Shellac manufacture

An interesting video on the manufacture of shellac.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQcQ0yuekZ0&feature=player_embedded"]YouTube - Shellac Origins and Manufacture[/ame]

Good find WW.:2tsup:

Amazing. Not much has change in nearly 100 years. Great to actually see where and how its made. Thanks Woodwould

Fascinating...
A LONG time ago as part of the research for a dissertation on Natural Gums & Resins I managed to get hold of quite a few samples including various examples of shellac as it went throught the production process, from the encrusted twigs to the fine flakes. Still have them somewhere...
Mark

Thanks Woodwould, a pleasure to watch.:2tsup:

THanks WW, what type of shellac do you use?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Claw Hama

THanks WW, what type of shellac do you use?

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Much depends on the job at hand, but because I don't use as much shellac as I did when in business, my 'go to' polish nowadays is U-Beaut's pre-mixed White Shellac. It's excellent quality and convenient. I also buy garnet flakes and other natural and synthetic resins and mix my own concoctions as required.

Wow. I knew it was a manual process and had read about the steps, but actually seeing it is mind boggling.

So I guess the take home message is use it or lose it....

Looking at the video if it was grown and processed here we would not be able to afford it!

Great vid WW thanks for sharing with us. :2tsup::2tsup:

I wonder though, if the lac insect was introduced here and a lac industry established, if it couldn't be made profitable through mechanisation and a more modern extraction technique.

I think the stumbling block would be the introduction of the insect and the trees it requires (unless suitable trees already exist here).

Also FineWoodworking magazine has a five page write-up by Vijay Velji in the Dec edition, quite a good read.



Regards,


Frank.

Another wonderful find WW.

I'm quite amazed at how much work goes into making a 1kg bag of flakes. :oo:

The next time you eat a Clinker, just remember that bloke with the sheet of shellac between his teeth!

Thanks for sharing the find.