The answer is that French polishing only works with shellac. It surely doesn’t work with a varnish (wipe-on poly) or water-based finish. He might be able to figure out a way to do the technique with lacquer, but I think it would be very difficult to avoid serious streaking and drag marks.
Can I use spirit varnish for French polishing?
FWIW French ploishing is an application method and not the product put on. You can use various spirit varnish recipes for French Polishing. Oil varnish over spirit varnish, right? I understand that french polishing can refer to a type of finishing method--but I am using the shellac/alcohol "classic" FP finish/technique.
Is there such a thing as a French polish finish on wood?
While there are certainly other methods of finishing wood that produce a glossy finish—including varnish, polyurethane, and high-gloss stains and paints—none of those produce the depth and richness of French polish. RELATED: Is Varnish or Polyurethane the Right Finish for You?
Can you put varnish over shellac?
You can put varnish over shellac. You can put almost anything over shellac. But I sure wouldn't use the french polish technique if you're going to varnish over it. I'd just spray it on.
Can you put varnish over oil varnishes?
#In the violin world the rule is "fat over thin, never thin over fat". #Meaning you can put oil varnish over a spirit varnish but you should not put spirit varnish over oil varnish.
What is the difference between French polish and varnish?
The finish is softer than modern varnishes and lacquers, and is particularly sensitive to spills of water or alcohol, which may produce white cloudy marks, as does heat damage. On the other hand, French Polish is simpler to repair, as opposed to traditional & modern varnish finishes.
Can you French polish over polyurethane?
You can generally french polish over an existing natural finish, such as lacquer, various types of oil, or shellac (shellac is the base for true french polish), but it generally won't work successfully over polyurethane, acrylic or other finishes of that type, because they have formed a thin sheet of plastic over the ...
How do you prepare wood for French polishing?
0:374:12Tips for Applying French Polish - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipBut I find it easier to seal the wood first by flooding shellac on then wiping it all off thatMoreBut I find it easier to seal the wood first by flooding shellac on then wiping it all off that creates a uniformly sealed piece of wood. That's ready to French polish incidentally.
Do you sand between coats of French polish?
Liberally apply French polish from a moistened cloth to the spinning workpiece. Wait at least 30 minutes between coats. Sand between coats using a fine synthetic sanding pad. Five or six coats produce a beautiful, deep finish.
How durable is French polish?
On the plus side, French-polished shellac is durable and doesn't require much in the way of polishing once dry. It's flexible, so resists cracking, scratches, and wear—a definite advantage if you drop your keys onto a shellacked table, for example. Shellac also dries quickly and is nontoxic.
Is French polish the same as shellac?
French Polishes are made up from flaked shellac dissolved in methylated spirit. The type of shellac used can vary in colour from a light clear colour to a dark brown colour. Special Pale French Polish is a de-waxed Shellac and is suitable for use on both light and dark woods.
Can you put French polish on with a brush?
It can, of course, be brushed on, as you would a varnish, and very good results are achieved by applying four or five coats with a polishing mop, cutting back between coats and waxing with a fine paste wax.
How long does it take for French polish to harden?
sounds like it you may have just built up a thick coat. Once it stops smelling like alcohol up close it ought to be hard enough to proceed, that should definitely be the case within 24 hours.
What oil do you use for French polishing?
olive oilFrench polishers use many different oils, but the most commonly used oil, based on my experience, is olive oil. The second would be mineral oil, followed by walnut oil. Different oils bring different properties to the finish during the application and the long-term properties of the finish itself.
What is the difference between Button Polish and French polish?
Button Polish is a solution of unbleached shellac, dispersed in a fast drying alchohol carrier (Methylated Spirits), it produces a slightly warmer more golden/orange to the finished work, than Brown French Polish.
How do you do a French polish finish?
0:104:56Wood Finishing with French Polish - WOOD magazine - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd you'll need some mineral oil to use as a lubricant for the pad. This is a French polishing padMoreAnd you'll need some mineral oil to use as a lubricant for the pad. This is a French polishing pad that I've used on previous projects.
