<B><I>Farrell <mfarrel2@tampabay.rr.com></I></B> wrote: <BLOCKQUOTE class=replbq style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #1010ff 2px solid"> <div>I have had some troubles when trying to put a top coat of clear lacquer over the gold - using a non-lacquer is likely a good idea - someone wrote about shellac, perhaps the best idea of all.<BR><BR><STRONG>As much as I like and find many uses for shellac, I wouldn't consider it the best choice as a top coat for a plate.  I would worry about </STRONG></div> <div><STRONG>1. it being less resistant to marring (from tools, paper clips, pens, hair clips, etc) and to spills than many other finish choices; </STRONG></div> <div><STRONG>2.  </STRONG><STRONG>I find it doesn't lay nearly as flat as other sprayable finishes; </STRONG></div> <div><STRONG>3. is generally only available in gloss (you CAN create satin & semi with the addition of talc); </STRONG></div> <div><STRONG>4. had better be pretty fresh if you want good performance; </STRONG></div> <div><STRONG>5. and even the palest blond shellac will color the gold to some extent, although that may not be undesirable.  </STRONG></div> <div><STRONG></STRONG> </div> <div><STRONG>While shellac is clearly a superior choice to many finishes in some applications, I just think there are too many superior alternatives to shellac for clear-coating a plate.</STRONG></div> <div><STRONG></STRONG> </div> <div><STRONG>Mark Potter</STRONG></div></BLOCKQUOTE>