Spraying Shellac???

[Ed Gibbons]

I've had miserable results brushing shellac. I am going to give spraying a shot. I have an Earlex and it is a decent sprayer. Do I need to clean out the sprayer between coats? I will recoat in about 60 minutes.

Thanks.

[Ryan Hellmer]

I don't have an Earlex, but no I don't clean between coats. Keep in mind that shellac, being purely solvent based, can be completely reduced/cleaned with alcohol. I would warn you that any drips or blowback from the nozzle will begin to hamper performance. Keep a jar of alcohol and a rag nearby to clean up as necessary. I just got done shooting a seal coat of shellac on some cabinets with excellent results. A 2 lb. cut seems to spray just fine for me.

Ryan

[Dave Gaul]

I'll add to make sure that you spray light coats of shellac. My first shellac-spraying venture lead to the infamous alligatoring effect!

[Steve Schoene]

You don't really need to clean at that interval--afterall where is the alcohol evaporating to inside the gun. What pound cut were you trying to brush, and what kind of brush were you using? I don't spray shellac, but those that do suggest about 1 1/2 to 2 pound cut.

Remember that alcohol is heavier than air, and is flammable--be particularly aware of open flames, such as pilot lights on the other side of the room.

[Steven Hsieh]

It could be the brush quality or the way your brushing it.

What brush are you using and how are you applying it?

[Neal Clayton]

you can recoat much faster with that earlex if you're spraying. more like 5 minutes. it will dry so fast coming out of that gun that it will be dry in no time flat.

i don't bother cleaning the gun until after i'm done.

and dave is right, spray lightly, lest you get alligatoring.

[Casey Gooding]

Spraying is my favorite way to apply shellac. A 1.5 to 2 pound cut sprays nicely. If you are using Sealcoat, it comes in a 2 pound cut, so no need to thin. Other canned shellac comes in a 3 pound cut and I prefer to thin it. Or, you can mix your own to whatever you want.

[Tony Bilello]

Don't let your guard down thinking shellac is harmless. It is, if you are throwing it in a dry state against your project. On the other hand, you are most probably using DNA as your vehicle. DNA is very flamable and does have some health risks. Definitely read the MSDS sheets for Denatured Alcohol.

[Larry Fox]

No need to clean between coats. I typically clean up at the end of the day. Do keep a rag and some DNA handy though to clean the front of the gun periodically though as it does gunk up a bit if spraying a lot.

I have sprayed quite a lot of 1# and 2# with very good result.

Others have warned of the explosion and health risks of spraying it so definitely pay attention to that.

[glenn bradley]

Spraying should do well with all the good advice here. I rarely use a brush with shellac; only to get into fine detail areas. I pad it all the time and get great results. It is my go-to finish and method for most pieces.

[Steven Hsieh]

If you applying a large area, you must be fast and good at brushing.

[Steve Kohn]

I'll add to make sure that you spray light coats of shellac. My first shellac-spraying venture lead to the infamous alligatoring effect!

I can verify this statement as an absolute truth.....On the headboard it became a "design statement". Watch out for the alcohol fumes too. Had a nice hangover that night.

[Howard Acheson]

Don't leave the shellac in the cup for more than a couple of hours. Shellac is acidic and it will turn darker as it reacts with aluminum.