For small projects, I find it hard to beat a satin lacquer. You can apply a few coats in a 30 min period and it doesn’t have much sheen, so it looks more natural. That will help keep moisture out. Also, shellac is a good option for painting multiple coats and having them dry quickly.
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I’ve used a bit of everything but I really like the look of paste wax. It gives the wood a hand-rubbed appearance. I also use danish oil quite often if I want something that penetrates.
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That’s something I hadn’t considered! The result is a pretty glossy finish eh?
Good old shellac AKA bug poop works well LOL
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Wait. Shellac is bug poo?
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Although a lot of times I’ll use clear acrylic because it dries faster and I’m impatient LOL
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Not really that shiny, at least in my experience. It’s quite a quick process too. It’s not going to be as hard and protective as a polyurethane but I’ve used it for coffee tables and other furniture with very good long-term results.
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Almost, but not quite… It’s a resin secreted by female Lac bugs. It’s currently my go-to sealant for most jobs.
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Oh great, now I’m thinking of M&Ms again. 
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Mmm… Ground up cochineals coated with lac bug wax! Plain or with peanuts.
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This is a repeat of many other threads on the forum, search for it, it’s out there… but a number of replies here are much exactly what was discussed there too.
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I somehow misread the title as What’s your favourite way of stealing wood… 
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I like Minwax Polycrylic, a water based quick dry satin. Looks milky in the can, but dries crystal clear.
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If it’s a reasonably small’ish piece and I want a durable shiny finish, I use CA glue.
Flood the piece, wait for it to set, then use the micromesh pads to polish it up. Works remarkably well.
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Nice trick. I tried that once and got tons of bubbles in the glue, I guess I went too thick?
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Use thin CA – I use a “water thin” kind from Starbond; EM-02. Bubbles are nearly impossible with glue this thin.
Naturally, the down side is that the damn stuff wants to go everywhere, so I do this on a silicone mat and use polyethylene gloves.
But really, CA polish looks just great when it’s done, and the micromesh pads work quickly. I picked up the trick from pen turners, who apparently have been using CA this way for a number of years.
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Good old shellac AKA bug poop works well LOL
Wait. Shellac is bug poo?
I have been putting bug poop on my nails???!!! 
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Bug Poop or Bug Vomit… oh man…
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