how do you make shellac

Here’s a quick overview on how to make your own shellac:

1. Place a clean empty container on a small scale and “zero out” the scale.
2. Add shellac flakes to the desired proportional weight (see chart for details)
3. Pour denatured (or pure grain) alcohol into the container also at the measured proportional amount.
4. Stir, seal the container and allow the shellac flakes to fully dissolve.

Full Answer

Does shellac really go bad?

When shellac goes bad it won’t dry. The zinsser shellac and sealcoat (dewaxed shellac; I love that stuff) have a shelf life of 3 years from the date of manufacture. Don’t store it in a hot environment; it decreases the shelf life. Using sealcoat, you shouldn’t need to thin it since it’s a 2lb cut, but if desired 50/50 with dna works fine.

How to make shellac last longer?

Of course, to get a full months wear from your shellacs there are a number of factors in play, like:

• Experience of the technician
• How the shellac was applied
• Quality of the shellac used
• Aftercare

How does the shellac get made?

Shellac, like silk, honey, and beeswax, is made by bugs, not of bugs. Laccifer lacca, a small insect about the size and color of an apple seed, swarms on certain trees in India and Thailand. Like most bugs, it eats during its larval stage, then settles down and creates a sort of cocoon in which to mature.

Is there a substitute for shellac?

Shellac has unique properties as a protective finish, and none of its many substitutes has been quite satisfactory. But last week a new product was announced that seems to solve the shellac problem. It is called Zinlac and can be made cheaply from U.S. corn. Natural shellac is produced in much the same way as beeswax.

Where does shellac come from?

This varnish, or shellac, is the resinous exudate produced by the female Indian "lac" bug, an insect that spends its whole life attached to a tree, sucking its sap and converting it into the familiar sticky substance that has long been used to provide a glossy protective coating on wood.

What is the ratio of alcohol to shellac?

a 2:16 ratiocut liquid shellac use approximately a 2:16 ratio of shellac flakes to alcohol (2 oz. of shellac flakes dissolved in 16 oz. of alcohol). Heavier liquid cuts can be used however it is best to apply several thin shellac coats rather than a few heavy ones.

Can you make shellac with acetone?

Because acetone is compatible or mixable with most finishes and stains, you can add the solvent to speed drying. Acetone is especially effective with shellac and every type of lacquer. Water-based finishes, however, tend to coagulate when acetone is added.

How long does homemade shellac last?

The rule of thumb is 6 months. Once dissolved, shellac begins a process called esterfication, where its ability to dry to a hard shell begins to degrade. Always date new jars of shellac you mix up, especially if you're not going to use it right away. If it's a few months old, test it on a scrap piece.

Can you make your own shellac?

2-pound cut in a pint of alcohol, use 4 ounces of flakes. Mix. Pour the alcohol into a glass container with a lid. Stir in the flakes, close the lid, and give the jar a shake every 10 minutes or so for an hour, then let it sit overnight for the flakes to dissolve.

What is shellac mixed with?

Common shellac recipes Dry shellac is mixed with denatured alcohol in a particular ratio called a cut, which refers to the amount of shellac in pounds dissolved in a gallon of alcohol. A 2-lb. cut of shellac is 2 lb. of shellac resin dissolved in a gallon of alcohol.

What is the best solvent for shellac?

It is very important to think about the solvent used to dissolve the shellac. Most people simply use commercially available “denatured” alcohol. Denatured alcohol is a general alcohol-based solvent used for a variety of applications across many industries. Mixed with shellac, it will produce a serviceable finish.

Are mineral spirits the same as acetone?

Acetone and mineral spirits are not the same, and should not be treated as if they are. Part of the confusion comes from the fact that both are used as thinners. Painters commonly use mineral spirits, for example, to thin the paint that they put into paint sprayers. Acetone, on the other hand, is used to thin lacquer.

Is acetone the same as denatured alcohol?

Acetone VS Denatured Alcohol One of the biggest differences between acetone and denatured alcohol is that acetone is a non-toxic, organic, naturally occurring chemical compound, while denatured alcohol is ethanol based and has denaturants added to it, making it poisonous if consumed.

Why does my shellac peel off after two days?

