Best wodo router table finish?

[alex grams]

I put a router table into my sawstop extension wing from their normal phonelic extension table, but over the years it sagged.

I decided to rebuild the wing with some side grain maple and reinforced with some steel angle iron to prevent sagging.

My initial thoughts were to use poly, wet sand it smooth, then wax the heck out of the surface for a smooth, durable worktop.

However, the poly had some 'wrinkling/alligatoring' and will need to be removed. I am now considering other finishes before I commit to going at it again with poly. I had initially debated against a film finish vs an oil/absorbed finish, but given that the sruface will be used almost purely to slide work over, I felt comfortable with a film finish.

Are there any other finishes that are suitable for my need? Or better alternatives? I have some target water based poly I could add their CL105 crosslinker to for scuff resistance, but I don't think that this would offer the durability that poly would, though it would be much easier to apply/level.

Or, should I just forego that and use BLO and straight wax?

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance.

[Carl Beckett]

I put shellac on top of MDF and was surprised how durable its been (it soaked in a bit).

Side grain maple? - I dont think you need much at all. I would opt for a penetrating then hardening finish (BLO or Watco), letting it cure out and then just waxing it.

Then I would just add wax every now and then. (to me, this would be the simplest approach)

I dont like poly for this - it seems relatively 'soft' as a film, and as you have experienced if you build it up it wrinkles/orangepeels, etc. You might try a catalyzed finish, then wet sand then polish. Or one of the catalyzed automotive finishes would give a very hard/slick film to ride on.

[alex grams]

I tend to agree with you Carl. I think maybe I over-analyzed/over-engineered a solution to the problem. I should have just stuck with BLO and wax. Shellac would be nice, but with bottles of denatured alcohol and all other sorts of chemicals in the garage, I don't think shellac as a bare surface would stand up well.