Thought I'd share a tip (perhaps many of you know).

I'm a big fan of Waterlox. Problem is, it's expensive and hard to find locally.

I've found Ace Hardware's Spar Varnish ($9.00/qt vs $25/qt for Waterlox) to work about as well. I'm SURE there are differences, and the snob in me still feels that Waterlox applies better, but both are phenolic resin/tung oil blends. I finished 1/2 of a bench I recently made with Waterlox and 1/2 with the spar varnish, and they look and feel identical 2 months out.

The Ace is unthinned, though. I dilute it between with 25% to 50% mineral spirits.

So, for those looking for a cheap alternative to poly, brushing lacquer, or shellac from a big box store, you might like this.

Shawn