HARD SHELLAC OVER WATER DYES

 

Email from Tim 

Hello there

I recently purchased the Hard shellac to go over the water dyes also bought from you.
I have 3 questions that i couldn’t find answers for on the product or on your website.

1. How long do i have to wait for the water dye to dry before applying the Hard Shellac?
2. Can i apply the Shellac with a cloth as it is for a guitar?
3. How long do I wait between coats of Hard Shellac?

Many thanks

Tim
——
My response: Hello Tim

I have responded in line below.

Cheers – Neil Ellis
——
Hello there

I recently purchased the Hard shellac to go over the water dyes also bought from you.
I have 3 questions that i couldn’t find answers for on the product or on your website.
ONLY 3… why so few? (Sorry couldn’t help my self).

1. How long do i have to wait for the water dye to dry before applying the Hard Shellac?

That will depend on the wood used, humidity, and anything else that could affect the drying time ideally to be sire it’s properly dry overnight but may only need an hour or so in warm conditions. If you apply the shellac too early and there is still moisture in the wood from the dye, you may get blooming of the shellac. Looks like a bit milky. This should disappear with another coat of the shellac

2. Can i apply the Shellac with a cloth as it is for a guitar?

Ideally for a guitar French polishing it would give the best result. I would be very wary of just raging it on. If you can’t French polish, go to an art supply shop and get yourself a camelhair artists water colour mop approx 25mm. This has very fine bristles and will hold as much if not more polish than a 100mm brush off the shelf at a paint shop. These brushes do not leave brush marks in the finish.

3. How long do I wait between coats of Hard Shellac?

If you’re French polishing you can recoat as soon as the surface is dry to the touch anywhere from a few minutes to an hour depending on weather conditions.

If brushing recoat once the surface is dry to the touch this will be much longer than French polishing as the brush will add a much heavier coat. There should be no need to sand between coats for either method unless you make a mess of it.

A little warning. Before applying the dye… you may need to use a single coat of our Sanding Sealer then leave it to dry and with your finest grit abrasive 1200 or higher, wipe over the dried sealer to remove nibs raised by the sealer DO NOT SAND JUST WIPE OVER WITH THE ABRASIVE. If you don’t do this first the water dye may raise the grain causing a problem as it would either have to be sanded back, thus lightening the colour or you would end up with a finish that feels like someone has thrown a handful of sand onto finish.

If you do the sealer thing as above, the dye will be able to penetrate through the sealer and into the wood and should give an even colour without raising the grain.

Last but definitely not least least:
Before you do anything practice on a separate scrap piece of the similar wood/veneer (if it’s acoustic), to make sure you are happy with the result. this could save a few tears and gnashing of teeth, down the track.

Hope this is of some help to you.

Cheers – Neil

Many thanks

Tim

——

many thanks Neil.

Cheers

Tim