I just got some apple also ( alive and somewhat wet last week) and I have
turned 5 bowls in the last week from it. I am experimenting with a short
dunk in alcohol ( a couple of hours) then a couple of short zaps in the
microwave ( 2minutes and cool down). It gets the surface dry enough to
sand, So I sand it thru the grits to 320. I immediately slather on by hand
deft that is thinned 50/50. It still feels heavy and wet but it dries
slowly. I goes oval and gets little cracks around the knots. This gives it
character. The next 4 or 5 days I give it a sprayed on coat (each day) of
50/50 thinned deft after each coat from the day before dries. I wet sand
with 1500 grit between coats. It really shines after 4 or 5 coats and
gradually gets lighter in weight as it dries through the deft. It is
usually sold within the 2nd week. Works for me.