Good finish for a poplar & padauk box?

[Dan Mitchell]

I recently made a box which is to be a gift for my MIL. The box itself is poplar, with a lid handle and base of Padauk. Given some recent problems i had using spar urethane on a Padauk lamp base I made (taking about 2 weeks to lose its tackiness), I want to make sure I pick a good finish for this combination of woods. I'm looking for a clear, medium-gloss finish, which will be easy to apply & be HARD by Saturday if I apply it tomorrow. I generally prefer sprays, but I'm not sure if that's the best choice for something with all the surfaces planes (interior & exterior) of a box. Does anyone have any recommendations?
TIA
Dan

[Jim Becker]

Shellac. Perfect for this kind of project and your timing needs. If you want to spray it, Zinsser sells it in spray bombs that are available at the 'borg. I've used them many times when I didn't want to break out my HVLP gun. Shellac might be a little shinier than you prefer, but you can knock the sheen back back with a white abrasive pad or, believe it or not...rubbing it out with toothpaste since it's a small project. (I used to do that on award winning model cars when I was a teenager)