My favorite way to use shellac is with a ball of t-shirt material inside a good linen or cotton cloth. Wind up the ball and put just a bit of thinned shellac on the ball. Rub the shellac into the surface with a circular motion. It will be dry by time you get to the other side so you can start over. You are putting on a tiny amount each pass. After a few passes, put a couple drops of olive oil on the surface and include it in your next pass. Do this a few evenings and you will be amazed. It is the basic of French polishing, but I don't go to that extreme.