Official Luthiers Forum!

I am set up to spray lacquer and I always brush on shellac as a sealer with final results that I am quite happy with. I would like to avoid having to level sand the brush marks before I lacquer so I thought I would try to spray (not brush) the shellac instead ( I don't want to use any other sealer). Does anyone have a cut recommendation or any other thoughts on this subject? I will probably use a Prevail sprayer to experiment with if no one responds. Thanks...
Michael

I use a 2 lb cut of super blond flake shellac cut with DA for sealing.

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tim...
http://www.mcknightguitars.com

I've been using shellac as sealer on tops for many years. I wipe it on with a paper towel followed by a once over with synthetic steel wool about 45 minutes later. Quick and easy and I don't have to clean a spray gun.

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Jimmy Caldwell
http://www.caldwellguitars.com

I'm probably going to get the 3rd. degree....but I use Zinsser Bulls Eye Shellac (clear) in a spray can from my hardware store. I've used this product on some of my carved wood projects as a sealer coat to a poly finish and used it (reluctantly at first) on my last 3 builds with lacquer and worked just fine. I also liked the convenience of quick coating areas like the top before taping bindings and recoating small resanded areas and not having to mix or clean up my sprayer for small or quick applications.
There is NO control of spray thickness...so light wiping/sanding/steel wool may be necessary.
Kent

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EXCELLENCE IN SCULPTURE, CARVING, LUTHIER, ARCHITECTURAL MILLWORK AND DESIGN

http://www.kabart.com

If you mix your own just remember to run it through a filter .
A fine mesh one.
I spray it all the time.
1 liter Alky to 4 oz. of shellac makes a great sealer .
Shake well !
Enjoy!
Mc

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Mike Collins

I spray 2 pound cut shellac with the same gun settings as lacquer except the flow needle is closed down a bit as the viscosity is lower. A couple coats and after 24 hours I spray lacquer, I look over the surface and touch up any rough spots with 400 grit but don't sand the whole surface, the gun cleans great with DA. I use a .8 mm tip on a HVLP touchup gun.

Fred

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Fred Tellier
http://www.fetellierguitars.com
Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/pages/FE-Tellier-Guitars/163451547003866

WOW! Great information. This place is the best!!!
Thanks to everyone.
Michael

Hi Michael,

I also noticed in prior post that one should be careful when spraying shallac
since it is reduced with alcohol which is highly flammable.

Luc

Most spray finishes are highly flammable not just shellac. Don't spray near open flames or even concealed ones like a water heater or furnace.

I spray waterborne shellac from target Coatings. great stuff. Water clean-up.

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1109 Military Rd.
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I sprayed Zinnser 100% dewaxed sealer with Preval sprayers for the first time a few weeks ago and was simply delighted. Same thing as using a can, you can't control spray pattern so care is needed during application, but I found it a step up from both wiping and brushing.

I have always used the Zinsser Sanding Sealer which I believe is a 2# cut but is dewaxed. An I spray it on with no additional cutting

Richard

Zinsser Bulls Eye "Sanding Sealer" is perfect to spray straight from the can. Their aresol spray shellac is not wax free.

Hi Michael,

My Zinnser spraycan sellac says on the back it is 100% wax free. Is that a lie?

http://www.zinsser.com/pdf/TDB/be_sprshell.pdf

Evan

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Evan McCartney

is the product in a yellow can? or a pinkish? it is possible that Sealcoat comes in a spray can now and I am just not aware but historicly Seal Coat was their only 100% waax free shellac product.

It's in a yellow spraycan, "Traditional Finish & Sealer." Looks just like this:


They claim a "clear, wax-free formula."

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Evan McCartney

Actually, your can says it is a 100% shellac based formula. It also says it is wax free, but that is not the same as 100% dewaxed, which is a different product. I was informed here that wax is a natural product in shellac. I almost bought the same stuff to use under a waterbase finish, but was told that it isn't the right stuff, and had to go to a store out in the sticks to get the right stuff.
But, if you're spraying laquer and not waterbase it might work fine, but I don't know.

Interesting. The Technical Data Bulletin (http://www.zinsser.com/pdf/TDB/be_sprshell.pdf) says it is 100% wax free. Does that just mean that there is no wax added?



I've used it as a light seal coat on one french polished guitar about a year ago and did not run into any problems. YMMV of course.

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Evan McCartney

I can't answer that more definitively, I'm only passing on what I've been told here to help me. I can see why what you have worked under a French Polish though, shellac on shellac would be fine.

There can't be wax in the spray aerosol shellac as it would clog the nozzle.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/

That is good news to me.
Laurent, do you think the yellow can stuff would work under waterbase finishes?

The can pictured above does state that the finish is "100% wax-free", and that it can be "topcoated with any interior paint or clear finish". With those statements I have used it under both nitro and under Emtech-6000 and have had no bad results so far. Granted I only started doing this about 2 years ago so only time will truly tell. But as a far as being wax free I would say you are pretty safe.

Kent