What alcohol do you use in French polish?
denatured alcoholTraditionally luthiers have used denatured alcohol, nondenatured ethanol, and mineral spirit blends as the spirit base for dissolving shellac for french polishing. Finally luthiers have access to a better, safer alternative to denatured alcohol.
How do you do a French polish finish?
0:104:56Wood Finishing with French Polish - WOOD magazine - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipAnd you'll need some mineral oil to use as a lubricant for the pad. This is a French polishing padMoreAnd you'll need some mineral oil to use as a lubricant for the pad. This is a French polishing pad that I've used on previous projects.
How do you polish raw wood?
Dampen a cloth with mineral or lemon oil. Wipe the surface of the wood with the oil until it has a wet look and then wipe the oil off. Use the cloth to continue wiping the wood for three minutes, or until it begins to shine. This type of oil softens and reactivates old lacquer or varnish, making it glow again.
What is the difference between Button Polish and French polish?
Button Polish is a solution of unbleached shellac, dispersed in a fast drying alchohol carrier (Methylated Spirits), it produces a slightly warmer more golden/orange to the finished work, than Brown French Polish.
What is the best way to remove shellac from wood?
Shellac can be removed with denatured alcohol. If alcohol doesn't work, try lacquer thinner. If your piece was manufactured by a quality furniture maker after 1930, a thinning product is the best place to start, since your furniture is likely finished with shellac or lacquer.
French Polish Over Varnish
Why french polish over varnish? Isn't it possible to have a beautiful , protective finish using varnish only ?
Re: French Polish Over Varnish
I used a shellac based French Polish on my first mandolin and it worked really well (and has held up well). I understand that the varnish needs more time to cure than the FP...but I have wondered why one would FP (with an less protective finish) over a varnish finish (which is overall more protective).
Re: French Polish Over Varnish
It was an incredible looking instrument to begin with, Mr Hamlett - I really like the way it's aged as well!
Re: French Polish Over Varnish
John, I notice that looking into the f holes of the now picture the back is very dark. What has been done there?
Re: French Polish Over Varnish
Thanks for the reply John. In my eyes the darker f holes blend in with the colors of the finish as opposed to the lighter, less contrast.
What is varnish made of?
Generally speaking varnish is a slow drying thick preparation of oil (linseed or tung oil), resins (alkyd, phenolic, or polyurethane) that will become the solids after the mixture reacts with oxygen, solvent (usually naptha), and additives (driers, sacrificial UV inhibitors, and flatteners to adjust the sheen).
Is varnish good for bug snot?
Varnish was developed to produce a finish at least as good as French Polishing at lower cost, in less time, with less re-work, and without the orange cast that is the mark of true bug snot.
Can shellac be used as a sealer?
Actually, it does not have to be one or the other. De-waxed shellac is very compatible with most traditional finishes and can be used as a sealer / color coat and topped with a more durable finish like a varnish or lacquer.
Can alcohol damage shellac?
Keep in mind that alcohol can damage shellac. Not a big deal in your living room. Not a great idea in a bar with people dancing and knocking back 80 proof. If your guitar is for gigging, stick with a more durable and chemical-resistant finish.
What is French polish?
French Polish is a traditional finishing technique used by luthiers and woodworkers. Often times people find this technique intimidating because the preparation and process is usually more time consuming than other finishing techniques. Fear not! This instructables will show you the basics of french polish.
How does French polish work?
French polish works in a way that the finish gradually builds up over numerous sessions, so any dents or scratches is much more evident on french polish surface. The process of surface preparation depends on what the wood is for, and the sheen of finish you're going for.
How to dissolve shellac in alcohol?
One good tip that helps the shellac dissolve in alcohol thoroughly is to grind shellac flakes into finer powder before you dump it into the alcohol. After the flakes are grind, you can then dump the flakes into the alcohol. Close the container and shake the mixture thoroughly.
What is the finish of shellac?
