Finish Problem

[dstretch]

Ok I finished #1 about 3 months ago. I have been playing it and everything was fine. Last night I took it out of the case, (it was in there about 1 week) and there are a few spots with and orange peel look. The finish is shellac. Does anyone know what might cause this. I don't think it is a reaction to the case, it is a travel lite case by the way.

Thanks for any help.

[sunburst]

It's the case.
That's a "case print" in the shellac. New shellac is very soft and "impressionable". Especially if the mandolin gets warm in the case, the fabric inside the case will imprint a pattern in the surface.

[dstretch]

Should I just buff it out and leave it out of the case for the summer? Any recommendations?

[sunburst]

You can buff it out, but you might want to wait 'til it hardens some more because it might "case print" again, and you can't keep buffing it out without eventually running out of finish thickness.
It will likely improve with handling and wear, and when it seems to be hard enough, you can buff it back to a new looking shine.
Also, if you were to buff through, there's no finish easier to repair than shellac.

[dstretch]

Thanks John

I will wait a couple months and then buff it out.

[HarmonyRexy]

Whoa......
Just thinking about this question is going to give me nightmares...
How long after a mandolin is completed will there be no danger of "case print" happening?

I recently got an 'A' that was completed at least 5 months ago.... but I'm getting a 'F' that was completed a few weeks ago...

When is it 'safe'.... when I read this, I had just tucked my new 'A' in the Morgan Monroe case that the mailman brought today!!!
Ouch...???

[sunburst]

I talked to a Loar owner a few days ago. When He got his Loar it was in excellent shape. It had been unplayed, lying in the case for years.
You guessed it, it had case prints in the finish.
They never get old enough to not print if they get too warm.

[dstretch]

That makes sense because it has been pretty warm here in Minnesota. I guess it will give it character.

Danny

[Jim Hilburn]

I feel for you because I've been there and done that...twice.
I'm the wrong guy to give advice on how to do it, but shellac is touted as being easily repaired with french polishing, and also possibly more durable than sprayed shellac. I would think some light sanding first would be in order,though.
Gary Tope or Chris Baird, you out there?

[Chris Baird]

It is what I call contact crazing. Don't know exactly why it happens. I've been able to just re-ghost most of it out. Sometimes if it is real bad I'll sand with micromesh, then buff it, then re-ghost it. The key is make sure the shellac is dry before letting it be in contact with anything for too long. Hanging it up in the early morning sun will, in my experience, accelerate the curing process. I have a UV booth now, it seems to have taken care of the crazing problem.

[Jim Hilburn]

Sorry, Chris, but re-ghosting is a new term to me. Are you talking about something like an alcohol rub-out?

[Chris Baird]

Yes, sorry about the old world terminology. "Ghosting" to me just means using a very dilute cut of shellac to smooth the surface for the final french polished look. I use a cut that is probably like 1/8#. It works better for me than straight alcohol.