On Thu, 16 Dec 2010 23:17:35 -0800 (PST), Father Haskell
wrote:

On Dec 16, 7:13*pm, Larry Blanchard wrote:
On Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:33:16 -0500, FrozenNorth wrote:
I have the shelf made and coloured properly to match cabinets, now what
*to
use for a clear coat? *Poly, varnish, shellac or ?

Assuming it's dewaxed shellac all you have to worry about is heat and
alcohol. *Grease etc wipes off of shellac just like it wipes off of any
other film finish.

But considering the shelf might lead a rough life I'd go for one of long
oil varnishes (aka Danish oil) - Tried & True is my favorite but Watco is
probably easier to find. *That way the shelf is easily refinished.

--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw

Try just varnish straight from the can, no thinner, no oil.
Lay it on with a rag and buff until nearly dry, then repeat.
Looks just like Danish oil, but builds faster and wears
better. Behlen's Rockhard is great, alkyd a close second,
polyurethane okay if you like a cloudy, yellow finish with a
Saran wrap feel.

I've had varnish on bookshelves get sticky on me. Rockhard and
Waterlox are both tung oil and phenolic resin based and work better
than most. Waterlox has products for shiny, medium, and nice, matte
finishes. It's quick to apply, quick to dry, and has a very nice
hand. Just Do It!


--
Small opportunities are often the beginning of great enterprises.
-- Demosthenes