Debating Between Poly Urethane and Deft Lacquer

[jim_mex]

Hi Dale - I use Polys a lot largely due to limited local availability of other products. I have no experience with Delf lacquer. I almost exclusively use brush or wipe on finishes. My experience with polys is variable depending on the brand. They are not supposed to yellow but I find some do, particularly if the lot date is old. Miniwax Rapid Drying Poly gives me the best results to date and if thinned to use as a wiping finish dries pretty quick but still not as fast as a lacquer. The biggest downside to polys for me is that they don't 'pop' the natural colour and grain of wood so I have to use a tung or BLO oil application before the polys if I want to get this effect. This usually means 3 - 4 days delay to apply the poly whilst I waiting for the oil coat to cure. Most of my work is intarsia or segmentation and therefore high gloss finishes are normally inappropriate so at least from that side polys give me the result I want.