# Is this shellac OK?



## Maylar (Sep 3, 2013)

Gonna stop by the local Depot tonite and pick up a couple things for finishing. They carry this shellac, and I'm wondering if it's okey doke for a sanding sealer...

Does it need DNA too?

Thanks.


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## john lucas (Sep 18, 2007)

If your going to use it as a sealer you probably need to thin it a little so yes you should get some Alcohol


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

I advise you to get dewaxed shellac (I'm pretty sure Zinnser has that as well as the one you show) just because there are some woods where regular won't work well. These are dense/oily woods like cocobolo, bocote, olive and so forth so if you never work with that type wood it doesn't matter.


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

+1 on the dewaxed shellac. If the later sanding did not remove all the shellac, the wax could cause some finish issues.

The Zinsser product is called Seal-A-Coat. It is a dewaxed shellac. Should be available at the big box stores, as long as you ask for this by the name not by "dewaxed shellac" since I would not expect the big box employees to understand the nuances.


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

Dewaxed shellac will be labled as dewaxed (in small print on the face somewhere below the big brand and and the big word shellac) so you aren't likely to get waxed by mistake if you watch what you're doing. I do agree w/ Dave that dewaxed is a term not likely to be known to big box workers.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

The actual name is SealCoat...looks like this...















 








.


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## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

Ha! I was wrong. That brand doesn't say "dewaxed" it says "wax-free". Probably would have gotten me confused :smile:


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## Fred Hargis (Apr 28, 2012)

Dave, not suggesting you choose one or the other. But the Zinnser amber and clear shellacs (clear being the first one you asked about) are a thicker shellac than the SealCoat. The waxy shellacs (clear and amber) are a 3# cut (3# of shellac in one gallon of alcohol), while the Seal Coat is a 2# cut. Normally it can be used right out of the can in many applications, for a sanding sealer you want to cut it a little more....but it would be less than the others.


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

Unless you're in a hurry, why not just get some flakes and DNA and mix your own?


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## Maylar (Sep 3, 2013)

OK, so the Sealcoat is better for a sanding sealer. Thanks for that. What if I also wanted to use shellac as a friction polish on the lathe? Would the "waxed" version be better for that?

I thought about buying flakes but when I did that years ago I remember them being orange or amber colored, not clear.

TIA


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## Dave Paine (May 30, 2012)

The shellac flakes are available in different shades.

Scroll down this page and look for Super Blonde flakes.

http://www.shellac.net/Shellac_ordering_list.html


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## sawdustfactory (Jan 30, 2011)

If you want a friction polish for the lathe, check out Doctors Woodshop finishes. They are a blend of walnut oil, carnauba wax and shellac. Very simple to apply and great finish.


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## NCPaladin (Aug 7, 2010)

Nothing against the dewaxed but I have always use the regular.
For a sanding sealer I cut it with 1-2 parts DNA depending on how thin I want it.
I do use Mylands friction polish (shellac, some kinda oil, some kinda wax).
I have tried OB Shine juice and will use it when I use up the Mylands.
If you already have the Shellac and DNA all you need is a small can of BLO to have a friction polish.
Here is a video by Capn Eddie on OB Shine.


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## Quickstep (Apr 10, 2012)

If I recall correctly, regular (waxy) shellac is OK as a sealer as long as the topcoat is also shellac. If the topcoat is anything other than shellac, de-waxed is the way to go to ensure proper adhesion.


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## camelotww (Feb 18, 2010)

*sanding sealer is a sanding sealer, shellac is not*



Maylar said:


> Gonna stop by the local Depot tonite and pick up a couple things for finishing. They carry this shellac, and I'm wondering if it's okey doke for a sanding sealer...
> 
> Does it need DNA too?
> 
> Thanks.


Canned shellac has a three year shelf life, make sure you don't buy 'expired' shellac, or shellac that will expire before you use it all.


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## Bill Boehme (Feb 9, 2014)

Most types of wood does not need a sanding sealer unless it is soft or porous. I would recommend using the sealer type most compatible with the topcoat. If the topcoat is lacquer then shellac can't be used as a sealer.


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## Al B Thayer (Dec 10, 2011)

I like using shellac. But you have to be quick with the brush and not try to brush it in. It just gets worse. I thin everything and you can't go wrong thinning shellac. It does have great adhesion properties. 


Al

Nails only hold themselves.


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## jgilfor (Jan 25, 2013)

Everyone is correct. Zinsser Seal Coat is 2# cut dewaxed shellac. Perfectly good stuff. Use it all the time. The other Zinsser is 3# cut waxed shellac. Also good stuff. I cannot tell the difference between waxed and wax free shellac. Most of my finished have carnauba added anyway. Obviously, the best shellac is made as you need it from flakes and DNA, but not everyone wants to do that. I think that the Zinsser's is just fine.

BTW, shellac naturally contains wax (about 5%), that comes from the lac beetle itself. In order to take that out, the stuff needs to be post-processed. Again, natural shellac HAS wax. Natural shellac looks milky, but dries clear. Dewaxed shellac is clear to start with.

Only time I can think when you would care about the wax, is when using a finish coat that is incompatible with wax. I guess that would include all the water soluble finishes; none of which I use, hence my not caring one way or the other.


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