Another Great Use for Shellac

[ChicknPickn]

I read recently that tool manufacturers used to coat steel with shellac to prevent rust from forming while the tools were in inventory. I have no choice but to keep a lot of tools in a shed that is not climate controlled, and rust is inevitable. But after giving everything a nice shine with a wire wheel and spraying with a light coat of shellac months ago, it seems the rust problem is solved - - or at least gives protection for a good while. Nice and shiny! Just a thing worth sharing.

 

[Peegoo]

It works!

I learned the boiled linseed oil trick from the oldtimers. It works just like shellac and protects metal, wood, you name it.

 

[PhredE]

Many cosmetologists use it for nails of course, and even some candy items are coated with it.
It's been around for hundreds of years. Some of the finest musical instruments in the world have been finished with the stuff. It's 100% organic (well, traditionally).
What's not to like about it??

 

[MickM]

I like it. It's easy to brush on and clean up is easy.

 

[StoneH]

It's the ingredient in Zinsser primer that stops rust stain bleed through from staples or finishing nails before painting.

 

[DekeDog]

Shellac is an interesting material. It is obtained from excretions from the Lac bug, mostly from India. That being the case, availability is totally dependent on harvests from the bug, and this is the main reason why its price can fluctuate wildly. Having been a formulator of printing inks and coatings in my professional life, we used it in inks printed on the old milk cartons using polyethylene coated paperboard (polyamide resins are used for that application and on juice cartons today replacing shellac). It is also used to coat fruits, like apples, because it is edible and approved by the FDA as some grades are compliant for use as a direct food additive. Zinsser (formally ZinChem) is the largest importer of shellac in the US.

 

[ChicknPickn]

Shellac is an interesting material. It is obtained from excretions from the Lac bug, mostly from India. That being the case, availability is totally dependent on harvests from the bug, and this is the main reason why its price can fluctuate wildly. Having been a formulator of printing inks and coatings in my professional life, we used it in inks printed on the old milk cartons using polyethylene coated paperboard (polyamide resins are used for that application and on juice cartons today replacing shellac). It is also used to coat fruits, like apples, because it is edible and approved by the FDA as some grades are compliant for use as a direct food additive. Zinsser (formally ZinChem) is the largest importer of shellac in the US.

If I were a Lac bug, I would hold out for more money.

 

[Beebe]

Many cosmetologists use it for nails of course, and even some candy items are coated with it.
It's been around for hundreds of years. Some of the finest musical instruments in the world have been finished with the stuff. It's 100% organic (well, traditionally).
What's not to like about it??

The only thing not to like about it is that it can be a bit brittle. Especially the dewaxed versions.

All natural Elimi resin acts as a plasticizer for shellac. Add a bit to your mix and it'll be less likely to crack when installing hardware.

Just let any insoluble material fall the the bottom and don't use it, and strain out the little bits of wood.

Propolis is also an all natural plasticizer and adds a beautiful honey brown tint that works wonders on a maple neck. Best tint for a neck I've found thus far. It's like brown and amber trans tints are already mixed perfectly for you.

 

[ChicknPickn]

The only thing not to like about it is that it can be a bit brittle. Especially the dewaxed versions.

All natural Elimi resin acts as a plasticizer for shellac. Add a bit to your mix and it'll be less likely to crack when installing hardware.

Just let any insoluble material fall the the bottom and don't use it, and strain out the little bits of wood.

Propolis is also an all natural plasticizer and adds a beautiful honey brown tint that works wonders on a maple neck. Best tint for a neck I've found thus far. It's like brown and amber trans tints are already mixed perfectly for you.

Way cool.

 

[Beebe]

And here is one a lot of people don't know.

You can make shellac flakes water soluble by adding borax to the water.

You just need to wait a long time for it to dissolve or help it out with some heat.

It will no longer be soluble in alcohol though, and water will disolve it when dry.

This can be used to improve the properties of water soluble ink or water color paint.

 

[flathd]

It works!

I learned the boiled linseed oil trick from the oldtimers. It works just like shellac and protects metal, wood, you name it.

+1, I mix some mineral spirits with the boiled linseed oil, and it works great on preserving outdoor yard art, antiques, or rusty metal.

You also have to be very careful with the used rags and soak them in water and dispose of properly, to prevent fires caused by spontaneous combustion.

 

[ChicknPickn]

And to think, this guy (gal?) is the source:

 

[bottlenecker]

It works!

I learned the boiled linseed oil trick from the oldtimers. It works just like shellac and protects metal, wood, you name it.

I'm a boiled linseed oil user. Great stuff.

 

[TheGoodTexan]

Would it be good to spray a little shellac on router bits while in storage? My router bits always seem to get a light rust on the cutting edge. Of course, you'd need to put a little tape over the shank before spraying anything on them. And then burn off the shellac on a test piece before using again.

 

[Boreas]

Do you have to follow with 10-20 coats of nitro?

 

[DekeDog]

If I were a Lac bug, I would hold out for more money.

Probably a big reason why shellac sales have dropped off in the US, because there are cheaper alternatives.

 

[39martind18]

If I were a Lac bug, I would hold out for more money.

Wouldn't that be more like, "hold in?"

 

[flathd]

I read recently that tool manufacturers used to coat steel with shellac to prevent rust from forming while the tools were in inventory. I have no choice but to keep a lot of tools in a shed that is not climate controlled, and rust is inevitable. But after giving everything a nice shine with a wire wheel and spraying with a light coat of shellac months ago, it seems the rust problem is solved - - or at least gives protection for a good while. Nice and shiny! Just a thing worth sharing.

Do you know if the shellac is available in a satin or matte finish? I would prefer that over the shiny gloss.

 

[RiversQC]

I love using shellac - haven't tried it for this, though!

In my neck of the woods, at least, the mixed variety has been in short (now non-existent) supply. I do have my own flakes and mix that up when needed, but I like the Zinsser amber for spraying on necks & more. Haven't seen a paint can of the stuff available in at least 2 years - anyone else having that problem?

I checked in at a specialty store recently and they said something about the company not having been able to manufacture any for a long time, and that they are (apparently) just starting to produce clear shellac; not amber yet. So, supply chain or similar problems? Throwing it out there in case anyone is better informed or having similar issues. Cheers.

 

[ChicknPickn]

Do you know if the shellac is available in a satin or matte finish? I would prefer that over the shiny gloss.

I can't speak for others who use shellac, but my results look like this before lacquer goes on:


So, it's definitely a satin sheen, very nice by itself. But an EXCELLENT foundation for gloss finishes.