I was trying to describe how to prepare shellac from flakes, decided it was easier to make a you tube video,

Shellac preparation

Chris, thanks for posting a very informative tip video. I have not tackeled the shellac as yet, I let my friend Roger Nolfe do that kind of work for me. I did notice his shellac is in long pieces in a glass vile. This is a great tip for refilling the vile when you have time.

Thanks Chris and Ed for posting this! Makes me appreciate how these watchmakers of old came up with these fixes.

first time using shellac. want to know if you start to set a roller jewel and ping goes the jewel and the shellac cools and sets can it be reheated and used sucssfully ?

The short answer is yes. Shellac can be reheated and reused.

Chris:
Thanks very much!

thanks Doug

i have been using automotive lock tite for a lot of uses instead of shelac..have had real good success with it..not for everyone i guess, but a little touch of it on the roller jewel, or table, or even on a loose hair spring collar etc, works great..i just use a very small oiler pin, and dab a very small amount..haven't run into any failures yet..

I won't stray far, shellac has proven very durable and friendly for well over 100 years, shallow learning curve, quick and simple, easily reversible.