mighty

Really looks good!!!

Glenn

When applying the new finish only use shellac and linseed oil. The linseed oil will come to the suface as the shellac cures. the linseed oil is compatible with the shellac and will not harm the finish. I think you are over thinking this process. After the shellac as cured for a week you wipe the machine down lightly with naptha to remove the film of oil. The machine after this wipe down will look a little cloudy. the final waxing of the machine will bring the shine back and remove all the cloudiness you may or may not have. Don't mix the shellac and linseed or alcohol in a container. Just wrap the cloth around your finger dip in shellac and place a drop or two of oil on top and start french polishing. The oil will help your rag from sticking to the finish. the oil just helps for a smoother finish besides keeping the rag from sticking. I do not want to go into a chemistry lessons LOL so please don't over think this process. No rememner you may not get some of the rough spots as smooth as you like because the japan finish as it ages will cause high and low spots that can be a little rough. You can't replace the japan finsih which is the black undercoat. these machine are old and will show age that can't be completely removed. Keep asking questions that is what I am here for. Just have fun with the process and don't to hung up on the details. Take your time this system does work well.
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Cecilia S.

I got me a big bottle of Boiled Linseed Oil today. Re-attempted the smoothing out of Vinnie's shellac ridges. Things went much better indeed.

This Glenn guy, he knows what he's talking about. You'd think he has three or four decades of furniture restoration behind him or something, eh?

Thanks, Glenn, for your patience and your help. I do ask a lot of questions and I do tend to over-think things. I am a thorough perfectionist; sorry!!!

So, the ridges look -much- better, but they are still detectable. I will call this done, and learn with his machine as far as how much is too little/too much. I have a feeling that when I do the proper shellac coat, I may be able to smooth the ridges out a titch as the new shellac re-activates the old; but, we'll see!

Glenn mentioned, "When applying the new finish only use shellac and linseed oil."

Yes, when I said alcohol, I was referring to the fact that the shellac is shellac flakes/powder plus alcohol, as I am mixing my own and not starting with the pre-mixed shelllac. I did not mean that I would -also- be dipping into pure alcohol. Sorry, I am not always clear.

Vinnie is looking excellent now, still gleaming with the linseed oil. I hope he will look this good after my French polish attempt! :-)

Glenn

Yes I have been doing french polish and cleaning antiques for about 30 years. I apprentice in Germany from an old restoration guy when I was station there in the Army. I realized it was not that hard to do to restore antiques so started a antique restoration not refinishing. It was very good to me. Now I am retired and camp and fish and basically to what I want LOL

Cecilia S.

In another thread Glenn instructed me on mixing up shellac:

I just did this, and the hardest part will be waiting an hour! ;-)

The mixture looks an odd yellow colour and slightly grainy. I will continue to shake it as long as seems sensible; presumably this should be homogenous! Presumably that ill also be taken care of by the WAITING part. ;-)

Actually, having shaken it while composing this message; it now looks sort of gruel-like. I am thinking my tablespoon of shellac powder was too heaping...? More alcohol, methinks.

Vinnie The Stitcher is naptha'd and ready to go ;-)

Cecilia S.

Dear Glenn and all,

I did a first-coat of shellac today. It went fine! I think my shellac is perhaps more liquidy now than it should be; slightly runnier than SM oil. Glenn, is it better to err on the side of too thick or too thin? I am guessing too thin.

Because of the linseed oil, it looks falsely beautiful right now ;-) A few questions:

-How many coats of shellac is advisable?
-Do you find that almost every new finger-dip-of-shellac requires a new spot of fabric on the tee-shirt fabric?
-Super-light pressure, you really mean super light, don't you! I found that I was barely exerting pressing force at all.
-I finished the coat about an hour ago. It feel, of course, oily now from the linseed oil. I am not meant to naptha it between every coat, am I?

Thanks in advance.

Glenn

Cecilia, no naptha between coats. As long as the finger tip is still soft no need to change. Once the shellac starts to cure on the cloth then you can change. Err on the thin side. You will need at least three coats but it there is no limit. Light pressure is good. No naptha until you are satified with the finish then wipe the oil off with naptha and then wax.

Cecilia S.

For wax; folks here seem to like car wax. A Featherweight restorer dude likes boot wax.

Can people chime in here with their opinions? I have some shoe/boot wax and would be so pleased to use what I already have. I used it on my Phoenix and my 99k. All input welcome.

Glenn

Cecilia, Have not heard from you on the board for awhile. How is Vinnie coming along. Want to see piics of the progress.
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Cecilia S.

Thanks for asking, Glenn. (Pesky work/career is in the way, and have not had much time for peisure geeking in the past few days!)

Have two coats of shellac on Vinnie; it was quite nice and fun doing it. I don't think I messed up anything! Hoooray! Almost seemed too easy. The second coat has been curing away, and was looking -really- shiny, presumably largely the linseed oil being glossy. Tonight I noticed that the coat is looking cloudy. I am guessing this is because the linseed oil is gumming up as it dries; not sure. I will be able to tend to it with another coat or two tomorrow, and hopefully all will be well. Then I plan to leave it a good week or more, as you suggested, and then naptha and polish it.

Humidity in the room is around 50%, in case this is relevant.

Goodness, I owe you and Steve some photos on another thread... must tend to that tomorrow as well!