Use only the best white shellac in grain alcohol. Get this already for use if you can and avoid the trouble of fixing it. Be careful to get only that which is fresh, and which is made of good materials and properly mixed.

Good white shellac should dissolve in grain alcohol at the ordinary temperature of the work room. The proportions are best determined by experiment. The thicker the better, providing you are able to get a smooth finish. At first you will need to use it quite thin. Keep the bottle of shellac tightly corked, as the alcohol evaporates very rapidly. Fig. 201 illustrates a suitable dish from which to use the shellac. It may be covered quite tightly when not in use, and there is a wire across it on which to wipe the brush.

Very fine finishes may be made entirely of shellac, but for elementary work it is not usually best to attempt more than to simply apply thin coatings of shellac and rub the surface carefully to a dead smooth finish after each coating. The rubbing may be done with fine sandpaper or with pumice stone and oil or water. Be very careful to rub the finish evenly as directed in Lesson 15 (Shellacing). Remember that although shellac is probably the easiest finish for the beginner to use, it requires considerable judgment and patience to use it successfully.

Fig. 201. Dish for Shellac.