Project notes
Understand this estimate
Pound cut is the dry shellac flake mass relative to alcohol solvent volume. Preparing a fresh cut and diluting a known cut are distinct operations.
How to use the calculator
Choose new preparation or dilution
Select the workflow that matches the material you already have.
Inputs Calculation mode
Enter the target cut and relevant solvent basis
New-batch mode uses alcohol volume. Dilution mode uses the starting solution’s solvent-equivalent volume, not the measured finished solution volume.
Inputs Target pound cut · Alcohol solvent volume · Starting pound cut · Starting solvent-equivalent volume
Formula and variables
New batch flakes (oz) = target lb-cut × alcohol US fl oz ÷ 8. Dilution alcohol = starting solvent-equivalent volume × (starting cut ÷ target cut − 1).
- CPound cut
- Dry shellac pounds per gallon of alcohol solvent.lb/US gal
- VAlcohol volume
- Solvent-volume basis used by the calculation.US fl oz
- FDry flakes
- Target cut multiplied by alcohol volume and divided by eight.oz
Quick small-batch cut reference
Swipe horizontally to view every cut column.
| Alcohol solvent volume | 1.5 lb cut: dry flakes | 2 lb cut: dry flakes | 2.5 lb cut: dry flakes | 3 lb cut: dry flakes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 US fl oz | 1.5 oz | 2 oz | 2.5 oz | 3 oz |
| 16 US fl oz | 3 oz | 4 oz | 5 oz | 6 oz |
| 32 US fl oz | 6 oz | 8 oz | 10 oz | 12 oz |
| 128 US fl oz (1 US gal) | 24 oz | 32 oz | 40 oz | 48 oz |
Amounts are dry flake weight in ounces. This quick table covers the cuts listed by the cited chart; it is not a product recommendation or a substitute for weighing flakes.
What the result means
Result interpretation
New-batch mode reports alcohol and dry flake quantities. Dilution mode reports added alcohol and total alcohol-equivalent volume. Dissolved flakes displace volume, so neither mode claims exact finished-solution volume.
Limits and assumptions
The calculator does not infer alcohol content from a finished-solution volume. Dilution cannot increase cut strength; adding more flakes is a different operation. Follow shellac, solvent and fire-safety instructions.
Worked examples
Prepare a 2-pound cut with 16 fluid ounces of alcohol
Assumptions
- The solvent input is 16 US fl oz of alcohol.
- The target is 2 lb-cut.
Calculation
- 2 × 16 ÷ 8 = 4 oz dry flakes.
- 4 oz × 28.3495 = 113.4 g.
| Denatured alcohol | 16 US fl oz |
|---|---|
| Dry shellac flakes | 4 oz |
| Dry shellac flakes | 113.4 g |
Dilute a 3-pound cut to 2-pound cut
Assumptions
- The 16 US fl oz value is the starting solvent-equivalent volume.
- The target cut is lower than the starting cut.
Calculation
- 16 × (3 ÷ 2 − 1) = 8 US fl oz additional alcohol.
- 16 + 8 = 24 US fl oz alcohol-equivalent volume.
| Additional alcohol | 8 US fl oz |
|---|---|
| Total alcohol-equivalent volume | 24 US fl oz |
Common questions
- Can this dilute a weaker cut into a stronger cut?
- No. Dilution only lowers or preserves cut strength. Adding flakes is a separate operation.
- Is the output the finished liquid volume?
- No. Dissolved flakes displace volume, so the calculator preserves the solvent basis.
- Are ounces of flakes fluid ounces?
- No. The solvent is measured by volume in US fluid ounces; dry flakes are weighed in ounces.