storing brushes

[ttalma]

Thanks for all the advice on preping the shellac. I have started applying it and it's going well.

I broke down and bought some decent golden taklon brushes. They work great. In the past I just used disposable brushes and threw them away when done. But I would like to keep these.

What is the proper way to clean and store the brushes? I have been wrapping them tightly in celophane overnight. But when I'm done applying the finish, how should I store them?

[Antiquity]

I used to clean my shellac brushes in alcohol after each use.  Then I took a seminar with Jeff Jewitt.  He said there is no need to clean the brushes, just let them harden.  When you place it back into the shellac it will soften and become usable after several hours.  I tried it and it works great.  However, because I shellac so often I now just leave the brush in the covered air tight shellac pot (a commercially made pot just for shellac).  Now it is always ready to use.  I have been doing it this way for years and have encountered no problems.  It works for me.

Dennis Bork
Antiquity Period Designs, Ltd.

[Tom M]

Tim,

I have a small jar with fresh alcohol in it - just enough to cover the brush.  When done shellacking lI put brush in the clean alcohol jar and swish it around a bit.  I then remove it and gently pull the brush through my fingers to reshape.  I let the brush dry with the bristles not touching anything (usually I lay the brush on my shellac jar with the bristles  overhanging the lid).

The trace amount of shellac left in the brush keep them stiff, which I believe is a good way to store them.  I leave it out for the next day's use. When I'm done shellacking I stick the stiff brush in a plastic bag and lay it in a drawer.  Then next use requires soaking the brush in the clean shellac jar for a few minutes to disolve the shellac in the brush.  I've used my 1" artist brush for eight years and it's still fine.  (Maybe if I completed a few more projects I would wear it out!)

Over time the "Clean alcohol" jar becomes not-so-clean.  I'll sometimes use this to thin shellac, or put it in a "scrap" can.

Have you thought how you'll finish the project after shellacking? Glazing? Rubbing out?

Tom

[Dave Anderson]

Most of the time I too just let the brush harden and put it into the shellac to soften when I need to use it the next time.  On occasion however, I will clean it after use.  My proceedure is to remove most of the shellac by hard brushing after a quick alcohol dip.  The brush then goes into a jar of 50/50 water ammonia for a full clean.  I finish up with regular soap and warm water.  The final step is to wrap the brush in a paper towel to have it be in its proper shape after drying.

[dkeller_nc]

Tim:

One comment to add to the other replies - don't leave a taklon brush setting on the bottom of a container with alcohol in it.  The distortion of the brush shape from the bottom of the container will become permanent, and it's not easy to get the brush straight again.  If you choose to leave the brush in the shellac or in the alcohol, puncture a plastic coffee can lid and hang the brush from it so the bristles don't contact the bottom of  the container.

In my case, I use Cotman watercolor brushes by Windsor-Newton.  The bristles are exceptionally fine, which is well suited to shellac.  When done, I rinse the brush in a couple of sequential batches of alcohol, then take it to the sink and put pure hand dishwashing liquid on it and work it in with my fingertips.  The dishwashing liquid will solubolize the remaining shellac on the brush, and can be just rinsed out with a warm water.  I then shape the bristles and let it air-dry.  Generally, you can't tell the difference between the heavily used brushes in my arsenal from the unused ones.

If you don't have one, I highly recommend you pick up a brush comb (Purdy is a really good brand) for a couple of bucks at the Home Despot.  This tool allows you to get right up to the shank on the brush and comb out any particles of hardened finish.

[HSteier]

I agree with Dennis Bork. I believe that cleaning brushes used for shellac is a waste of time. After use I wipe them with a paper towel to remove most of the shellac so that when I use them the next time they will quickly soften up when placed in alcohol or the shellac I'm about to use.

Howard Steier