Now here is the interesting thing that most do not realize- Shellac typically expires 6 to 9 months after the date of manufacturer. It’s a natural resin secreted by insects in parts of India and Southeast Asia. The latest industry news—straight to your inbox. Liquid shellac sold in hardware stores is often marked with the production (mixing) date, so the consumer can know whether the shellac inside is still good. Once dissolved in alcohol, shellac does not last more than 6-9 months at the most. To make your own you buy flakes and mix them with denatured alcohol. I've been reading online that shellac flakes have a shelf life of 2-1/2 years max, and then should be discarded. What about the Shellac? Waxed shellac has a very very long shelf life because the wax protects the shellac. When applied, it will be sticky and slow drying. The microwaving was on shellac flakes only, no solvent. Flake Shellac has a virtually unlimited shelf life if kept dry, cool and out of direct sunlight, thus making this the most practical way of purchasing the product. Just like … The biggest problem comes about when shellac … Shellac Flakes offered comprises wide range of quality Shellac flakes that are recognized for its excellent performance. Keeping it cool will increase mixed shellac's shelf life. Remember, in flake form, and stored properly, shellac has a shelf life of around 3 years. I've always thought that if the shellac dissolved and then dried hard enuf to sand it was ok. And I know I've used some stuff that was WAY older than 2 years. Thread Tools. The thing about shellac is that it will take a tremendous polish at extremely thin layers. You accept the use of cookies or other identifiers by closing or dismissing this notice, by scrolling this page, by clicking a link or button or by continuing to browse otherwise. If you use much shellac it makes sense to mix your own from flakes. Some of its features include availability in de-waxed and waxy grades, comes in many warm colors from very light … Commercially available shellac has a shelf life of roughly six months. Higher temperature, not even that high, (75 degrees and above) causes dewaxed shellac to clump, especially when it is a large sack and under weight. I've always thought that if the shellac dissolved and then dried hard enuf to sand it was ok. And I know I've used some stuff that was WAY older than 2 years. It finds use in different applications like for woodwork, cabinetry, guitar making, furniture finishing, refinishing, antique restoration among others. Show Printable Version; 06-29-2015, 01:09 AM #21. car2. Powered by vBulletin® Version 4.2.5 In excellent storage conditions, shellac flakes can last many years (storage conditions from 40F to 50F at <40% RH are suggested). I have used shellac for some time and normally it starts to dissolve in about half an hour. See the: Shellac Pound Cut Mixing Chart Shellac Reducer (Behkol / Denatured Alcohol) will make a shellac that has a little more open or 'working time', a good solvent choice for mixing your own shellac Also used to dissolve Behlen & alcohol Aniline Dyes when used as an Alcohol Dye. The label on commercial brands should tell you whether it is de-waxed or not. Note: The 5 … 15 September 2016 at 1:27 am #140175. mix your own shellac. Fabrication: CNC Laser, Waterjet, Plasma, Welding & Fab, Schaublin, Cazeneuve, Weiler, Graziano, Mori Seiki Lathes, Cincinnati Milacron, Kearney Trecker, VN, USA Heavy Iron, Machine Reconditioning, Scraping and Inspection, Tooling, Parts and Accessories For Sale or Wanted, Machinery Manual, Brochure and Photo Archives. Shelf life of the shellac alcohol mix should be a few months. Could it be too old now? But,I keep mine away from air,at least. So when buying shellac, if you go to a store and you find some in the way back of the shelf covered with dust… you may not want to purchase it. However, dewaxed shellac has a much shorter shelf life after mixing it with alcohol (about 6 months). I don't know the chemical reasons why old flakes will not dissolve. I tried using some unsuccessfully with wax chuck and could not get it to stick properly. Shelf life of shellac flakes? Not long term storage in a coffee mill then stirred them very well and left them night... Flakes have a longer shelf life of 2-1/2 years max, and properly! At hand completely dissolved shellac jars and are still in the bottom of the jar which wo dissolve. Esterification begins they had that happen in the furniture conservation lab in Williamsburg where... The ideal temperature is between 65-70 degrees F. always dissolve shellac as and when needed right before is... 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