In Tricks of the Trade

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Shellac is a mainstay in my shop, both as a sealer and as a finish. I mix my shellac from flakes and usually go with a 1 lb. cut, which is ideal for brushing ultra-smooth coats. I used to measure out the flakes each time I made a new batch, but here’s an easier way.

After buying a jar of flakes, I get out a postage scale and about a dozen sandwich bags. I fill each bag with 1 oz. of flakes and place the bags back in the jar. Now, whenever I need a new batch of shellac, I just dump the contents of one bag into an 8 oz. Mason jar and fill it up with denatured alcohol. That makes a 1 lb. cut, no measuring required. If I want a 2 lb. cut, I put in 2 bags. –Tom Caspar

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