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I was reading an old library book on wood stains and found a wild fact about shellac
I picked up this beat up copy of 'The Furniture Finisher's Handbook' from 1972 at a library sale, mostly for the pictures. I was flipping through the section on French polishing and it said something that made me stop. It claimed that a single pound of dry shellac flakes can cover up to 500 square feet with a proper 2-pound cut. I had to test it. I measured out a fresh batch on a scrap maple panel, doing the math, and got pretty close to that number. It's way more coverage than I ever thought, and it explains why that little bag I bought last year is still half full. The book said it's because shellac builds film thickness so efficiently when applied in thin, overlapping circles. I've been wasting material for years by mixing it too thick and brushing it on. Has anyone else found a game changing tip in a really old reference book?
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caleb1917mo ago
That old book math sounds great in theory, but real world dust and humidity would ruin those perfect thin coats.
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ross.jessica7mo ago
Just checked my own copy of that book, the 1974 reprint. The coverage number is right, but they're talking about a 3-pound cut, not a 2-pound cut. A 2-pound cut would cover even more area. The math works if you're doing the proper french polish method, building it up super thin. Most of us mix it too heavy because we want to see it go on.
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