Replies

1. 
   mkornell | Sep 02, 2011 01:44am | #1

   You could try a couple of things:

   - a "clear" shellac. Zinsser's Seal Coat, or mix your own from ultra blonde flakes. This will impart a bit of a yellow color, so may not be your ideal choice.

   - a waterborne poly, rather than an oil base. Oil-based polys do add yellowing, waterbornes are clear.

2. 
   HowardAcheson | Sep 03, 2011 08:12pm | #2

   Clear waterborne acrylic will add the least color to maple.  It will be virtually water clear.  Minwax Polycrylic or a comparable General Finish polyacrilic will work fine.  Test them on your scrap.

3. 
   Rich14 | Sep 07, 2011 09:13pm | #3

   Ultrablond shellac will add no color to the maple and will not itself yellow with age.

   CAB Acrylic lacquer goes down "water white" (colorless), and while it handles exactly like nitrocellulose (same solvents) will not yellow at all with age as nitro does. Use ultrablond shellac as a sealer or use CAB Acrylic high solids sealer first.

   Most any water-borne finish will add no color and will not itself yellow or darken.

   Unfortunately, maple itself yellows and darkens slightly with age under any finish. Some samples less, less some more. Some rapidly, some slowly. I've seen a very slight whitewash treatment, prior to finishing, to be very effective at preventing any discernable yellowing over many years.

   Rich