On Mon, 15 Jan 1996, Rob Edwardsen wrote: > > >Could you describe the preparation and application of 'burnt' shellac? > Burnt shellac is made by mixing orange shellac flakes with just > enough alcohol so that you have a thick gooey paste. You can get shellac > flakes from Player Piano Supply. It is called burnt shellac because > originally it was made by taking premixed shellac and "burning" off the > alcohol by heating over a burner or hot plate. > According to Reblitz, it is still acceptable to prepare burnt shellac by burning the dilute "store-bought" orange shellac. I've found a cost effective method is to buy the flakes by the pound from Wm. Zinsser Co., which is the main shellac importer for the U.S. It is around $2.50 per pound vs. the $20 or so per pound from Player Piano. The dowinside is Zinsser requires a minimum of around 10 pounds, I think. Even though shellac is available, I would tend to try the PVC-E for the dampers because a batch of thick shellac takes a few hours to mix and has a shelf life of around 6 months after it's mixed. Shellac flakes are good for player rebuilding, etc. If anyone needs a few ounces of flakes at cost, ask, as we have extra from the original Zinsser order. Fred Scoles, RPT
This PTG archive page provided courtesy of Moy Piano Service, LLC