Question 1

Dose Bloxygen preserve peppermint essential oil? If yes for how long?

Accepted Answer

Yes.  Essential oils degrade through oxidation and Bloxygen is a system that can be used to prevent this.

Question 2

Does this work for shellac?

Accepted Answer

This is a complicated answer.  Shellac is typically made from flakes and alcohol.  Shellac is unique in that it does not cure with oxygen, but leftover shellac can be difficult and storage issues can prevent it from drying evenly.  This is a complex combination of two factors.  One is how the shellac flakes are stored and one is the alcohol used.  The folks at shellac.net have a wonderful website for shellac users and they also sell this product.

The alcohol: Anhydrous alcohol speeds dissolving the flakes.  Multiple uses have noted problems with impurities in their alcohol causing problems with dissolving and with the final product.  The problem is exacerbated by the hardware store alcohol - all those molecules of water in the alcohol block the alcohol from contacting the shellac, and result - even after dissolving - in a softer finish.  The slower dry times and a softer finish simply because hardware store alcohol has water which gets trapped and leaves a softer finish.  The best practice is to use 200 proof anhydrous ethanol, but laboratory grade product like this is difficult to procure.   In this regard, we recommend you procure top quality alcohol AND preserve it in a way that prevents storage damage from moisture (use Bloxygen).

Flakes: Tools For Working Wood did extensive testing and has some great info on their blog site.  In general, they showed that even the crustiest old shellac flakes can be broken up and agitated with quality alcohol and they can be dissolved and used.  They did, however, find some old shellac flakes that they could not dissolve. The problem products are typically many years old, more refined varieties (Blond and Super Blond) that had a shorter shelf life than Garnet. Another factor in the shelf life of the flakes is how it is stored. They sell shellac in plastic bags with a desiccant and an oxygen absorber (another case for using Bloxygen). The plastic bag, while a decent barrier isn't totally impermeable and shellac left in the bags for years will deteriorate and eventually not dissolve. The packaging is designed for long shelf life in a store, not long term storage in a workshop. The best practice?  Once to your shop, break up your new shellac flakes and store them in an impermeable container (glass) and keep them in a refrigerator or other cool environment (with Bloxygen).

ASIN	B01MZ4DTKB
Batteries Included?	No
Batteries Required?	No
Best Sellers Rank	#772,052 in Tools & Home Improvement ( See Top 100 in Tools & Home Improvement ) #57,428 in Paint, Wall Treatments & Supplies
Capacity Description	75
Color	Bloxygen
Customer Reviews	4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (12)
Date First Available	December 29, 2016
Included Components	TWELVE cans of Bloxygen Preserver
Installation Method	purge atmosphere
Is Discontinued By Manufacturer	No
Item Package Quantity	1
Item Weight	4 pounds
Item model number	BloxygenCaseOf12
Manufacturer	IronWood Designs - Bloxygen
Material	Argon
Part Number	BloxygenCaseOf12
Product Dimensions	10 x 9 x 11 inches
Special Features	Heavy, inert gas.
Usage	Fine Finish, varnish, oil based paint, material sensitive to oxygen or moisture.

Preserver CASE of 12 Cans. Inert Gas Preservation System for Paint/Auto Chemicals/Varnish/Food & Wine. Spray, Seal, Store.

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