French Polish??

[Jim Baker]

I just read this add on the Lee Valley Tools web site.




Any chance it would work?

[Dale Ludewig]

Made in the USA. Available only in Canada. Put that one together. Plus the thinning description is interesting.

[Greg Mirken]

This looks remarkably like relabeled Qualasole (Behlen). If so, it's very good stuff- I have had excellent results with Qualasole in the past.

[MikeEdgerton]

This looks remarkably like relabeled Qualasole (Behlen). If so, it's very good stuff- I have had excellent results with Qualasole in the past.

The bottles certainly look the same.

[Jim Baker]

Just downloaded the Behlen catalogue. I think your right.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Just reading the description of this product,it seemed as though it would be good stuff to use.It seems as though they've incorporated an 'oil' into the polish that makes the requirement of 'rubbing the finish out' with a linseed oli soaked 'rubber' un-neccessary (maybe !). Re.the thinner - i used to mix my own shellac & used methylated spirits or de-natured alcohol as a solvent,(meth's is alcohol of course),so either of those could be used as a thinner.
A few experiments with a very fine brush,to see if a simple thin coating could be achieved,would be an idea. My Lebeda has a 'varnish' finish which is so thin,that the wood grain is easily seen & it looks much more 'natural' to me that my Weber's 'laquer' finish - it's easier to wipe wrist marks off as well,
Ivan

[fishtownmike]

I'm thinking of giving qualasole a try. It looks interesting. I would think that the lee valley french polish is maybe a refomulated and relabled version to of the behlen qualasole to meet canadas enviromental qualifications...Mike

[Dale Ludewig]

Qualasole is a pretty good product. I think I used to get it when (I think) Star Chemical sold it. It wasn't bad but I'm not sure they had oil in it then. It got sticky very quickly. But then I had a lot to learn back then. I've now mastered all techniques!

[Rob Grant]

At ~$25 (US) for 473ml, what's the advantage of using this stuff over "homebrew" FP?

[Dale Ludewig]

Probably nothing.

[Jim Baker]

Let's just say this stuff works. For me it means that I don't need to go across the border and smuggle back illegal alchohol. I tried using the available thinner but it was a disaster.

[Mario Proulx]

Jim, any hardware store will have 'methyl hydrate', Canada's "code name" for methyl alcohol and/or denatured alcohol. I've been using it for, oh, 15 or more years; works great, with no ill effects. No need for cross-border shopping. If you're near Quebec and enjoy spending more money than necessary, you can buy 95% grain alcohol, simply labeled "alcool" over there, also. It's the same as Everclear is for our friends in the US.

Buy your shellac flakes from LeeValley, and get the small bottle of walnut oil at the same time, and bingo, you can make small, fresh batches of your own "french polish" mix, without the preservatives and other questionable ingredients, and you'll always know it's fresh. Oh, and you'll save a ton of money.

[Jim Baker]

Alcool!! That brings back some memories of my misspent youth. Alcool and orange juice. I have shellac flakes. I could use olive oil.

At one time we could buy alcool in Ontario liquor stores. Maybe not as pure though. Now if I can just stay out of the alcool long enough to finish the job.

[rockies]

Jim, I'm also in Canada, SE BC but about 4 hours from Calgary, I get quite good quality shellac flakes and the "special" alcohol from Lee Valley in Calgary. They have both blonde and darker color flakes. The can of "special" alcohol for shellac (whatever it is) from them seems to work great. Haven't tried that mixed shellac but will pick up a bottle next time I'm in to Calgary and see what it does.
Dave

[Jim Baker]

Dave, the thinner Lee Valley supplied here for shellac is called shellac/laquer thinner. It doesn't flash off like alcohol. It contains Ethanol, n-Propyl acetate, Isobutanol and Isopropanol. It doesn't indicate percentages.
I tried to use it for french polishing, but the previous coats would soften and drag when I tried to rub it. It seemed like the shellac was not drying properly even after days of waiting. I blamed it on the thinner.

[Mario Proulx]

Not to mention how nasty some of those ingredients are... I tried LV's shellac solvent, and it was nasty.

Can't say I recommend olive oil, but if you insist on cutting your own path...

[David Newton]

Mario, I prefer olive oil to walnut oil. I think the walnut oil tries to mix with the shellac and retard hardening. I think the olive acts only as a lubricant and floats to the top.
That is just what I "feel" I don't know how they act chemically. I just get a better job with olive.

[Mario Proulx]

Ah, but I like walnut oil because it mixes well. In fact, I add it directly to the shellac mix... It's been noted by others, and myself, that this seems to produce a harder final finish. Can't prove it with numbers, but it is quite noticeable to me. I've never noticed it slowing the hardening, though I don't quite follow the classic ways of french polish, but rather dance to my own beat, but the end results are the same with either method.

[Greg Mirken]

Mario, what % walnut oil do you add to your concoction? Do you use any additional oil in application?

Thanks for the idea.

[Mario Proulx]

I'm not one to measure; it's a bit of this, bit of that... I'd guess a teaspoon of walnut oil in 2-3 ounces shellac mix. And yes, I use a wee bit in application, also.

Not my idea, BTW; I first read of it from Eugene Clark way back in the 90's.

[rockies]

Jim, you are correct I looked at my Lee Valley catalog and that is not what they supplied me in Calgary. This was back about 3 or 4 years ago and it is a can with a white label saying that it is WHMIS ethoxylate alcohol. I haven't made any shellac since then and am now faced with a new mandolin (winter project) that I hope to french polish in a couple of months. So I'll be in the same boat as you as there is not much left in the can and it's old anyway. I guess I'll have to head down to Mario's area and get some of that good drinkable stuff out of Quebec, I don't think the liquor stores in BC will sell it without a special permit. Let me know if you try that product from Lee Valley, maybe that's a better route to go, It looks fairly light tinted in the photo, if it's too dark I'll have to obtain some blonde flakes and some alcohol somewhere. Michael Heiden lives close by maybe I'll see where he gets his.
Dave

[Mario Proulx]

I guess I'll have to head down to Mario's area and get some of that good drinkable stuff out of Quebec, I don't think the liquor stores in BC will sell it without a special permit

I'm not in Quebec, so I'm in the same boat as both of you. Like I said, any hardware store, paint shop, Home Depot, etc.. sells methyl hydrate, which is perfectly fine and works great, at about $10/gallon. It's definitely more safe and pleasant than the LV solvent! If you insist on drinkable alky, Everclear is available off the shelf in Alberta, and by prescription in BC.

Even if you buy the LV French Polish premix, you'll still need the alcohol for the process, clearing, cleanup, etc......

[Gail Hester]

Fortunately, Washington State allows the purchase of 5 gallons of 95% “industrial” alcohol per year, by permit. It usually lasts me a year if I can keep my sister out of it.

[8ch(pl)]

The reason it is only available in Canada is probably because:

1. About 1/3 of our population speaks French

2. We also have a significate Polish Speaking Community.

[Jim Baker]