Shellac manicure starts peeling within a day or 2: Your tech may have not dehydrated your nail bed well enough. You don't always need to rough up the nail but the natural shine should be buffed down first (unless you are using Shellac brand gel polish they require no buffing). The polish might be older.

Does shellac ruin your natural nails?

Shellac polish can ruin your natural nails. Scraping and peeling off cured nail polish can physically remove the top layers of your nail bed. If the damage is already done, learn how you can repair broken, brittle, or flaky nails with all-natural ingredients.

Why does my shellac keep lifting?

“Lifting occurs when there isn't a correct bond between the product and the nail plate. Therefore, the best way to prevent lifting is through proper prep of the nail plate and product control. It's important to be very thorough when removing cuticle stuck to the nail plate—a quick swipe of the file isn't enough!

Is gel and shellac the same?

Shellac is simply gel polish mixed with regular polish. In short, shellac has taken the best of gel (no-chips and colour) and added the benefits of traditional polish (shine and ease).

How do I get shellac off my nails without acetone?

Though ideally you shouldn't be removing shellac nails without a proper nail polish remover, you can run warm water over your nails and try removing your nail polish by lifting a corner of your polish that has come loose until it lifts off fully.

Is acetone the same as nail polish remover?

Differences between Acetone and Nail Polish Remover Acetone is a volatile, flammable and colorless liquid that is miscible with water. On the other hand, nail polish remover is an organic solvent that may include coloring, scents, oils, and solvents.

Can acetone damage your nails?

Exposure to acetone can dehydrate the nail plate, cuticles and the surrounding skin – nails can become dry and brittle, and cuticles can become dry, flaky, red and irritated.

STEP 1: Whether you choose homemade and pre-made shellac, prep to your preferred consistency

Shellac is used in various concentrations, or “cuts,” that are mixed with denatured alcohol to determine the thickness of each coat. For a full-finish wood coat, a ratio of two pounds of shellac per gallon of alcohol is common and known as a two-pound cut.

STEP 2: Test your mixture on a scrap wood

Because shellac dries quickly, allowing no time to smooth out drips, it’s wise to test the consistency you’ll be working with before starting your project. Apply shellac to a scrap piece of wood using a dry cotton cloth. If the shellac goes on too stickily for smooth strokes, try adding a drop or two of mineral oil as a lubricant.

STEP 3: Sand your wooden surface and brush or wipe on a coat of shellac

Properly sand the surface of your piece and wipe with a dry cloth to remove any dust. Shellac can be applied with either a cotton cloth rag, a brush, or a combination of both. A good rule of thumb: Use a cloth to shellac wood if you’re covering a large surface area and choose a brush for the job to finish tight edges and corners.

STEP 4: Buff with sandpaper to smooth

Sand any raised wood grain or uneven globs of shellac with 400-grit sandpaper. Alternately, use a piece of superfine (#0000) steel wool to buff between shellac layers.

Dings or scratches? Fix the finish with leftover shellac

If a shellac finish gets damaged, it’s easy to repair. Simply apply some alcohol to a rag and gently rub in a circular motion to remove the damaged shellac from that area.

Background

Lac is the name given to the resinous secretion of the tiny lac insect (Laccifer lacca) which is parasitic on certain trees in Asia, particularly India and Thailand. This insect secretion is cultivated and refined because of the commercial value of the finished product known as shellac.

History

Lac has been cultivated for three centuries. For most of that time, the lac bug secretions were valued for the purple-red dye derived from being soaked in water. This dye was used to color silk, leather, and cosmetics and was cultivated primarily for this purpose until the 1870s.

Raw Materials

Shellac is generally made from two ingredients, raw seed lac and ethyl alcohol. In fact, most companies want to purify shellac as completely as possible—impurities from the bug, the cocoon etc. are removed, as are natural waxes.

Quality Control

Chemical analysis does not assist in determining the quality of shellac. More important are empirical tests such as flow and shelf life that most customers have articulated as of great concern.

Where to Learn More

Russel, M. Shellac. London: Ann Eccles and Son Ltd for Angelo Shellac, 1965.

User Contributions

Dear people, Could you give me the names of the volatile by-products that are produced when using ethyl alcohol in the process of refining shellac? Would they smell like a cleaning product when released to the air? Thank you ....Debbie F.

