Hi, Just wandering if any of you people are using shellac as a sealer under varnish (interior of canoe)on restorations and what your experiences have been since getting the canoe wet. I'm a little paranoid of getting cloudy stains under all my hard work. I have heard lots of people mention Zinsser sealcoat. I have also heard of cutting the shellac with lacquer thinner. Anyone done this? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Using shellac under varnish
- Thread starter Will
- Start date
Shellac
My 2 cents:
I really like shellac. Search the forums and you will see plenty of discussion.
I use two coats, scuffing between coats as a sealer. I like the color, it has a quick dry time, and cuts down on the amount of varnish you need to use. I really think the color helps blend new wood to old, I stain new ribs, shellac and then varnish and it passes at least the 10 ft. rule (if you strip the hull and go from there).
If you don't protect the shellac, with say, varnish, you may see a milky appearance.
My 2 cents:
I really like shellac. Search the forums and you will see plenty of discussion.
I use two coats, scuffing between coats as a sealer. I like the color, it has a quick dry time, and cuts down on the amount of varnish you need to use. I really think the color helps blend new wood to old, I stain new ribs, shellac and then varnish and it passes at least the 10 ft. rule (if you strip the hull and go from there).
If you don't protect the shellac, with say, varnish, you may see a milky appearance.
I use amber shellac (Lac beetle Poop) to assist in color matching new wood to old. Amber S is not wax free so I apply a second coat of wax free Clear shellac over the amber to avoid possible varnish adhereance problems. This provides a good base for varnish and as Fitz has noted, reduces the number of coats of varnish to get a good varnish depth build. Have never heard of thinning shellac with lacquer thinner only alcohol which is what the lac beetle poop is dissolved in to make shellac.
Thanks for the replies. I too like using shellac as a sealer but I have never used it in a water prone situation. My worry was that water will soak in behind the ribs effect the shellac under the varnish and turn cloudy. As this is a restoration rather than a new build i can not be certain how well the backs of the ribs are sealed if you get me? The lacquer thinner trick I heard prevents this but I have yet to try it and was wandering if anyone else has. I guess I'll have to set up some experiments.
Dave Wermuth
Who hid my paddle?
Unless I am mistaken, Rushton's were varnish over shellac from the factory. Is that right?
Larry Westlake
Designer/Builder
Shellac & Laq Thinner
I have used laquer thinner with shellac, but have not tested it for water proofness. Laq thinner seems to work just like alcohol, but without the grain-raising tendency. Methyl alcohol also seems to work just as well as ethyl, tho all the books I have specifically say ethyl.
Larry Westlake
He says so in at least one of his catalogues... see page 6 of "Rushton's Rowboats & Canoes - 1903 Catalog in Perspective".
I have used laquer thinner with shellac, but have not tested it for water proofness. Laq thinner seems to work just like alcohol, but without the grain-raising tendency. Methyl alcohol also seems to work just as well as ethyl, tho all the books I have specifically say ethyl.
Larry Westlake
fred capenos
Canoe Pilot
Our Indian Girl had amber shellac under the varnish and I've used shellac on all the canoes I've re-done. The only benefit I see, is speed. You can put down two coats of shellac and one coat of varnish all in the same day. (cut 50/50 with lacquer thinner)
Fred
Fred
