish?

French Polishes are made up from flaked shellac dissolved in methylated spirit. The type of shellac used can vary in colour from a light clear colour to a dark brown colour. Special Pale French Polish is a de-waxed Shellac and is suitable for use on both light and dark woods.

What oil is used in French polishing?

Oils Used For French Polishing

The most commonly used oil is probably olive oil. The second would be mineral oil, followed by walnut oil. Different oils have different properties they bring to the finish during application as well as the long term properties of the finish itself.

What alcohol do you use in French polish?

Traditionally luthiers have used denatured alcohol, nondenatured ethanol, and mineral spirit blends as the spirit base for dissolving shellac for french polishing. Finally luthiers have access to a better, safer alternative to denatured alcohol.

How do you soften shellac?

Start by applying denatured alcohol. Alcohol will readily dissolve shellac, and it will slowly soften lacquer. Lacquer thinner will readily dissolve lacquer and will soften shellac.

How to French Polish - Woodworking Finish with Shellac

What kind of oil do you use for shellac?

You start by wiping on a very light coat of boiled linseed oil. Apply just enough to darken the wood and then wipe off any excess. When applied sparingly, the linseed oil will simply cure under the following coats of shellac and varnish.

Will shellac stick to mineral oil?

You could in theory at least use shellac here, as many modern users of shellac who still pad it on have switched to using mineral oil from the traditional linseed oil as a lubricant on their application pads. But for safety it would still be best to to clean the oil from the surface.

Can you use linseed oil for French polishing?

OILS USED IN FRENCH POLISHING

The oils used in the polishing processes are raw and boiled linseed oil, turpentine, and nut oil.

Can shellac be polished?

Shellac can result in a high-gloss finish. A mirror-like glossy shellac finish is achieved by French polishing. If you prefer a less glossy, satin finish, buff out the final coat with 0000 steel wool and a non-silicon based paste wax. Lightly work the wax over the finish until it's thoroughly covered.

What do you mix shellac with?

Common shellac recipes

Dry shellac is mixed with denatured alcohol in a particular ratio called a cut, which refers to the amount of shellac in pounds dissolved in a gallon of alcohol. A 2-lb. cut of shellac is 2 lb. of shellac resin dissolved in a gallon of alcohol.

Does alcohol dissolve shellac?

Pure grain alcohol will dissolve your shellac more smoothly and will build your finish more quickly. So take a trip to your local liquor store and pick up some solvent, give it a try with shellac, and see what you think when you've used a traditional solvent for your traditional shellac finish.

Can you mix linseed oil and shellac?

For a home-brew finish, mix equal parts of shellac, denatured alcohol, and boiled linseed oil.

Can you thin shellac with naphtha?

Naphtha can replace paint thinner and will help accelerate drying time of oil based paints, enamels and varnishes. Note: Do Not use with lacquers, shellac or latex paint. Shellac Solvent - Selected specifically for dissolving shellac flake and reduce or dilute the 'pound cut' of liquid Shellac.

What is dewaxed shellac?

Dewaxed shellac is an ideal sanding sealer. It bonds tenaciously to virtually any bare wood or finished surface; it dries very quickly, sands smooth with the greatest of ease, and since it contains no stearates it provides a reliable base for any kind of finish going on top.

Can you mix Danish Oil with shellac?

The only problem with Danish oil in this application is the fact that most Danish oil contains a high amount of oil. That oil will have difficulty curing on top of a pre-sealed surface (from the shellac). The General Finishes products are mostly varnish, if not all varnish (Arm-R-Seal).

What is French shellac?

French polishing is a wood finishing technique that results in a very high gloss surface, with a deep colour and chatoyancy. French polishing consists of applying many thin coats of shellac dissolved in denatured alcohol using a rubbing pad lubricated with one of a variety of oils.

Can you oil shellac?

You can apply oil-base varnish (non-poly) over shellac without any problem. And it doesn't matter if the shellac contains wax or not. The combination of a coat of shellac followed by a few coats of oil-base varnish will produce an attractive and durable natural finish.

What alcohol goes with shellac?

You will find a product called Everclear (banned in some states) for sale in liquor stores, 750 ml for about $25. It is 92.4% ethanol by weight (190 proof) produced at the practical limit of distillation purity. It should work for shellac.

Can you use lemon oil on shellac?

Shellac is not alcohol- or water stain-resistant, but damage caused by either one can be easily repaired. You can buff out a white water stain on a horizontal surface (such as a tabletop) with a small amount of lemon oil and #0000 steel wool.

Can I mix stain with shellac?

Shellac can also be tinted using aniline dye or alcohol-based stain. If you want to impart an intense, vibrant color to the shellac, use a stain or dye. If you want a dark green/blue color, then add some black stain to amber shellac.