Finish Repair – Shellac.net – Wood Finish Supply Notes

BONA / MAROON (Garnet) Dewaxed Flake

New Additions, Shellac Flakes Comments Off

Jun 152023

Dewaxed – BONA / MAROON (Garnet) Red / Brownish Toned
BONA Maroon / Ruby

Use BONA / MAROON on Mahogany, Cherry, Rosewood,
and similar toned woods to enhance the warm tones.
An excellent tone for finishing antiques or to make a
Dewaxed SEALCOAT primer / under-coater or transitional coating between dissimilar finish materials.

Intermix the liquid BONA / Maroon with other liquid shellacs
to adjust color to create a variety of warm rich tones.
(Maroon is sometimes sold as Garnet)
Click To See: Shellac Variety Listing

French Polishing

Product Data Sheets, Shellac Flakes Comments Off

Nov 012022

French Polishing —

French Polishing is the name given to the process of coating wood with a solution of shellac dissolved in alcohol, using a “rubber” made of rag and cotton wool instead of with a brush. The alcohol evaporates, leaving the shellac deposited upon the wood.
When applied correctly it produces what is possibly the finest looking finish for furniture. Shellac was first introduced into Europe about the 16th Century, but the term FRENCH POLISH was not used until about 1820, when the process was developed by a French cabinet maker.

The 4-page PDF — ‘Guide to French Polishing‘

Common Shellac Myths

New Additions Comments Off

Apr 182021

Common Shellac Myths

From The:
Zinsser booklet revised 2004, first published in1913 and reprinted seventeen times throughout the years.

Myth:
Shellac is made from bugs or bug droppings.

FACT:
Shellac is a resin secreted by the lac insect
to form a cocoon, much like a silk worm.
It takes about 100,000 lac bugs to make
1 lb. of shellac resin.

Myth:
A shellac finish turns white
when water touches it.

FACT:
Fresh shellac is remarkably water-resistant
and, in most cases, will stay clear after hours
of exposure to water, making it a great finish
for most interior surfaces, including woodwork, trim,
doors, cabinets, paneling, floors (yes, floors!) and furniture.

Myth:
Shellac scratches easily and is very brittle.

FACT:
Shellac is a durable finish that is much less brittle than lacquer and does not scratch as easily. Unlike polyurethane, a damaged shellac finish can be easily touched up or renewed by applying another coat.

Myth:
Shellac turns an ugly dark color as it ages.

FACT:
Shellac is UV-resistant and does not yellow or darken with age. The dark shellac that people see in older homes is a less-refined version of shellac that either was naturally dark or was tinted by contractors when dark wood colors were preferred in the early 20th century.

Myth:
Shellac is incompatible with other finishes.

FACT:
Shellac will adhere tenaciously when applied over almost any other type of finish. When used as a sealer under certain polyurethanes, regular shellac may not be compatible because it contains a small amount of natural wax. To seal wood before applying polyurethane and other finishes, Zinsser developed Bulls Eye^®SealCoat™ a shellac-base universal sealer that is 100% wax-free.

Myth:
Shellac is an old-fashioned, outdated finish.

FACT:
Shellac has more modern features and benefits
than any other wood finish in the world.

See: Shellac Variety Listing

Shellac.net Wood Finish Supply • MeritIndustries.com
Authorized Mohawk Distributor

New Item – MERIT 800 Burn-In Knife

MERIT Industries, New Additions Comments Off

Mar 282021

#800 Electric BURN-IN KNIFE – 18 watt 120 Volt
The MERIT 800 Knife is a smaller handled,
light weight, professional Burn-In Knife,
excellent for delicate work. This 120 Volt Knife features a 6 foot 2-wire neoprene
power cord and includes a wire support sand.
The mica-insulated nichrome heating element provides steady temperature and long element life
The 18 watts develops an ample temperature of 750°f. Our lighter weight knife is designed with a smaller handle, for ease of control.
The 800 knife is excellent for delicate or small repairs, especially in confined areas. – Our Favorite Electric Knife!

