On Mar 9, 1:14=A0pm, Steve Barker <[email protected]> wrote:
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DlQcQ0yuekZ0
>
> it's a wonder the stuff isn't $500 a pound...
Process is as labor intensive as silk manufacture. Looks
like lac bugs are as dependent on human cultivation as
are silkworms, said to be the only truly domesticated
insect.
Great post, thank you for providing the info. I was earlier today searching for
info on how light colored shellac (blonde, super-blonde) was made. I found one
source that said color depended on the type of tree the shellac came from as
does this video. Seems to me there is a lot more blonde and superblonde
available now than say, five or more years ago. Now I am curious if there is
some sort of chemical process to make more light colored shellac.
Does anyone KNOW of any method used to produce lighter colors? I'd like the
primary source of the process if possible. I can certainly speculate on several
options for mechanical filtering and bleaching of the melt. I used to do that
sort of thing in my old life. Any documentation would be appreciated.
I even went so far as to send a message to shellac.net asking for any info they
could share. Thought I'd post here in case Paddy was checking the wreck
tonight.
Thanks for any info.
Regards,
Roy
On Fri, 09 Mar 2012 11:14:12 -0600, Steve Barker <[email protected]>
wrote:
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQcQ0yuekZ0
>
>it's a wonder the stuff isn't $500 a pound...
No kidding. Fascinating to watch them create the thin sheets.
On Fri, 09 Mar 2012 11:14:12 -0600, Steve Barker
<[email protected]> wrote:
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQcQ0yuekZ0
>
>it's a wonder the stuff isn't $500 a pound...
Certainly is labor intensive. Thanks for posting, it was very
interesting.
On Sat, 10 Mar 2012 01:44:29 -0500, Dave wrote:
> It's a wonder that the process involved as it did. Somewhere along the
> annals of history, someone noticed the durable finish that lac left on
> wood. How they determined that it was residue left from the lac bug is
> beyond me.
IIRC, the stuff was originally harvested for the red dye. The shellac
was a byproduct :-).
--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw
On Sat, 10 Mar 2012 23:11:58 -0600, Roy wrote:
> Great post, thank you for providing the info. I was earlier today
> searching for info on how light colored shellac (blonde, super-blonde)
> was made. I found one source that said color depended on the type of
> tree the shellac came from as does this video.
Don't know where you looked, but a quick Google found:
"Bleaching begins with dissolving seedlac, which is alkali-soluble, in an
aqueous solution of sodium carbonate. The solution is then passed through
a fine screen to remove insoluble lac, dirt, twigs, etc. The resin is
then bleached with a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite to the
desired color. The shellac is then precipitated from the solution by the
addition of dilute sulfuric acid, filtered, and washed with water. It is
dried in vacuum driers and ground into a white powder ready for shipment
to a plant that will add liquid to the flakes."
--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw
"Steve Barker" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQcQ0yuekZ0
>
> it's a wonder the stuff isn't $500 a pound...
>
> --
> Steve Barker
> remove the "not" from my address to email
Quite an education. I knew nothing about that. Suprised it don't cost more.
WW
On Fri, 09 Mar 2012 11:14:12 -0600, Steve Barker
<[email protected]> wrote:
>http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQcQ0yuekZ0
>
>it's a wonder the stuff isn't $500 a pound...
Once India, Pakistan, and China make it into the 21st century, it will
be. And it will be produced here, where there are cheap wages.
Y'know, after the collapse.
--
Inside every older person is a younger person wondering WTF happened.
On Fri, 09 Mar 2012 22:55:23 -0500, Ed Pawlowski <[email protected]> wrote:
>Certainly is labor intensive. Thanks for posting, it was very
>interesting.
It's a wonder that the process involved as it did. Somewhere along
the annals of history, someone noticed the durable finish that lac
left on wood. How they determined that it was residue left from the
lac bug is beyond me.
On Sun, 11 Mar 2012 18:16:39 +0000 (UTC), Larry Blanchard <[email protected]>
wrote:
>On Sat, 10 Mar 2012 23:11:58 -0600, Roy wrote:
>
>> Great post, thank you for providing the info. I was earlier today
>> searching for info on how light colored shellac (blonde, super-blonde)
>> was made. I found one source that said color depended on the type of
>> tree the shellac came from as does this video.
>
>Don't know where you looked, but a quick Google found:
>
>"Bleaching begins with dissolving seedlac, which is alkali-soluble, in an
>aqueous solution of sodium carbonate. The solution is then passed through
>a fine screen to remove insoluble lac, dirt, twigs, etc. The resin is
>then bleached with a dilute solution of sodium hypochlorite to the
>desired color. The shellac is then precipitated from the solution by the
>addition of dilute sulfuric acid, filtered, and washed with water. It is
>dried in vacuum driers and ground into a white powder ready for shipment
>to a plant that will add liquid to the flakes."
After reading your post I added the word bleaching to the search string and Bing
found a bunch of sites. Before that I mostly found sites that covered how to
dissolve flakes and a couple others on hand processing. I don't like Google's
new privacy policy so am restricted to 10 results a page since I don't have an
account. I'm trying all the other search engines out now. Bing at least allows
50 results a page, so it is a lot faster to view results than Google.
Thanks again!
Regards,
Roy