Thread: Ozuku JNat: problem using shellac

I got a big Ozuku a few days ago and have been sealing it with shellac. It was coated around 5-6 times I think with a little over an hour between coats (the container said to wait an hour between coats). The stone needed a lot of lapping work done, so I decided to do that earlier today, about 18-20 hours after the last coat of shellac went on. After lapping in slightly warm water, I noticed that I was leaving a ton of fingerprints in the shellac. I switched to colder water, but I was still putting fingerprints in it. After the stone dried, the shellac looks really thin and 2-3 small areas have wrinkled and come off. The sides are really wrinkly, thin, and dull looking whereas the untouched areas are glossier. Even those areas are easy to mark with fingerprints.
Anyone know what's going on? Do you know if I can use some other kind of sealant over the shellac that would be more waterproof and ok for the stone? I was going to use water based polyurethane, but the terrible hardware stores near me don't have any.

Oh and the shellac is Zinsser Bulls Eye Clear Shellac

I use wax-free shellac and have no problems.
What kind of shellac do you use?

This stuff: Zinsser Bulls Eye Clear Shellac. Zinsser 00304 Clear Shellac Finish & Sealer Qt 3lb
How can I tell if it's wax free? I looked on the can, but there was nothing about wax on there.

I just read on that link that you're supposed to thin it. I didn't do that. Could that have been the problem?

I used Poly with good results, I've used it on Escher labels too, and a couple of other things with no problems...

Originally Posted by zib

I used Poly with good results, I've used it on Escher labels too, and a couple of other things with no problems...

I have, too, but had read here that just about anything would be ok so I went with the shellac. If there was water-based polyurethane at any store nearby, I would have gotten it. The issue is that I don't think I can use polyurethane over shellac...

Here's a different point of view:

I was having some issues using water-based lacquer to seal a stone, so I posed a question to the stone's seller (an acknowledged expert who's dealt with literally hundreds of Jnats, whose privacy I'll respect). He said he never seals his stones, as he prefers them to look natural (duh). In > 25 years in the business, he's never had a stone delaminate. Sounds good to me.

If you'd like a minimally-used can of Minwax water-based polycrilic, let me know.

Originally Posted by wsfarrell

Here's a different point of view:

I was having some issues using water-based lacquer to seal a stone, so I posed a question to the stone's seller (an acknowledged expert who's dealt with literally hundreds of Jnats, whose privacy I'll respect). He said he never seals his stones, as he prefers them to look natural (duh). In > 25 years in the business, he's never had a stone delaminate. Sounds good to me.

If you'd like a minimally-used can of Minwax water-based polycrilic, let me know.

I was like that, too, until I had a stone start to develop some cracks. I'd rather try to preempt that if there's anything I can do. If I can figure out how to proceed, I may take you up on the offer on that can, thanks

Ok so a little more research and I found out that the stuff I have is NOT wax-free. It's also not easy to let this stuff sit so the wax settles to the bottom, because the company uses some special homogenizing process.
So anyone have any suggestions on where to go from here? Is sanding a bad idea?

I'd bet it has something to do with the fact that you didn't thin it. It may take a while for it to dry, since your application was not diluted, Give it a week, see how it does, it should, Should set up, It's just probably a bit thick.

I wouldn't want to be the one person who didn't seal his stone and had a problem. That would be my luck. I'd rather be safe than sorry and seal it. With all due respect to the aforementioned seller....

You'd have to be careful sanding, I bet you could wipe some of it off with those pre treated Gojo wipes, or scrubs...or maybe some thinner...

Sorry, I just re read your original post, Allowing more time probably won't matter....

Originally Posted by heirkb

This stuff: Zinsser Bulls Eye Clear Shellac. Zinsser 00304 Clear Shellac Finish & Sealer Qt 3lb
How can I tell if it's wax free? I looked on the can, but there was nothing about wax on there.

I just read on that link that you're supposed to thin it. I didn't do that. Could that have been the problem?

it should say on the can I use the same brand.