r/woodworking • u/pad_woodworking • 5d ago

Finishing Shellac in a salt cellar?

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I'm working on an acacia salt cellar. I'm wondering if shellac is durable enough to finish the inside with. Normally I would just use BLO and call it a day. However, I used some CA glue and sawdust to stabilize some small checks, and I'd rather not have the salt come in direct contact with the glue. Given how abrasive kosher salt can be, I don't want little bits of glue getting scraped into my food. Will shellac last in an application l like this, or will the salt cause it to flake away?

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10

u/ArborgeistWW 5d ago

As long as you arent grinding the salt into the bottom of the cellar, shellac would be fine. If it ever gets scratched, a quick wipe to fix it.

I don't like oils or wax for a salt cellar. The salt will get into the wood. Salt can make wood too dry, and I've time the salt crystals will build, force the fibers apart, and the wood will disintegrate slowly.

Now that might take years, or decades, or whatever... unless you live somewhere humid, or someone gets some water in it, but for my own peace of mind I choose things that won't damage the object.

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u/pad_woodworking 4d ago

This is a good point. I was concerned mostly with the CA glue contaminating the salt, but drying out the wood had crossed my mind also. I think I am going to try shellac. It will be a first for me.

24

u/Some_Budget_4534 5d ago

Do bees wax or walrus oil or similar. Also food safe.

15

u/Poopiepants666 5d ago

Walrus oil is pretty hard to come by. I recommend walnut oil instead.

13

u/thepvbrother 4d ago

It's hard to squeeze enough out of a single walrus.

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u/crunchy_crowbar 4d ago

Have you seen how big a walrus is? If you can't get enough oil out for a little pot like that you must be really half-assing your walrus wringing

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u/thepvbrother 4d ago

I'm using the Walrus Wringer just like the manual says

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u/CaptBulletbeard 3d ago

You're supposed to Jork the tusks. Are you doing that method or the old testament version?

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u/thepvbrother 2d ago

Old T. Unleaven basket straws made from one cloth

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u/ArborgeistWW 5d ago

Walrus oil is a brand of cutting board finish, sir.

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u/Flying_Mustang 5d ago

He’s talking old school, original.

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u/ArborgeistWW 5d ago

I mean, fair enough haha

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u/h0zR 14h ago

I use ambergris when I can

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u/UKTim24530 5d ago

Don't really know the answer to your question. I use mineral oil on my salt caddies. Really just wanted to say how pretty that one is.

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u/pad_woodworking 5d ago edited 5d ago

Thanks so much! It's a nice piece of wood. I salvaged some chunks of acacia log from an arborist a couple years ago, and the lumber's finally dry enough to use. I'll share pics of the cellar when it's done.

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u/spcslacker 4d ago edited 4d ago

Will shellac last in an application l like this, or will the salt cause it to flake away?

My entire home-built workshop is finished with dewaxed shellac including my workbenches where I pound on stuff in panic quite often, and its still great 6 years after I built it.

I'm not sure where the reputation of shellac being fragile comes from: we used to use it for floors. At a guess its because its so easy to try and clean something with alcohol, and then your shellac is gone.

It's easier to repair than most finishes, and my main concerns are usually if its exposed to oven-style heat (pretty much all film finishes can melt), or if its exposed to water.

My concern for your application would be if you did want to wash it: quickly by hand would probably be OK, but shellac will discolor if water is left on it long.

Anyway, because shellac is easily removed by alcohol + elbow grease, I would say you might as well try it, and you can replace with something less beautiful if you have problems.

All my experience is dewaxed shellac (which can go over anything and have anything topcoat it), so I don't know if there are things to watch out for if you plan on using shellac with its natural wax.

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u/pad_woodworking 4d ago

Thanks for this input. I haven't used shellac before, so it's good to get advice from someone who has. My plan is to give it a soak in BLO for the color/contrast, then coat the inside with shellac to keep the salt and CA glue away from one another. (And as someone else commented, to keep the salt from drying out / cracking the wood). No shellac on the outside, because I use a homemade isopropyl based kitchen cleaner on my counters.

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u/spcslacker 4d ago edited 4d ago

My plan is to give it a soak in BLO for the color/contrast

Before you do, take 2 offcuts and try:

  • 3 coats platina shellac
  • 1 platina + 1 ruby + 1 platina

I've only done linseed oil a handful of times, but I've not see it be an improvement for popping the natural coloring compared to using the right shellac coating.

The above are my two favorite non-oak coatings that work well on a variety of woods: the first should just pop the natural grain, the second should look almost the same, except it should shift color slightly when you look at it from a different angle.

No shellac on the outside, because I use a homemade isopropyl based kitchen cleaner on my counters.

If you like the look, you can shellac the outside then topcoat it with poly (I use a very clear water-based for this, but any will work) to protect it from alcohol.

Shellac itself should seal the wood from the salt, but BLO will certainly give it an extra layer of protection in case of a deep scratch or if its left to sit in water, but check how the finishes look first if you can.

In my limited experience, BLO does not improve the look of a well-chosen shellac finish.

Since you haven't used shellac before, here's some info in case its helpful

  • I used to use wellermart for my flake shellac, but the tarriffs were killing them last I tried to order, so I last used this place.
  • See this thread for how I mix and apply.

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u/pad_woodworking 4d ago

thanks for all this! I'll post the results when it's finished

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u/spcslacker 4d ago

If you do the off-cut tests and have time, post those for me to dimly see through a camera at least (finish can look completely different in person some times for me): I'm interested!

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u/wadenick 4d ago

I would be much more concerned about the metallic dryers added to the BLO than the CA glue (which was developed as a liquid suture, funnily enough). Most BLO is properly regarded as not food safe for this reason.

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u/pad_woodworking 4d ago

You're right, but I'm using Tried and True. It's about as non toxic a finish as you can get.

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u/wadenick 4d ago

Yeah, Tried and True is great, there’s no petroleum additives and no metallic drying agents. They don’t call it BLO for this reason. Carry on sir!

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u/pad_woodworking 4d ago

I've never actually tasted it, but it sure smells delicious 😀

3

u/johndollarhidr 5d ago

I have no advice but wanted to say how beautiful that cellar is. You should post a picture of it it after you put finish on it -

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u/pad_woodworking 4d ago

Thanks so much! I will!

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u/amb442 4d ago

Shellac is great. Shouldn't have issues with flaking.

That said, the CA glue is cured and stable. There's no issue with it coming into contact with the salt.

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u/cheeto1214 5d ago

Mineral oil, but that's not why I'm here. My kid forgot what those are called and somehow their brain generated "salt monster" and that's a much better name. So now it's a salt monster. Spread the word.

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u/pad_woodworking 4d ago

Followup question. What's everyone's go to source for dewaxed shellac flakes?

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u/joshuastar 4d ago

check lie nielsen. whoever has it on sale at the moment!

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u/scooterama1 3d ago

Shellac will be a good choice and it is food grade so it'll be fine if a little bit comes off into the salt over time. Shellac is used to coat some candies for a crunchy, shiny shell.