Natural Beekeeping International Forum

[ianrichards]

Having built my TBH I need to coat the inside with shellac, but I am concerned about the additives in the denatured alcohol available. Can I just use methylated spirits or is there a more bee friendly alternative.
I live in the UK BTW.
Thanks in advance
Ian

[biobee]

Isopropyl alcohol is about the purest solvent for shellac, but the smell of meths disappears very quickly, and a couple of days airing should take care of it. If you can mix a little propolis in with the shellac, it may help to give it that 'homely' smell.

[ianrichards]

[stevecook172001]

As long as they are pure shellac, I shouldn't think it will matter what colour they are. The finer the flakes the better, though, since it will dissolve in the meths quicker. I used it with purple meths and then left the hive box in my garage to allow the smell to evaporate for a day before using it. The bees seemed not to mind it at all.

[ianrichards]

[stevecook172001]

That's the bang on stuff. It'll dissolve in no time flat cos it's ground up. "De-waxed" is nothing to worry about either. It just means it's had the wax washed out and so is 100% pure shellac. It's identical to the stuff I used. In fact, it's the same supplier. Mix it 100 grams to 1/2 a litre of meths. Shake it every few hours for a day or so and it will be fully dissolved. When it's dissolved, try some out on a piece of wood. If it seems a bit too thin, add some more shellac, shake it up and leave to dissolve. Though, it doesn't actually matter if it's thin as the meths will evaporate off. You just might have to apply more than one coat, that's all. There's no hard and fast recipe, at least not for a job like this.

[ianrichards]

Excellent.
Thanks
Ian