See more information and 800 Burn-In Kits Here

Wood Touch-Up & Repair DVD

Mohawk Finish Products, Wood Finishing Tricks Comments Off

Nov 252020

This MOHAWK DVD is designed to teach
the most up-to-date wood finishing and repair methods
in the industry.
Beginners in finish repair and the professional touch-up technician
will find this a valuable tool for learning
and reviewing the latest in furniture service procedures.

“Better than any book for the subjects covered!”
“It’s Packed with useful information we can use for our repairs”

Recommended for any wood finisher !
Also Available: Wood Touch Up & Repair DVD – SPANISH
We are offering this valuable resource for only $11.95
To Purchase See: More DVD info & details

Lighting for Wood Finishing

New Additions, Wood Finishing Tricks Comments Off

Mar 272019

Proper use of Light will Improve your Finish

& enable you to really SEE what you are looking at.

Lighting for shop work and finish room areas, and its correct use,
is important for obtaining high quality good looking finishes.

Lighting and Color

With translucent & clear furniture finishes light travels through all the finish layers and is reflected off the wood or substrate. The ‘Observed Finish Color’ is a combination of all the color tones in the various finish stain & dye layers combined with the wood color.

Finish Diagram of Clear or Translucent Furniture Finishes
Light travels through all the finish layers.
The Finish color is a combination of all
the colors in the various finish layers
combined with the wood color.

When studying a color we notice that its hue will vary depending on illumination and its surroundings. Illumination changes the color hue of an object due to the color available in the light source. Color is the product of wavelengths that are either absorbed or reflected by the surface of an object.
see: Color Theory and color mixing for the woodworker.

The hue appears to alter according to a colors surroundings. Our retina is affected by these wavelengths and the stimuli are communicated to the cortex, that part of the brain that enables us to distinguish one shade from another.

Light bulbs are available in:
1 – Warm white or soft white (2700-3600 °K)
2 – Cool white (3800 -4800°K )
3 – Daylight or Full Spectrum designations (5000°K) or higher.
The color spectrum output of a bulb is rated in Kelvin° color temperature (has nothing to do with the heat a bulb produces). Full Spectrum Daylight bulbs for incandescent and compact or linear fluorescent are available in a range of wattages and styles.

You need the entire color spectrum in your light source to evaluate or match stain and finish colors accurately. Full Spectrum Daylight Bulbs with a high CRI (color rendering index) are a must. Better daylight bulbs will list the CRI on the package, the higher the number the better. A CRI above 85 is good for shop use. Bulbs rated above 95 are expensive and are not needed for wood finishing.

The very best light for critical color matching work is natural daylight (out of direct sun glare).

SEE what you look at !

Proper use of lighting will automatically improve your finish quality.
When you can really see what is happening the finishing process is easier.

Now you have the right light to see color – Correct use will enable critical evaluation of the surface condition prior and during the finishing process.

Fluorescent lighting (Cool White or Daylight bulbs only) is fine for ambient lighting or general work area illumination. Avoid using warm white or soft white bulbs they bathe everything in a yellowish light. The shadow-less lighting produced by fluorescent bulbs tends to hide surface defects.

Inspection Lighting:

A shadow producing light source is necessary to see that a surface is free of any unwanted defects.

Use incandescent bulbs in a reflector for inspection lighting in:
1, surface prep areas (sanding, dying staining)
2, finishing areas
3, final rub-out, waxing or polishing.

Arrange inspection lighting so that the light is aimed at the work and toward the operator so that any defect is accentuated by the shadow or reflection it produces. When you can easily see: scratches from sanding, glue smears, minor dents, brush marks, finish drips, runs, curtains or sags, and polishing or rub out marks it will be much easier to achieve the desired, defect free, finish look.

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