[NSP] Re: Shellac
What a lovely thought, Philip. Thanks too for the warnings about possible pitfalls with the flake shellac method. By and large it works really well but there be problems if the soldering iron hasn't reached max temp. Anthony --- On Sat, 15/1/11, Philip Gruar wrote: From: Philip Gruar Subject: [NSP] Re: Shellac To: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Date: Saturday, 15 January, 2011, 22:53 > Incidently, you can also get 'Blonde' French Polish which > might suit lighter woods. Under the ferrules, the colour of the polish is like the beautiful carvings up out of sight on a medieval cathedral - there because only God can see it. Philip To get on or off this list see list information at [1]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- References 1. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Shellac
Hi all Just to add my two 'penneth. I use French Polish from Screwfix (bigger bottles than B&Q). I use it straight from the bottle (well mixed) for ferrules and I have some which has slightly evaporated and therefore thicker in a small jar for key-pads. Incidently, you can also get 'Blonde' French Polish which migh suit lighter woods. Don't think I would like to try and un-stick ferrules glued on with UHU! Regards, Nigel. To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Shellac
What a helpful discussion! Being rather nervous of soldering irons if I don't absolutely have to use them, I made up a small amount of thick and very sticky shellac-in-alcohol for these purposes by gradually adding more and more dry flake shellac to some good commercial sanding sealer that I decanted into a disused medicine bottle which I then shook together for a very long time. (It dissolved very slowly, especially as the mix got thicker, so I did a bit at a time). It's extremely useful goo, applied with a small brush or toothpick, and it works fast. To keep this mixture from setting hard in the screw thread of the bottle, making it monstrously difficult ever to unscrew again, as I discovered to my cost the first time I tried, I put a double layer of kitchen film over the the bottle neck before screwing the top back. Then it will unscrew easily, however long it is before I need it again. (The same dodge works just as well with used tins of paint and varnish). Daphne On 15 Jan 2011, at 16:45, gibbonssoi...@aol.com wrote: UHU is a pain if you need to get in there, though. Shellac is at least easy to soften. John -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html Daphne Briggs 34 Thorncliffe Road Oxford OX2 7BB Tel/Fax +44 (0)1865 310712
[NSP] Re: Shellac
UHU is a pain if you need to get in there, though. Shellac is at least easy to soften. John -- To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Shellac
On 15 Jan 2011, at 14:44, Paul Scott wrote: > It is a set made in the 70's by my godfather who followed Colin ross's > designs and advice. I used a hot hair dryer and pliers to pull off the > ferrule and I think there is shellac underneath. So if I applied the solution > and then allowed it to get sticky would that solve the evaporation issue? Thanks for the further information, Paul. Yes, that sounds like a successful way to do it. You'll have to assess whether you removed any appreciable amount of shellac in removing the ferrule. It may well be that there's enough there for you to simply reverse the process, i.e. warm the ferrule and shove it back on. I'd just try that and see if it works. If it doesn't, it isn't a critical thing. Just paint some more on, or try Philip's method. Shellac is a wonderful material, an effective adhesive but instantly reversible. As an adhesive it is relatively tolerant of oily surfaces which is a useful property when dealing with NSPs. Incidentally over these past cold months the humidity has often dropped to an unusually low level, resulting in shrinkage of wooden objects. I bet quite a few people are finding that ferrules are loose. Francis To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Shellac
It is a set made in the 70's by my godfather who followed Colin ross's designs and advice. I used a hot hair dryer and pliers to pull off the ferrule and I think there is shellac underneath. So if I applied the solution and then allowed it to get sticky would that solve the evaporation issue? Paul Scott Scott Cawley Ltd Sent remotely 086 3849967 On 15 Jan 2011, at 13:11, Anthony Robb wrote: > > Hello Francis and Paul > David B uses shellac on his silver mounted sets. > As Paul's set is made from lignum it won't be a Burleigh set. So > shellac seems to make sense in this case. > When it comes to pad fixing Mike Nelson's method of using a small piece > of flake shellac between pad and key in situ on the chanter and then > gentle pressing a hot soldering iron on the key until the molten > shellac reaches the edges of the key (easily observed) seems to work > well. It also