On 1/25/2013 4:57 PM, Lew Hodgett wrote:
"Leon" wrote:


Finishes tend to give off an odor when closed up. Many of my
customers
place clothing in the drawers and I would not want the the odor to
migrate.
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Dumb question.

Does the above also apply to shellac?

Reason I ask is that is exactly what I did with a chest I built for
clothing.

Granted my smeller isn't the best, but I can't smell any residue on
clothing stored in chest.

Of course I waited 90 days before I started using it.

Not unusual, and almost traditional in some places, for many makers to
NOT finish drawer interiors, particularly those drawers which will be
holding linens and clothing.

I most always finish kitchen drawers, inside and out, with a clear coat,
the same as the final top coat on the cabinets.

For drawers that will specifically hold linens and clothing, like a
chest of drawers, and unless otherwise requested, I also use shellac as
a first choice.

I do this simply because I _do_ have an above average "smeller".

Anyone who has ever stored their clothes in an unfinished drawer from an
old chest of drawers that was not necessarily held to the highest
standards of hygiene during its years of use, will appreciate that doing
so can impart a nasty odor to _your_ clothes when stored therein.

Not only will shellac mitigate that happening in the first place, it can
often be successful in getting rid of that smell in old furniture.
AAMOF, I've shellacked many a chest of drawers, inside and out, for
folks who had that exact problem when buying an antique for use.

Different strokes ... YMMV

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KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)