We had a nice visit yesterday with Amos Galpin who dropped by to get some pointers on French Polish. Amos is refinishing the top of his nice 25 year old guitar. My daughter Erin, also visiting for the weekend took some photos of the process with her Iphone.
Amos is putting on the first base coat or "spit coat" being sure to apply it evenly and smoothly. This is the first of two coats of shellac diluted in alcohol to establish a foundation coating upon which later he will add many applications with the "munica" a small woolen pad covered by a soft cotton cover. The puffin observes from above.
Be sure to get shellac into all the edges. The base coats are left to harden for an hour and then the real polishing begins, eight drops of dilute shellac on the munica followed by three drops of alcohol, then a drop of olive oil, tap it hard on the back of your hand and start rubbing it into the base coat. Before you know it your instrument will begin to shine. Amos headed back to Seattle eager to complete his project.