Woodworking Forum is too slow (if anybody even responds). I stained the oak newels yesterday (posted about stain continuing to weep from pores - I brushed on a very thin coat and wiped off excess so I don't know why over the past 14 hours it keeps weeping (wiped at about an hour and 5 hours after wiping off initial excess). I've never had this problem before with oak - even with the exact same can of stain that I've used for trim pieces in my kitchen and the oak rail and rosettes I did last month.

Anyway, if anyone (Joanne?) has an answer to that problem, I'd appreciate it. I'd like to get the first coat of poly on the newels tonight if possible. The rail and rosettes have been stained for a month (I did just put a coat on the unfinished bottom return of the rail yesterday afternoon but that's not weeping) so I'd like to get poly on them a little earlier today so we can get the whole staircase finished and up Thursday or Friday.

When is the earliest I can poly? And should I use the really thinned Wipe-on (oil based) Minwax poly I've been using on all my trim, do 3 coats on newels and 6 coats on rail (I've done 6 coats on my bathroom woodwork)? It's fairly easy to scuff sand a railing in place and wipe on another coat if I need it in the future. I don't expect the newels (since they're up against the wall on the 4th tread up) to rake a lot of abuse, but if we ever extend the railing down the last 3 steps I want to use the same finish on the starting newel(s). Plus I think the rail, rosettes, and newels should all be the same finish sheen and build.

Or should I use the thick brush-on Fast Drying Poly (can't find "Super Fast Drying For Floors" anymore since new VOC regulations) for durability? I have both Minwax and Zar versions, Zar has shorter drying time recommended for final coat to placing in use. I'm just afraid I won't like the finish (got Satin Wipe on and Satin Brush on, but just the thickness scares me into thinking 2 coats of the thick stuff will look like plastic and obscure my detail on the newels). I didn't like the Semi-gloss (waterbased) brush-on poly I used for the kitchen island, but I was trying to match lacquer finish on the cabinets.

Treads can be a heavier finish since they get foot traffic. I still have to figure out what I can put on over 2-yr old linseed oil and wax - I can probably get the remaining wax off with mineral spirits, but the BLO has soaked into the wood so I need to refinish with something compatible - could use suggestions there too since I should do the one tread b4 the newels go up. I don't want them shiny or plasticky either - which is why I waxed them in the first place but it's just not holding up, though we don't wear shoes in the house the waxed finish doesn't repel water and shoes foot and fingerprints.

Thanks - I'll be checking all morning for answers!