FYI
A word about:
SHELLAC — “Packing” or “Blocking”
Dewaxed shellac flake when exposed to high heat tends to “block” or pack together in small, or occasionally, large chunks or ‘blocks’.
NOTE: Blocking is Not detrimental to the shellac flake.
If you leave a pound dewaxed flake under the weight of other supplies in a closed car trunk on a hot summer day the result can be a SOLID brick. (I won’t do that again!)
• Avoid blocking; store shellac flake Sealed Against Moisture in a Cool Dry location (under 70°F). If the flake blocks, wrap larger chunks in cloth or thick plastic sheeting, to keep them from flying all over the room, and reduce them to a manageable size with a hammer or dead blow mallet.
We try our best (importing via AIR) to give you only the finest flake and to avoid blocking. We however have little control if product sits in a delivery van or air container on a hot day.
More Hints:
• Use a high-test denatured alcohol around 10 % denaturants or less. If the label does not say, the MSDS sheet for the brand will have the mixture percentages. A 190 Proof Denatured Alcohol has 5% denaturant.
• A warm environment will aid the alcohol in dissolving flake.
NEVER place alcohol or shellac on or near any source of heat.
• In a cooler room set the lidded bottle of dissolving shellac flake in a container of Hot (not boiling) water to aid in dissolving. You can pulverize buttons and flake in a coffee grinder or in a blender to speed dissolving.
• Strain the working shellac solution through layers of cloth to remove any particles of dirt or organic material.
• Evaluate flake color when in liquid, variation in flake thickness from production batches can make a thinner flake look lighter in tone. Slight seasonal variations do occur in a natural product but they will be within the laboratory acceptable color range.
• Blending Flake Colors or Tones
For repeatable results, inter mix or blend shellac colors only in liquid form.
Print friendly PDF version: Shellac Flake Care
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Shellac.net Wood Finish Supply … Napa, CA
