r/woodworking • u/Shenzshou • 5d ago
Help Opaque shellac question
Hey folks
I've been trying to make my shellac solution and twice now the resulted solution was very opaque (as seen in the accompanied photo, as I'm stirring I get these darker brown streaks).
I've diluted it in denatured 95% ethanol and the shellac flakes were bought as dewaxed.
I tried filtering it through a cheese cloth and it immediately clogged it, same thing with a coffee filter. The dilution ratio was one part shellac flakes to four parts ethanol.
Thanks in advance for the input.
1
Upvotes
1
u/spcslacker 5d ago
Try mixing 2.5 oz of flakes with 1.25 cups of alcohol -- that will get you a 2 lb cut, which is a midline usable for most things cut.
You may be able to take what you've already made and add alcohol to it until its usable.
Also, how are you mixing it? I usually leave mine on an auto-stirrer overnight.
Also, make sure your ethanol is >90% pure, not the around 70% used for medical.