Re: wraparound box - re: Shellac questions...
John Aniano in central NJ
If the Behlen shellac you used dried hard, then it should be fine. Shellac that is old or has been stored at too high a temperature or not in a dry environment, can often initially look ok but will take a long time to dissolve (multiple days even with additional heating) and may not dry to a hard film. It usually is a bit tacky when "dry". In my shop, my mixed shellac polish lasts 1.5 to 2 years. After that, it won't dry properly and seems tacky, so I know it's time for a new batch. Plus, I date the bottle so I know when it was made, or check my notebooks to see.
I'm sure the Behlen product is a good one as long as it's been stored properly. Ditto for any other shellac flakes. Might be a good idea to pop a desiccant packet in with the dry shellac flakes to keep moisture at bay. I've not tried this, but I might...
FWIW, I buy my shellac from Wood Finishing Enterprises https://woodfinishingenterprises.com and Kremer Pigments https://shop.kremerpigments.com/us/
I'm just a satisfied customer. I've bought from both vendors for decades.
John
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My bowmaking web site I have done some sort of woodworking since I was 6 years old. In 5th grade I tried, with my father's help, to make a pine violin. It hangs on the wall in my shop. Later in middle school I had basic wood shop class. No project I can remember that survived from then! In high school, I took wood shop I and II, and metal shop I and II. This along with the usual college prep courses - my counselors thought I was nuts! I made a number of clocks during high school, maybe 2 dozen altogether, including wall clocks, shelf clocks and a pocket watch with wooden case, some of which I still have. I began to collect, restore and use old wood working tools. I especially like 19th century English tools. After graduation, I made a grandfather clock which is now on the landing of my home staircase. I made the metal dial and metal hands as well. In college, I studied Industrial Arts to be a shop teacher. I made a number of projects including a multi-wood specie flax-style spinning wheel and a walnut tool box. In 1978 I began to make stringed instrument bows, self-taught at first. After graduation, between 1982 and '83, I worked for William Salchow, who, at the time, was the best known bow maker in New York City. I stopped bow making in the mid-80's to attend college again, this time for ceramic engineering. Got married in 1988 to my wife Debbie. With her help (although I did a lot of the cooking, hey, I had the time!) I pursued a BS and MS in ceramic engineering. Worked for ~12 years as an engineer in the field of fiber optics (I have one patent to show for it). In 2002 I switched back to making and repairing bows. In 2006 I won a gold medal at the Violin Society of America's International competition. Later, in 2010, I got a second gold medal. Not easy for 50+ year old eyes! I continue to do some general woodworking - dovetailed drawers, frame and panel work, restoration tasks for our 260+ year old home - things like that. Mostly hand work. I have only a few power tools - a tiny 7" blade INCA table saw (which never gets used), 6" Atlas Jointer, 14" Rockwell bandsaw, a circa 1943 Delta 768 10" bandsaw, a 9", 3 foot Southbend metal lathe, Rusnok milling machine, a no-name wood lathe, and Jet drill press. I am a member of the Central Jersey Woodworkers Association - I was the vice president for the CJWA a few years back. I took Mike Dunbar's class in the late '90s and made a sackback chair. Back in ~2010 I outfitted a new, passive solar shop space for bow making and general woodworking. New benches, tool racks, etc. Still working (ever so slowly) on my 10 foot long Roubo-style bench. As of November 2018, the four pieces of ash that will comprise the top need to be milled and fitted, but the base is ~95% finished. Absolutely the largest and heaviest item I've ever made. It has been a fun journey so far!