Podium project finishing questions - please chime in

[Aaron Rosenthal]

My project is a personal podium; the legs are strips of Oak, mostly quarter-sawn with a strip of "Mahogany" in the middle like the proverbial fireman's trouser.
The base, shelf and top are of 1x8 Mahogany with outside borders of Q/Sawn Oak. It's for my use exclusively, so outrageous is just fine - shake 'em up, baby!
I am using Mohawk grain filler under stains because of the tear-out on the Mahogany, believe me, sharp lanes did NOT fix the issue: Mohawk Mahogany wiping stain on the Mahogany and Varathane Light Golden Oak Gel stain on the Oak.

Here are my questions;
I have sanding sealer; should I use it under the final series of top coats?
My finishing options are Varathane, Deft spray lacquer (but I would need to brush on) or Osmo hard wax finish. Not a huge list but it's what I have on hand, and I'm trying to use up what's here if possible.

Thanks for any ideas.

[Lee Schierer]

There are sources to purchase cans of Deft Brushing Lacquer. It is now called Deft Clear Wood Finish. My local True Value hardware store carries it. I see you are in Vancouver. You will need a well ventilated space for applying lacquer. Don't be afraid to use an unheated garage or other building. I have personally applied Deft in freezing temperatures with the only issue being that it takes longer to dry.

Be aware that lacquer will act as a solvent on oil based stains.

[Paul F Franklin]

I have no 1st hand experience with osmo, but it seems to me they recommend applying it over bare wood, and recommend caution to evaluate for adhesion problems if applying it over previously finished wood. Seems like this would apply to sanding sealer as well. OTOH, there are lots of folks that report no issues using it over shellac or other sealer. I think testing on scrap would be wise if you want to use the sealer and plan to use the osmo. Actually, testing on scrap is a good practice no matter the finishing schedule.

[Jim Becker]

"Sanding sealer", with just a few exceptions, such as vnyl sealer under lacquer, is a boon to the finish company's profit margin and offers nearly nothing to the end user other than an additional container of something. IMHO. If you need to "seal" something, you can generally use a reduced (thinned) mix of the finish you will be using. If you need something between two things that might interfere or cause poor adhesion, a thin coat of wax free shellac will do the job.

As Paul mentioned, always test, test, test, preferably on scrap of the same material your project is built from and go all the way through at least the first coat of your final finish.