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Yes. Denatured alcohol is the solvent used in Shellac. A 50/50 mix is commonly used when conditioning wood before staining.

Usually not but not all water based products respond the same way to a freeze. Most stains will be fine because freezing doesn't affect color. Some of the dyes will coagulate.

As the Gel Stain is used, the volume of stain in the can is displaced with air, causing the stain to start curing. Gel Stains harden up more quickly than liquid oil stains for all the reasons folks love them - the extra colorants and solids within the stain that provide such great coverage also harden up more quickly than other stains.

During storage, the oxygen or moisture that's sealed in the container continues to cure and thicken your stored product, ruining the leftovers. Here are some tips to ensure your Gel Stain remains in great working condition.

Gravity can cause some solids to settle on the bottom of the can and slight separation on the top. This is normal.

If working with older paint, use a paint mixing attachment on a drill to reincorporate the solids. If the solids dissolve and the clumps smooth out after mixing from the bottom, the product is in good condition. 

If your water based product has large chunks that cannot be incorporated by stirring, the product has frozen and can no longer be used.

The term for a cloudy, milky appearance in the finish is Blush. There are three causes:

     1. The most common reason is an incompatible stain. For example, using a water-based topcoat over an oil-based based stain. When the top coat is applied, the oil in the stain seeps up through the finish and reacts with the acrylic causing a chemical blush.