heat forms the pad to seal nicely with any minor > irregularities in the chanter seating. > Anthony > --- On Sat, 15/1/11, Francis Wood wrote: > > From: Francis Wood > Subject: [NSP] Re: Shellac > To: "Paul Scott" > Cc: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu > Date: Saturday, 15 January, 2011, 12:39 > > Paul, this largely depends on what the pipe-maker has used in the first > place. > Shellac would be an appropriate material for antique pipes, fulfilling > two functions, both as an adhesive and a gap-filler. In this case the > material would be solid shellac rather than in solution which will > obviously change in volume through evaporation. > Most NSPs on this planet are made by David Burleigh, his total being > well in excess of 3000 sets. His preferred adhesive is UHU and that's > what I would recommend if you own one of those. > Francis > On 15 Jan 2011, at 11:56, Paul Scott wrote: >> After having fixed a leaky tuning bead fitting I have to replace the > brass ferrule and end stopper. Am I correct that shellac is the best > solution? I know that there are plenty of other adhesives but would > Shellac in alcohol be the stuff I am looking for? It us advertised as > sanding sealer and says on the label that it is pure shellac and > alcohol. They are lignum drones. >> >> Paul Scott >> >> >> >> >> To get on or off this list see list information at >> [1]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html > > -- > > References > > 1. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html >
[NSP] Re: Shellac
Hello Anthony and all, I always used to use Mike Nelson's method of sticking on key pads, and agree with your comments of it mostly working well and forming the pad to the shape of the seating. However I have now gone back to the method I originally learned form Colin - the drop of sticky shellac applied with a small brush, or in my case the end of a metal scriber. This is partly because Mike's method is fiddly and time consuming - sticking pads on a 17-key chanter with tiny flakes of shellac and a soldering iron can get very tedious - but my main reason for changing was because I decided it could sometimes contribute to squeaking. The shaped pad has a hard "lump" in the middle - solidified shellac under the leather of the pad - and this could mean that it occasionally doesn't seal so well and causes a squeak. Admittedly this is only a problem if the key has too much side play in the slot, so that the lump comes down not quite central, but I think it is still a factor to consider. Philip - Original Message - From: "Anthony Robb" To: Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2011 1:11 PM Subject: [NSP] Re: Shellac Hello Francis and Paul David B uses shellac on his silver mounted sets. As Paul's set is made from lignum it won't be a Burleigh set. So shellac seems to make sense in this case. When it comes to pad fixing Mike Nelson's method of using a small piece of flake shellac between pad and key in situ on the chanter and then gentle pressing a hot soldering iron on the key until the molten shellac reaches the edges of the key (easily observed) seems to work well. It also heat forms the pad to seal nicely with any minor irregularities in the chanter seating. Anthony --- On Sat, 15/1/11, Francis Wood wrote: From: Francis Wood Subject: [NSP] Re: Shellac To: "Paul Scott" Cc: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Date: Saturday, 15 January, 2011, 12:39 Paul, this largely depends on what the pipe-maker has used in the first place. Shellac would be an appropriate material for antique pipes, fulfilling two functions, both as an adhesive and a gap-filler. In this case the material would be solid shellac rather than in solution which will obviously change in volume through evaporation. Most NSPs on this planet are made by David Burleigh, his total being well in excess of 3000 sets. His preferred adhesive is UHU and that's what I would recommend if you own one of those. Francis On 15 Jan 2011, at 11:56, Paul Scott wrote: > After having fixed a leaky tuning bead fitting I have to replace the brass ferrule and end stopper. Am I correct that shellac is the best solution? I know that there are plenty of other adhesives but would Shellac in alcohol be the stuff I am looking for? It us advertised as sanding sealer and says on the label that it is pure shellac and alcohol. They are lignum drones. > > Paul Scott > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > [1]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- References 1. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html - No virus found in this message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 10.0.1191 / Virus Database: 1435/3380 - Release Date: 01/14/11
[NSP] Re: Shellac
