RE: shellac mixed up with Denatured Alcohol, vs Grain Alcohol, vs Behkol

D

David Conley

Well-known member
Everyone,

The Ohio River Valley Chapter had a great Spring meeting over the last couple of days.  One of the topics was finishing.  Specifically, it was mixing up shellac with Denatured Alcohol, vs Grain Alcohol (Ever Clear 190 proof), vs Behkol.  

The advantages of using Behkol and grain alcohol is they have a higher Ethanol content so they dissolve the shellac flakes quicker than the denatured alcohol, which may only have a 100 proof.  Right?  

The advantage of the grain alcohol, as one member said, “if the finish gets screwed up, you can always drink it.”  In other words, a shellac finish made with grain alcohol is a very food safe finish.

Also, one of the things I read was that the high proof alcohols dissolves the shellac a little quicker and dry a little slower, so it has more time to level out.  

What is your experience?

Also, my local Liquor store in Kentucky has a 750ml bottle of 190 proof Ever Clear for $18 for vs Clear Springs (made in Bardstown, KY) for $14.  

Thanks in advance,
David
 
If I remember correctly denatured alcohol has an additive so it can not be ingested. Government requirement. Thank you Uncle Sam. If knot who know's who you might meet off the paint isle at Home Depot. Shellac is only as strong as a good coat of wax to protect it from the elements. Lacquer is like the Saran wrap of today. Plastic is good! Varnish is hard but hard to adjust. Catalized laquers are another story. Who knows what finish to use. Food safe!!! Excellent comment!!! Wood is good.
 
David,

I am going to Tennessee next week for a wedding and I will be loading up on ever clear.  Ever since Don Williams has introduce me to the use of ever clear in the mixing shellac my french polishing has gone to another level. I love padding on shellac without the awful fumes, and how quickly and easily the shellac works. I think if I were you that I would stock up.

FR
 
These are good points.  But a very important consideration is health.

In the past couple of years the makers of denatured alcohol had increased the percentage of methanol.

Ethanol is grain alcohol and perfectly consumable (preferably in small quantities).  Methanol is poisonous.  You can absorb it through your skin or from breathing the vapor.  In a french polish finish, all the solvent (alcohol) evaporates.  You are subject to breathing a large amount of that.

Kleen Strip Green
Hazardous Components (Chemical Name)
Ethyl alcohol {Ethanol}    90.0 -100.0 %

Methanol {Methyl alcohol; Carbinol; Wood alcohol}  <10.0 %


By contrast, the standard Kleen Strip alcohol is 40-50% ethanol, which means up to 60% is methanol.

Of course if you use Ever Clear, you are safe(from poison, not necessarily from crazy behavior) and have recreational consumables at hand to boot.

Ken Johnson
 
Heads up on the Everclear to mix Shellac in Western NC...the ABC Board is now only stocking 150 Proof Everclear stating that 190 proof is harmful...but the local ABC guys are telling me that Everclear is feeling the pressure for Ethanol for use in Gasoline and that a change was made to accomdate the demand.  So, it may be back to Moonshine for us Shellac users!  And it seems Moonshine is all the rage in North Carolina!
 
Those guys on the TV show “Moonshiners”, always cut their moonshine with water to 100 proof.   

So if gasoline does screw with our supply, it may make sense to stock up on the 190 proof while we can still get it.  Kind of like stocking up on the good fireworks when you are passing through South Carolina or Tennessee.  ;)
 
I have to agree.  I had much better results using 190 proof on my most recent projects.  One advantage to living in KY where it's readily available.  The label does state that it's not intended for consumption unless combined with another non-alcoholic product.  Shellac counts, right?
 
I never knew this until I watched a PBS show about "Popcorn Sutton"  the famous Moonshiner from Maggie Valley, NC and parts of East TN.  On his show he showed the first part of a run of Moonshine, and it was almost pure alcohol, say 190 proof, but as the run would continue more evaporated water was introduced until the last part of the run was mostly 40 proof.  He showed how they mixed all the batches together to come up with 100 proof.  So it probably figures that the cabinetmakers of the 18th century were sure to be at the still on the first run..to get the best alcohol for their Shellac!  

Note: Popcorn Sutton was sentenced to serve time in Federal Prison for making illegal whiskey, after many arrests. He swore he would never go to prison and committed suicide by Carbon Monoxide at his home in Maggie Valley a few years ago, leaving his wife with a fortune in illegal whiskey stored away.  Shortly after his death, the government changed whiskey laws, and now we have the show "Moonshiners" on cable and 10 distilleries in NC.
for Moonshine.  
 
I just made a few calls and none of the liqueur stores near me have the 190 proof. is it available in NY? if not would someone be willing ship some to me. the stuff they add to the denatured alcohol gives me a headache after awhile.

Otherwise where can I get cheap still and some mash?
 
ttlama, it's like everything else 18th Century..you got to learn how to grow Mash Corn, Make a Copper Still, and make your own Shellac Thinner!  Nothing in life is easy Brother!
 
I did a search on the internet about where it is sold and here is what I got:

"The alcoholic beverage called Everclear is illegal to sell in 14 states. These states are California, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Hawaii, Iowa, Michigan, New York, Nevada, Ohio, Washington, North Carolina, New Hampshire and Minnesota. Although it is legal in Virginia, it is not sold there due to the fact that the state liquor stores cannot sell any type of a grain alcohol that lacks flavor or   color.The reason it is illegal is because it contains such a high percentage of alcohol. Everclear is 190 proof and is 95.6 percent ethanol alcohol and 4.4 percent water. This combination makes for an extremely powerful combination.Everclear has been listed in the Guinness World Book of Records as the most alcoholic drink. Guinness listed it in 1979 and has since banned any alcohol entries in their publications.There is a 151 proof of Everclear that is legally sold in California, Iowa, Florida, Michigan, Minnesota, North Dakota, Washington and West Virginia."

TTalma, Road Trip!!!!
 
Well I guess next time I'm out of state I'll have to buy some. I'll just put a sticker on it labeling it "Shellac Solvent".
 
I have almost 4 quarts of nearly 200 proof ethanol that I "rescued" from my research lab in the early 1970s. I was going to mix it with fruit punch for a he$$ of a party, at that time, but never got around to it. Fast forward to today, and I was about to re-purpose it to clean my shellac brushes. I don't make my own shellac but just use the store variety for sealant coats and would hate to use it for cleaning brushes after reading this thread. I would be willing to trade the 200 proof for a gallon of store-bought alcohol. Would it be illegal to mail this stuff from PA to out-of-state locations? Anyone interested?
 
Just last week , purchased everclear 190 proof....28.00/fifth here in NY. there is another brand of grain alcohol for sale (I forget the name ) that is 192 proof but 2.00 more.
 
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