Ways to finalize my shellac finish??

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kooshball

David
Corporate Member
I am so close to the completion of my dresser that I can smell it (or maybe that is just the shellac spray).

When the top is finished all components of the dresser will have 5-coats of shellac and at the moment those coats appear to be very consistent from drawer to drawer and side to side. I am not seeking a super high gloss polished look but simply want to remove any dust nibs, rouge grain, etc and leave a smooth surface. I am not usually a fan of gloss, but to be honest I love the way it looks now and would love to keep the gloss constant while I remove do a final surface treatment.

Now the question: what should I use to go over the surface the final time that won't dig into the finish or end up creating a mirror (0000 wool, 600-grit paper, just plain wax???).

Thanks in advance!
 
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Bill Clemmons

Bill
Corporate Member
I always rub out shellac w/ 320 paper by hand, using very light pressure. Actually, I've found it is better to rub out between each coat, or at least between the last two coats. Then the last coat is much smoother. A very light sanding gives you a very smooth finish.

As for the top coat, I would suggest a good paste wax. You can buff it to whatever sheen you desire.

Bill
 

merrill77

Master Scrap Maker
Chris
The best result I've had so far was by rubbing out the shellac with oil (behlens danish, IIRC) and 600 grit wet/dry paper, then wipe off thoroughly and allow to dry. Adjust to higher grit for more gloss and lower for less.

Dunno if anyone else has heard of doing this - I hadn't. I tried it on a whim on a test piece and it worked well. The finished projects is two years old and still looks good, so I'm happy.
 

kooshball

David
Corporate Member
Thanks.

I've been experimenting on the drawer sides with 0000 steal wool, paste wax and a few drops of mineral spirits all underneath my cork sanding block with good results.

The moment of truth should come this weekend when I venture to the exposed surfaces!
 
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