Hello Francis and Paul David B uses shellac on his silver mounted sets. As Paul's set is made from lignum it won't be a Burleigh set. So shellac seems to make sense in this case. When it comes to pad fixing Mike Nelson's method of using a small piece of flake shellac between pad and key in situ on the chanter and then gentle pressing a hot soldering iron on the key until the molten shellac reaches the edges of the key (easily observed) seems to work well. It also heat forms the pad to seal nicely with any minor irregularities in the chanter seating. Anthony --- On Sat, 15/1/11, Francis Wood wrote: From: Francis Wood Subject: [NSP] Re: Shellac To: "Paul Scott" Cc: nsp@cs.dartmouth.edu Date: Saturday, 15 January, 2011, 12:39 Paul, this largely depends on what the pipe-maker has used in the first place. Shellac would be an appropriate material for antique pipes, fulfilling two functions, both as an adhesive and a gap-filler. In this case the material would be solid shellac rather than in solution which will obviously change in volume through evaporation. Most NSPs on this planet are made by David Burleigh, his total being well in excess of 3000 sets. His preferred adhesive is UHU and that's what I would recommend if you own one of those. Francis On 15 Jan 2011, at 11:56, Paul Scott wrote: > After having fixed a leaky tuning bead fitting I have to replace the brass ferrule and end stopper. Am I correct that shellac is the best solution? I know that there are plenty of other adhesives but would Shellac in alcohol be the stuff I am looking for? It us advertised as sanding sealer and says on the label that it is pure shellac and alcohol. They are lignum drones. > > Paul Scott > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > [1]http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html -- References 1. http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Shellac
Paul, this largely depends on what the pipe-maker has used in the first place. Shellac would be an appropriate material for antique pipes, fulfilling two functions, both as an adhesive and a gap-filler. In this case the material would be solid shellac rather than in solution which will obviously change in volume through evaporation. Most NSPs on this planet are made by David Burleigh, his total being well in excess of 3000 sets. His preferred adhesive is UHU and that's what I would recommend if you own one of those. Francis On 15 Jan 2011, at 11:56, Paul Scott wrote: > After having fixed a leaky tuning bead fitting I have to replace the brass > ferrule and end stopper. Am I correct that shellac is the best solution? I > know that there are plenty of other adhesives but would Shellac in alcohol be > the stuff I am looking for? It us advertised as sanding sealer and says on > the label that it is pure shellac and alcohol. They are lignum drones. > > Paul Scott > > > > > To get on or off this list see list information at > http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html
[NSP] Re: Shellac
I certainly still use shellac - and I'm pretty sure other pipemakers do. It has the advantage of being easily removable. Heating the ferrule quite gently will melt the shellac and allow the ferrule to be taken off if any future repair is needed. Old shellac can be cleaned off with methylated spirit (denatured alcohol?) as can any that gets where you don't want it when you are using it. I also use it for sticking key-pads on - I'm very traditional - where it's best to use the thicker and stickier bits from the sides of the jar, where some of the spirit has evaporated. Painting it on and then lighting it to burn away the spirit also makes it stickier, and does a faster job of securing the ferrule - but sometimes it's then too sticky to push the ferrule over. You may find that a bit of sewing thread wrapped round the wood first is useful if the ferrule is too loose a fit. Buying sanding sealer may mean you have to get a big tin - far more than you need for a few ferrules. I buy it in little jars or bottles as "French Polish" - which I suspect may be thicker (i.e. less alcohol in the mix) than sanding sealer, and one jar lasts a very long time. "Button polish", or genuine shellac knotting (knot-sealer for use prior to painting) is the same stuff, though some stuff sold as knotting is made with synthetic resins. Beware of stuff called "Amateur French Polish" - I got some once and it was far too thin, and didn't work well enough as glue. Philip - Original Message - From: "Paul Scott" To: Sent: Saturday, January 15, 2011 11:56 AM Subject: [NSP] Shellac After having fixed a leaky tuning bead fitting I have to replace the brass ferrule and end stopper. Am I correct that shellac is the best solution? I know that there are plenty of other adhesives but would Shellac in alcohol be the stuff I am looking for? It us advertised as sanding sealer and says on the label that it is pure shellac and alcohol. They are lignum drones. Paul Scott To get on or off this list see list information at http://www.cs.dartmouth.edu/~wbc/lute-admin/index.html