suggestions for red oak

[erasmussen]

If you use dewaxed shellac, you can put anything over it.
in fact you can use it to go from water base to oil base or visa versa.

 

[DaveO]

Shellac works great with poly as a top coat provided you use de-waxed shellac. Your most durable finish, if alcohol will be involved, is either poly or lacquer. But shellac is very repairable is you don't plan on boozing it up much at the coffee table. Shellac and wax is a very traditional finish that has lasted for many years, but still not as durable as poly or lacquer.

Dave

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

Maybe I should stop being such a panty waist (no offense ladies) and just give something new a shot. I have heard so many good things about shellac...maybe I should just hop on the bandwagon. :eusa_danc

 

[erasmussen]

A lot of good info here
http://shellac.net/index.html

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

Thanks for the link...now I have something to read at work! Ok, on to another question. Is it better for a shellac virgin like myself to buy the flakes and cut them myself or buy the pre mixed stuff in the stores?

 

[erasmussen]

flakes are the best, more choices. and you can mix colors.
and flakes keep forever, once its mixed it has a limited shelf life and you never know how old the premixed is.
only mix what you are going to use at a time.
if you plan on putting something over it make sure its dewaxed.

 

[Travis Porter]

OK, how do I repair shellac? I got it fat (as it says in shellac.net) near the edges and had a run that I didn't see, suggestions?

 

[jeff...]

So I guess there is a need to seal the wood with something before you use water based poly? I saw your cradle work the finish looked great as well as the cradle it's self, most defiantly something to be proud of!

 

[DaveO]

OK, how do I repair shellac? I got it fat (as it says in shellac.net) near the edges and had a run that I didn't see, suggestions?

You can slice or scrape the fat of the run off, and then the next coat of shellac will dissolve into the last and smooth everything out. Also you could dab the run with a little alcohol to soften it and it might come right off.
That is the beauty of shellac, it can always be re-dissolved.

Dave

 

[Travis Porter]

Well, after I posted this, I decided to put another coat of shellac on the top. Reason being I had sanded through the original layer and being that it is orange shellac the color was gone in that area. I have heard a lot of positives on shellac, and I intend to use it going forward, but I have learned that when applying it, you need to be as careful with it as your final top coat. I almost wish I had sprayed it, but I am a bit nervous about spraying anything but water based. Overall, the top now looks good. I will rough sand with 320, and hopefully, spray Target USL tonight and be done with the toy box from hades.

 

[DaveO]

Did you get it square? :-D

Dave

 

[Travis Porter]

Yep. Put the turnbuckle in and it didn't take much at all. Thanks for the tip.

 

[DaveO]

Cool when do we get the pics????

Dave

 

[Travis Porter]

Once I get the shellac straightened out so I can spray.

 

[William Bender]

Have any of you tried Campbell's finish products? I used to use a conditioner like BLO and what not and poly and then wax on special pieces. Now by the time i spray two pieces with stain, wood unconditioned, I come back wipe it down and it is ready for topcoat, color matching consistant througout even over sapwood. Then my laquer is dry by 2-3rd box too. I can sand it down with a little 320 and put nother coat on and sand with 420 and mist on top cover and buff with compound, even though it doesn't even need it, so smooth you could rub your babies butt across it. There are some great advantages other than time with the stuff, but it does take a little of the artistic nature of finishing and some of the really skilled finishes too. But if you just need to do a piece and it isn't solely a labor of love try the stuff, cut your finish time down to nothing. But make sure you have good air flow and cover up, rough stuff but great.

William