Hi Ed, I have watched your video several times and am attempting to re shellac and old vintage Singer machine. I have made the pad, and it glides over nicely, but how do you avoid it leaving little circular marks ? Thank you so much for this very informative video.
French cabinet maker here. This is not how I was taught "French polish" at all. ;) For "vernis au tampon" as we call it (literally "pad varnish"), we were taught to never ever dip the "tampon" in varnish. It involves three bottles with a thin nozzle (squeeze bottles work great). One contains the varnish (flakes of "gomme laque" dissolved in 95% to 99% grade alcohol (the purer the better) until it's at least lightly syrupy in consistency), another one containing only alcohol and the last one vaseline oil. The "tampon" must be used humid and not drenched. You always add the varnish from the inside: you open the pad, squeeze a little bit of varnish on the cotton ball inside, press it to get it evenly spread then close and form your pad; the thinning happens automatically by squeezing a few drops of alcohol inside the pad when it becomes too dry until most of the vanish has migrated from the pad to the surface you're varnishing. I always used vaseline oil instead of raw linseed oil (I'll have to try that... but I guess even other vegetable oils would work) to help the pad gliding smoothly. After a few days of drying, you take a clean pad with only a few drops of alcohol with barely any varnish (or no varnish at all) and clean the cloudiness left by the oil. When your "tampon" is just right, you see the alcohol evaporating instantly in its wake; it "clouds" ("il nuage" as we say) and it will glide smoothly even without oil. You only add a drop if your pad is a little too wet (too much varnish, too much alcohol or both).
I am confused. First you paint 3 coats of shellac on the machine, using wire wool in between coats. Is this correct? Then you apply the shellac with a dab of raw linseed oil in a circular motion. 5+ coats. Do you use the wire wool in between these coats? What is the denatured alcohol used for? When do you thin the shellac with the denatured alcohol?
When you applied the first layers did you use just the shellac? I have heard others say that the alcohol will ruin the decals and you need to be very careful with the first couple coats. I have a very beautiful 1923 Singer with the "Red Eye" decals in almost perfect condition. But the original clear coat is peeling off and when I cleaned it quite a bit started to flake off even more. I am going to use this technique to restore and protect it but everyone seems to do this technique slightly different. I've used it once on wood but preserving decals was obviously not an issue. If I was to apply 1 or 2 coats of just the shellac, then take a fine steel wool, and then proceed with the alcohol mixture and oil it would hypothetically "melt" into the other first layers and even itself out. Is this correct? You did not mention how you did those first couple layers, only that you had already coated it a couple times. Thank you for your demonstration.
The hardest part of this for me is keeping all the dust, lint, and debris out of my layers 🥴 Once it gets on the pad it just smears it around and it's game over for the pad...
Hi Edward, I have a New Home treadle comp!ete, and your fine finish work is inspiring me to French polish it, Thank you for showing this.
Wonderful! This is exactly what I have been looking for. Thank you Edward!👍
Thank you for sharing your knowledge to the world. Great restoration Video. Viewing from the French island St Martin in the Caribbean.
Thank you I have my Singer 66 Red Eye almost ready to have a go
Treat video, thank you . would this fix cracking or crazing on the bed of a 1952 model 301 ?
Nice 👍
New Home (Janome) machines were well made and with nice mechanical sound. I am using Gojo Original Hand Cleaner, and Singer Oil for restoration.
Hello! The shellac on my 1911 Singer sewing machine is damaged. Can I use this method directly over the original, damaged shellac? Thanks!
Yes definitely, provided the base is clean and free of grease or dirt
Hi Ed, I have watched your video several times and am attempting to re shellac and old vintage Singer machine. I have made the pad, and it glides over nicely, but how do you avoid it leaving little circular marks ? Thank you so much for this very informative video.
French cabinet maker here. This is not how I was taught "French polish" at all. ;)
For "vernis au tampon" as we call it (literally "pad varnish"), we were taught to never ever dip the "tampon" in varnish. It involves three bottles with a thin nozzle (squeeze bottles work great). One contains the varnish (flakes of "gomme laque" dissolved in 95% to 99% grade alcohol (the purer the better) until it's at least lightly syrupy in consistency), another one containing only alcohol and the last one vaseline oil.
The "tampon" must be used humid and not drenched. You always add the varnish from the inside: you open the pad, squeeze a little bit of varnish on the cotton ball inside, press it to get it evenly spread then close and form your pad; the thinning happens automatically by squeezing a few drops of alcohol inside the pad when it becomes too dry until most of the vanish has migrated from the pad to the surface you're varnishing.
I always used vaseline oil instead of raw linseed oil (I'll have to try that... but I guess even other vegetable oils would work) to help the pad gliding smoothly. After a few days of drying, you take a clean pad with only a few drops of alcohol with barely any varnish (or no varnish at all) and clean the cloudiness left by the oil.
When your "tampon" is just right, you see the alcohol evaporating instantly in its wake; it "clouds" ("il nuage" as we say) and it will glide smoothly even without oil. You only add a drop if your pad is a little too wet (too much varnish, too much alcohol or both).
When using the super blonde flakes with liquid, do you put in it to make the shellac?
How did you clean the sewing machine surface, to do the shelac mix? (I have sewing machine oil all over mine at the moment)
Beautiful machine, looks great! What layers did you build up first, I didn’t catch it-was it shellac or raw linseed oil? Thanks for showing us!
Shellac first
@@edwardtagg Thank you-as I understand, you apply several layers of shellac first, then begin the French polish. Great of you to share this!
I am confused. First you paint 3 coats of shellac on the machine, using wire wool in between coats. Is this correct? Then you apply the shellac with a dab of raw linseed oil in a circular motion. 5+ coats. Do you use the wire wool in between these coats? What is the denatured alcohol used for? When do you thin the shellac with the denatured alcohol?
When you applied the first layers did you use just the shellac? I have heard others say that the alcohol will ruin the decals and you need to be very careful with the first couple coats. I have a very beautiful 1923 Singer with the "Red Eye" decals in almost perfect condition. But the original clear coat is peeling off and when I cleaned it quite a bit started to flake off even more. I am going to use this technique to restore and protect it but everyone seems to do this technique slightly different. I've used it once on wood but preserving decals was obviously not an issue. If I was to apply 1 or 2 coats of just the shellac, then take a fine steel wool, and then proceed with the alcohol mixture and oil it would hypothetically "melt" into the other first layers and even itself out. Is this correct? You did not mention how you did those first couple layers, only that you had already coated it a couple times. Thank you for your demonstration.
Painted the first 2 layers of shellac on first
The hardest part of this for me is keeping all the dust, lint, and debris out of my layers 🥴 Once it gets on the pad it just smears it around and it's game over for the pad...
Use a tack cloth if between dry coats watch what you wear and the pad should be of lint free material. Cover your beard Ha Ha
@@lindamorgan2678 Hey I know you 😏
Denatured Alcohol is banned in California. what can I use?
lol...wtf?...why?
Edward you said mix the shellac 65% with metho 45%, how long do you wait between coats? thanks great.
Dries very quickly.... About ten minutes... Touch dry depends on temp and humidity.... One hour max
@@edwardtagg great thanks, maybe ill do one a day, thanks Edward.