On Sat, 25 Oct 2003 09:03:38 -0400, (Steve James)
wrote:

If it were me, I would use a good brush and finish the underside of the
table with undiluted stuff and see if you like the results. I think the
plasticy look attributed to poly is a myth. Any finish that you build
that has high gloss can look plastic, not just poly.

I agree for the most part, except for the myth. Any finish, badly
applied, will look like crap. Many bad finishes seem to be Minwax
polyurethanes applied 1/4" thick, because bad finishers are unaware of
the better products and methods. So the plasticky look is real, but
not simply due to the presence of polyurethane, just bad usage. Also,
just as with stains, there ARE better brands than Minwax polyurethane.
G

Even the highest quality tool doesn't do the work itself!

If you don't want
a glossy look, use a satin formulation, or use a gloss formulation and
sand with fine steel wool at the end.

An alternate method is to use gloss all the way to the last coat, with
a satin coat last. Either way will provide more clarity than building
multiple satin coats, as the flattening agents tend to cloud the
finish.

Barry