pipemakersforum.com

Hello everyone,

i was wondering how you guys apply this type of shellac (Zinser spray shellac). ive read on here that some people spray it from a distance or apply with a pipe cleaner. Ive tried doing both with not such great results. The pipe cleaner method seemed to apply the stain more evenly but the problem was the lint that got left behind and stuck to the shellac. I tried a few different types of pipe cleaners and they all left residue on the shellac. Does anyone know how to avoid this problem? any suggestions appreciated.

I never had any luck with spray shellacs. The good ole fashioned brush on and french polish works the best for me. (dissolved pure Shellac flakes applied with oil cloth)

If you spray, you have to learn another skill set: leveling. For someone starting out I would not recommend it. Unless you have prior woodworking experience it will be a distraction you don't need.

andrew

It's fun, but not what you need to learn right now.

andrew

andrew wrote:If you spray, you have to learn another skill set: leveling. For someone starting out I would not recommend it. Unless you have prior woodworking experience it will be a distraction you don't need.

andrew

even with prior woodworking experience I find it challenging. The pipe cleaner leaves streaks, its hard to buff enough off without taking too much off the sharp edges, it can dry before you make your way around the entire pipe. If you dont wipe it off completely you have to let it dry for 24 hours or they shellac will streak when you buff it. I've been having a little trouble.

Think of the shellac as a polish not a layer. If you put a layer of shellac on, it will blemish over time with use.

One good thing about shellac is that damage is extremely easy to repair if you have the skill to do it. It is one of two evaporative finishes, the other being lacquer. Both are easily repaired, but using them as a clearcoat is not easy. If you don't do it right you'll have an unholy, bubbling, crappy mess on your hands.

andrew

andrew wrote: If you don't do it right you'll have an unholy, bubbling, crappy mess on your hands.

andrew

This describes most of my pipe making journey.

The Zinsser spray is probably 5 times thicker than you want your cut. Spray it and grind it off (have fun!) or use a much thinner cut and brush it on.

You are not trying to do a shellac finish here, you are trying to put a microscopic hard layer almost "in" the briar rather than on it. Something literally just to hold the stain on the pipe and offer you something to work on top of.

so maybe spray some into a beer bottle cap (dont know where I would find some of those) and dilute it with dna before brushing it on with a pipe cleaner?

DNA?


Sent from my banana phone.

Yeah, DNA. I always spray a little DNA in a beer bottle cap. The romans invented this type of contraceptive. I was actually talking about denatured alcohol.

Solomon_pipes wrote:Yeah, DNA. I always spray a little DNA in a beer bottle cap. The romans invented this type of contraceptive. I was actually talking about denatured alcohol.

Lol so hard wife asked what I was laughing at. The whole time I was reading this I was thinking dilute it with denatured alcohol. Then I saw dna and thought what could he possibly be talking about.


Sent from my banana phone.

haha DNA had me a bit perplexed as well.

Yeah you can dilute the Zinsser stuff... I still don't like it much all in all, but maybe it will treat you better.

Solomon_pipes wrote:so maybe spray some into a beer bottle cap (dont know where I would find some of those) and dilute it with dna before brushing it on with a pipe cleaner?

I don't know what the top secret pipe coating concentration is, but in most woodworking a "spit coat" or one pound cut is what most people start with. Dissolve one pound of shellac in one gallon of denatured alcohol. If you don't need a gallon, do the math for what you want. It will last on the shelf for a while in liquid form, but eventually goes bad. Dry flakes have an indefinite shelf life. If you google shellac, you can get a whole bunch more information about that.

Shelf life can vary 3 to 18 months for mix your own stuff. Depends on your climate and quality of ingredients.

andrew

thanks for all the advice. I have one more question.

before i did more research and joined this site i applies a carnauba buff straight after the stain. the pipes looked great right after the buff but eventually have all dulled out. my question is two part.

1. where did the wax go? has it absorbed into the pipe clogging the pores?

2. can I apply a coat of Shellac to it now? or will i just be sealing the briar with a layer of wax inside of the shellac?

thanks.

The wax is probably still on the pipe but full of dirt.

A quick scrub with alcohol will pull the wax (and some stain) off. Then do your spit-coat, then wax again.

Truth is, I've never found a wax finish that stayed shiny through hot/cold cycling and lots of handling. All of the pipes I have that are still shiny are so because of shellac on top (Peterson, Ser Jac etc) and all the pipes I have that are dull now (Peterson, Ser Jac, Stanwell etc) had a wax top coat. I think a shiny pipe requires buffing maintenance if the top coat, the "working coat" is wax.

pardon my ignorance but a spit coat it the shellac mix right?