maple night stands

[Lud martinson]

This is my first project with cabriole legs... I want this to be simple, or as simple as it can be. I applied the first coat of zinsser Bullseye shellac in amber on a sample piece that MAY look like it has some blotching- not sure. As a comparison, I lightly applied a thin coat of Man O War spar varnish on another sample. Zero blotch. I let these stand overnight. Temps were in the mid 80s to start, with low humidity here in Norcal. This morning I think I like the look of the varnish. The shellac looks the same. Will applying more coats of amber darken the piece overall? And, should/ could I use it as a final coat(s) before paste wax?
I'm very familiar with spar varnish and it's drying time in marine applications. Just curious if the shellac will be easier/ better?

[Scott Holmes]

Marine/Spar varnishes are made for EXTERIOR application; they are softer and LESS waterproof...

Shellac is more waterproof than marine varnish; however! Zinsser Amber varnish still has the wax in it so adding a poly varnish either r marine or regular is going to provide and opportunity for your finish to fail.

Poly varnishes don't stick well to themselves or anything else; shellac with wax still in it, will set you up for the cured varnish to peel off very easily. Bad idea.

Shellac should not be built up to a thick finish it will "alligator". The perfect shellac finish is the thinnest possible film that is flawless.

As for blotching maple does that... Not sure what color you want when finished.

You didn't say what you are building all we know is that it has maple cabriole legs. Finish should provide the right amount of protection for the finished products given environment and use.

[Lud martinson]

Scott, I'm having issues trying to respond. thank you for yours. Wish to seal maple legs with anything somewhat clear for existing bedroom pieces

[John TenEyck]

Shellac would be more than durable enough for bedroom furniture. But if you like the look of the amber shellac and want to put varnish over it, you can always spray a coat of Zinsser spray shellac over the shellac first. It is dewaxed shellac and will provide a good sealer for the varnish to bond to. But as Scott said, do not apply lots of layers of shellac just to get a more amber color. If you want a dark amber color, it would be better to add Transtint dye to your amber shellac so that you can get the color you want in 2 or 3 thin coats, then spray a coat of spray shellac, etc.

One method to minimize blotching is to apply one of two wash coats of dewaxed shellac, something like Zinsser's Sealcoat shellac. Then sand that back with 320 grit. And as long as you now have Sealcoat shellac, you can add Transtint dye to it to make any color you want. You can use that to apply two of three color coats and then apply your varnish directly over that. Since it has no wax in it there will be no problems with bonding.

John

[Lud martinson]

Thanks guys,
I do NOT wish to color as the amber seemed dark enough. Will darken more with time. zinsser spray sounds right to seal. Just wondered if the amber was going to darken more with more coats, AND if more coats were necessary. The answer by Zinsser is confusing as they state their product is the "be all end all".

[John TenEyck]

Yes, you will get a darker color with more coats of amber shellac, but more coats are not necessary or a good idea once you have a continuous film. What did Zinsser say?

John

[Lud martinson]

Zinsser: cabs/ furniture...apply one or two coats , 220 or finer between coats. IF wanting heavier film, reapply process. To be honest, I've read and watched so much that it's easy to be confused. Trying to find one of the distributors...

[Lud martinson]

Woodcraft says the same. While somewhat misleading... "subsequent coats need 1 hr dry time sanding between coats"...gives the impression of adding several coats given that amber is non yellowing and will not darken while adding more coats.
Anyway...I did miss the amber having a wax content of 3-5%. And, I've read the dewaxed to start ample times. Fortunately all this is happening on samples. I appreciate your time and patience John, and Scott (nice vid btw). As self promoted Captain of the Gawd awful woodworkers wannabe club, I thank you

[John TenEyck]

Just a side note. Shellac doesn't yellow over time, but applying more coats of amber will give you a darker hue. And despite what Zinsser and Woodcraft might say, the fewest coats that give you a continuous film is the correct amount when it comes to shellac. Bad things can and do happen when it's applied too thick. If you want a darker hue, add some Transtint to your shellac so you can use only a few coats.

John