In a message dated 12/15/2003 9:44:20 AM Central Standard Time, tsan7759142@comcast.net writes: Shellac is anhydrous and will draw moisture from the air. Sorry to pick on you yet again, Tom......
I think the term you want is "hygroscopic" which sometimes also appears as "hydroscopic" though the former is prefered (don't ask me why).
I am unaware of a hydrous form of shellac so to say it is anhydrous is perhaps w/o real meaning. Please correct me if I am wrong.
Suggestions....These are untried; I'm just speculatin'.
1/ The little moisture attracting packets you can buy to keep with your tools and that also show up in medicine bottles may help protect your shellac flakes.
2/ I may've read it somewhere, I don't recall--but if shellac is hygroscopic in the can it may well be just as likely to attract moisture on the bar wraps. Perhaps a coating of good furniture wax with a carnuba component would protect the tape from bloom and dirt. I don't use it on mine but maybe I should. (Did this come from a Rivendell Reader?)
Calvert Guthrie
Kansas City,
Missouri