Before we do the actual polishing, I would like to talk about the finish. The finish itself is a alcohol based finish called 'Shellac' . Shellac is a resin formed from lac bugs in south east Asia. The resin is processed and sold as dry flakes (see picture). There are many different shades of shellac flakes available online. The color varies from gold amber to deep brown caramel. I bought my shellac flakes through this company.
How many grits should I use for a walnut finish?
For open grain wood such as walnut, oak, or ash, sand to 400 grit before french polishing. For closed grain wood such as maple, I would sand it to 600 grit. These number of grits is enough for semi-gloss finish. If you're going for a high gloss finish, sand the piece to 600 or 800 grit.
How to make shellac slow?
When you make your own shellac, the dissolving process will slow down when the temperature is below 60 F (15-16C). You can put the container in a hot bath to speed up the dissolving process. Same with french polish, being in a cold environment will slow down the cure time.
What happens if you fold shellac?
If the bottom is not flat and is uneven, it will create an uneven finish surface during french polishing. The shellac will also have a bigger chance to get stuck on the wood if the pad is not folded correctly.
What is French polishing?
French polishing is a method of applying shellac to a surface to create an almost perfect high-gloss finish film that has great depth. Though it takes practice to master, the procedure is easy to describe. Wrap a folded cotton or wool cloth about the size of a golf ball or larger inside a thin, tightly woven, non-stretchable cotton or linen cloth ...
How to finish shellac?
Many professionals, in fact, do apply several coats of shellac with a brush or spray gun, sand the surface level, then finish up by French polishing. This is much faster than getting all the build from a pad.
How to fill pores in wood?
Filling pores. Another instruction from George Frank is to use pumice to fill pores in porous woods. Sprinkle some pumice on the surface and rub with a pad that is mostly, or all, alcohol. Slowly, the pores will be filled with the pumice.
How to fill an antique with pumice?
It’s much faster to do the filling by spraying or brushing several coats of shellac and sanding them back. Finishing up. When you believe you are finished, you need to remove all or most of the oil on the surface.
Why thinning shellac?
The purpose of increasingly thinning the shellac is to eliminate rag tracks. Just as brushes leave brush marks when the finish is thick, cloths leave rag tracks.
Can shellac penetrate the outer cloth?
Removing the outer cloth every time you need to replenish the pad gets really messy and there’s no need to do this as long as your outer cloth isn’t so thick that the poured shellac can’t penetrate .
What is French Polish?
Rather, French polishing is a method of applying shellac to wood furniture, musical instruments, or decorative accents in many thin layers—typically well over 100— that results in a highly glossy, glass-smooth surface with a rich depth that beautifully highlights the grain of the wood. While it’s been around since the 1600s, French polish today has somewhat fallen out of favor, due to its labor-intensive process.
How to French polish a dabber?
Begin to French polish in earnest. Switch back to your first shellac dabbing pad. Open it up to apply a small spritz of fresh shellac to the inner wad, retie the dabber, and then apply a drop or two of olive oil to the dabber’s surface.
How long does it take to polish wood?
Remember to let the wood dry completely for at least one hour between each session. Buff out any small imperfections.
How to polish wood with pumice?
Work the pumice into the wood grain with firm pressure and small, circular motions; do not follow the grain of the wood, which would push the powder out of the grain. Continue to apply pumice powder until the surface of the wood is completely smooth (i.e. without wood grain texture). Begin to French polish in earnest.
What finishes can be used to finish wood?
While there are certainly other methods of finishing wood that produce a glossy finish—including varnish, polyurethane, and high-gloss stains and paints —none of those produce the depth and richness of French polish.
Is shellac a good color for maple?
While shellac is naturally amber to orange, you’ll also find bleached shellac that’s useful over light-colored wood like maple.
Is it better to polish wood with polyurethane or French polish?
You should also take your own experience into account. If you are a newcomer to woodworking or don’t have the time or the patience for a lengthy process, French polishing isn’t the best technique for you. Instead, consider staining or varnishing your piece, then sealing it with a coat of glossy polyurethane. While the finished project won’t have the same level of depth and rich gloss as French polish, the process is far easier and faster.
