What is Shellac? From the tree to the beetle, from Shellac to French polishing and even in your belly!... This illustrated PDF explains it all.

1. The Story Of Shellac And The Laccifer Lacca
(Lac Beetle)
Self published by ptoone.com Text & illustrations by Perry Toone
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2. From the beetle to the tree, 'Shellac' embarks on a remarkable process before
it is purified for commercial use. The Laccifer Lacca (Lac Beetle) is a scale
insect from the cohiael family. Measuring just 5mm in length when fully grown,
it resides on trees in India and southern Asia, such as the Ficus, Palas, Kusum
and Ber tree's.
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3. This amazing process requires the precise efforts of man, animals and nature to perfect.
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4. Other uses of Shellac
Most commonly known as a wood finish, Shellac's most fascinating uses of are in everyday products. Because of its specific characteristics, it has
a wide variety of uses, most of which continue to this day.
Although it is often a food ingredient, it is commonly know in the food industry as 'confectioners glaze.' Have you ever wondered how M & M's
don't melt in your hand but in your mouth. It's the same insect excretions as time release pharmaceutical pills. the top four uses for the dry shellac
flakes are pharmaceutical, confectionery, hats, and food coatings.
Confectionery Vinyl records
Shellac is used to provide protective candy coatings or
glazes on candies like M & M's, ensuring the chocolate When the music industry exploded in the
coated peanuts melt in your mouth and not your hand. 1970's, demand for shellac was twice the
It is approved by the FDA as a food safe coating. amount of supply. This lead the the industry
looking for other suitable materials.
Hats
Shellac is used to stiffen felt used to make hats.
Food Coatings
Pharmaceutical Due to its FDA approval, shellac is used
Shellac is used to coat enteric pills so that they do to coat apples and other fruits.
not dissolve in the stomach, but in the lower
intestine,allowing them to act as a quot;time releasequot;
medication.
Electrical
Electrical Shellac mixed with marble dust is used by
lamp manufacturers to glue the metal base
Shellac mixed with marble dust is used by lamp
to glass incandescent bulbs.
manufacturers to glue the metal base to glass
incandescent bulbs.
Everything else
Other uses for shellac are in the manufacture of
Wood finish grinding wheels (it allows the abrasive particles to
break off at the low heat generated by the grinding
Shellac is a beautiful wood finish and has
process, thus exposing new, fresh abrasive
characteristics like no other finish. Although it is the
particles), leather finishing and painting (shellac
most difficult to apply.
pigmented with white titanium dioxide is widely
used by painters as a stain sealer, wallboard primer,
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and knot and sap sealer on wood).

5. History and future
Shellac was confined to the Far East until traders introduced it to Europe in the 1700's, it wasn't until the 18th century that the technique
was refined by the French.
Survival of an art
quot;French polishing'' was the industry standard in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries, pushed aside by the efficient advantage of
modern methods in the industrial revolution. Lacquers and spray systems replaced the original French polish finish, it is unpractical for
mass furniture production due to the labor intensive process of application. As the desire for antiques was not idle, neither is the need for
them to be appropriately restored. Which in many sense has kept the trade alive.
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