Violin Forum/Message Board

Jack H. · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 8:25 am Post subject: Problems with shelac

i have some new shelac that I purchased about a year ago. i went to make some varnish for touch up, just shelac with a bit of elemy, and it has been sitting in a jar for 3 days and it is just a bunch of soft shelac pieces that have absorbed some alcohol, but has not entirely melted to become shelac. even a hot water bath has done nothing. what is going on here????????

FiddleDoug · Member Joined: 08 Sep 2007 Posts: 227 Location: Hilton, NY

What kind of alcohol? If your alcohol is the wrong kind, or has absorbed too much water, it could cause the problems.
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Michael Darnton · Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 2:44 pm Post subject:

What kind of shellac, also? Bleached varieties of shellac don't last too long: moisture in the air affects the dry shellac and turns it bad.
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Michael N · Junior Member Joined: 23 Sep 2009 Posts: 9

Of course Michael is right. The refined grades have a limited life although I usually get around 3 years from purchase, much depends on how long it sat on a shelf at the suppliers. When it's bad it sort of half dissolves, with a gelatinous mass at the bottom of the jar.
My seedlac, which was purchased over 15 years ago, is still fine. I also have some button lac that seems OK after around 6 years.
I think one of the US suppliers (shellac.net? perhaps someone else) date stamps their stuff.

Jack H. · Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2011 12:27 pm Post subject:

Thanks for the replies. It is bleached shellac, and that is exactly what appears to have happened. Strange though, hasn't happened to me before with this stuff. Learn something new every day.

violinarius · Member Joined: 14 Dec 2007 Posts: 171