Etymology

Shellac comes from shell and lac, a calque of French laque en écailles, 'lac in thin pieces', later gomme-laque, 'gum lac'. Most European languages (except Romance ones and Greek) have borrowed the word for the substance from English or from the German equivalent Schellack.

Production

Shellac is scraped from the bark of the trees where the female lac bug, Kerria lacca (order Hemiptera, family Kerriidae, also known as Laccifer lacca ), secretes it to form a tunnel-like tube as it traverses the branches of the tree. Though these tunnels are sometimes referred to as " cocoons ", they are not cocoons in the entomological sense.

Colours and availability

Shellac comes in many warm colours, ranging from a very light blonde ("platina") to a very dark brown ("garnet"), with many varieties of brown, yellow, orange and red in between. The colour is influenced by the sap of the tree the lac bug is living on and by the time of harvest.

Properties

Shellac is a natural bioadhesive polymer and is chemically similar to synthetic polymers. It can thus can be considered a natural form of plastic.

History

The earliest written evidence of shellac goes back 3,000 years, but shellac is known to have been used earlier. According to the ancient Indian epic poem, the Mahabharata, an entire palace was built out of dried shellac.

Uses

In the early- and mid-twentieth century, orange shellac was used as a one-product finish (combination stain and varnish-like topcoat) on decorative wood panelling used on walls and ceilings in homes, particularly in the US.

Gallery

Dewaxed Bona (L) and Waxy #1 Orange (R) shellac flakes. The latter—orange shellac—is the traditional shellac used for decades to finish wooden wall paneling, kitchen cabinets and tool handles.

How Shellac Is Made

Shellac has a unique manufacturing process. It's derived from a resin secreted by insects native to forests in Thailand and India. The secretion is scraped from the bark of trees and then processed to form small, light-brown, or orange flakes. The flakes are mixed with alcohol to create a finish.

How to Buy Shellac

You'll find shellac premixed in home improvement centers and ready for immediate application. Premixed shellac is perfect for beginners. But, you can also buy shellac in "cuts" to create homemade shellac mixtures.

Brushing on Shellac

You can apply premixed or homemade shellac by brushing it on or padding it on to wood. Brushing is the more common method of applying shellac.

Padding on Shellac

Padding on shellac is a bit more involved. To create the pad that you'll use for applying shellac, find a clean white sock and cut a clean piece of medium-weight cotton muslin, or a lint-free polishing cloth, into a 12-inch square.

Completing the Shellac Finish

After the first coat of shellac completely dries, lightly sand the surface with 400-grit sandpaper. Wipe off the white residue with a soft tack cloth, and apply a second coat. Repeat the process until you've applied the desired number of coats. About three to four layers of shellac will give you the beautiful, even finish you're after.

Repairing Shellac Finishes

Moisture and humidity can damage a wood surface with a shellac finish. It may become dull or a white residue will appear that's tough to remove. If the finish develops water spots, the repair is relatively simple. Use straight alcohol on a pad and remove the shellac.

Step 1

Dust over the food items on the craft using a lint-free cloth. Any dust on the food will be preserved under the shellac and show up, so you want to make sure it is all clean before moving on.

Step 2

Apply a thin, even coat of shellac over the food you're preserving. Use a paint brush to apply, then lay the craft on a sheet of wax paper to dry 12 hours. Put the lid back on the can of shellac.

Step 3

Rinse the paint brush between applications so it does not become hardened.

Step 4

Apply a second coat of shellac to the craft and then lay it back on the sheet of wax paper to dry for another 12 hours. Rinse the paint brush out once more.

Background

Raw Materials

The Manufacturing Process

• The role of the lac bug
  1. 1 Shellac is produced by a tiny red insect. Swarms of the insects feed on certain trees, primarily in India and Thailand, known informally as lac trees. The lac bugs' life cycle is only six months, in which time they eat, propagate, and secrete the resin they've taken in from the tree to produce s…
• Refining the crusty resin
  1. 2 Workers cut millions of encrusted branches, called sticklac, for transportation to refineries of some sort (either handrefined or mechanically refined). Some workers use mallets and break off the crusty coating much as ice is broken from branches in the winter (it is referred to as grainlac…

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Byproducts/Waste

Quality Control