David,
You asked about finishes...that's a BAD subject to bring up! LOL There's a whole forum dedicated to finishes and techniques. Different people use different techniques, some times varying the technique based on the wood or other material. You'll see that some people use CA/BLO as their finish, others use different types of polyurethanes (there's one called Enduro that Wayneis uses that he's really mastered) or shellac. Most of those who sell their pens use some kind of wax on top, either TSW, Rennaissance wax, or the like, to give an even higher gloss. Some use plastic polish or buffing compounds on the pens as well. Good luck on your quest to find a good finish...we're all on the same road, although some are farther down it than others. If you're interested, here's a link to a CA/BLO tutorial: http://www.penturners.org/content/ca-blo.pdf If you search the Finishing forum, you'll find lots of other instructions, too.
Again, good luck!
]Well, some of us are little short fanatics,too!