Shellac as a grain filler?

Has anyone had any success using shellac to fill the grain of open pored timber? if so, do you use a heavy mix, say a 3lb cut, or several light coats before sanding back to the surface?

It hasn’t worked too well for me by itself. I have pore filled using the pad with shellac, alcohol and pumice in the traditional way, this works but is time consuming, tiring and needs patience. I have also used AquaCoat, a filler used by luthiers, it works. I am about to try using hide glue, which will be cheaper. I sand to 800 or better before applying filler, allowing to dry then sanding back. Might need two or three coats.

Thanks for this reply, Swifty. Where do you get your Aqua Coat from?

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Originally Posted by Dengue

Thanks for this reply, Swifty. Where do you get your Aqua Coat from?

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It's clear so won't change the overall colour of the timber. Here's the link:

Online Store - Armstrong Lutherie

Also I learned pretty quick while practising french polishing that sanding sealers cannot be used as grain fillers at all, and shellac by itself sinks into the grain and doesn't really give a flat surface at all. I had a go at using Timbermate, it fills the pores very well, with the colour of the Timbermate being very obvious in the pores. I prefer the Aqua Coat because it is transparent. Yet to try out the hide glue method, but I am about to experiment with it on my current build. This subject is also covered by Neil (our UBeaut sponsor) in his Polishers Handbook, I recommend that book!
Cheers Swifty

+1 on Aquacoat

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Originally Posted by Dengue

Has anyone had any success using shellac to fill the grain of open pored timber?

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Yes.

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Originally Posted by Dengue

if so, do you use a heavy mix, say a 3lb cut,

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No

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Originally Posted by Dengue

or several light coats before sanding back to the surface?

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No.

Coating with a brush and sanding wont do it . Unless you think that a lot of time putting shellac on only to sand it off and throw 90% of it away is a good way to spend some time and money.

I explained it in your thread here post 29.
Why oil French Polishing pad?

Constantia Organic Finishes have a product called Seedlac which is liquid shellac and oil based and when used with their pure pumice dry filler is very effective as a grain filler.