Dear MMDians,  An update on shellac.  I've been talking to the people
who run the Liberon/Star line of shellac flakes and they tell me that
while dewaxed shellac is good against moisture, standard waxy shellac
is best for the application of organ pipes over time because unless the
pipes get rained on, the waxy shellac will remain somewhat pliable and
will expand and contract with the wood over time.  This means that it
is less likely to crack and flake off, like the more crystalline
dewaxed shellac.

Now what this sounds like to me is that when you are shellacking
hardwood parts, like caps and inside hardwood pieces, you can take the
time to coat them in dewaxed shellac, as they will not move much, if
any.  In the case of the pine pipe body, it would seem best to do it in
waxy shellac so that the coat stays on there longer.  In addition, if
your organ is stationed in a place where the environment is pretty much
guaranteed to stay the same -- forever -- then dewaxed shellac would be
the way to go.

I've decided to use the standard Zinsser orange shellac, as they are
reported to be using high quality lac.  And don'tcha just love that
orange hue?  Anyway, if I learn more I'll be sure to let you know.

Warmest regards, Marc Elbasani