"Tom B" wrote in message
...
I've searched a bit and read a lot (Jewitt, etc.) but can't find a
direct answer to the following question:

If I use a 1# cut of dewaxed shellac padded on as a seal coat (over a
stain or even raw wood) is there some rule of thumb about how long it
should dry before I overcoat it with an oil based finish (varnish,
BLO, etc.)?

It's always seemed to me that once shellac is dry to the touch (maybe
15 - 30 minutes with a 1# cut), it's done its thing, but I see and
hear references to "curing" it before overcoating, hence the question.

Regards.

Tom

Finishes dry to the touch in a short time, but full hardness can take day,
even weeks for polyurethane to reach maximum hardness. Shellac is dried as
the alcohol evaporates, but I'd still give it a few hours or even overnight
before putting another material on top. But that would be my practice with
no scientific research to back it up.