So, if you want a shiny look, it takes a particular technique. Wiping the poly into the wood will always produce that more satin look. I like that in many cases, but I also like a glossy look.
I spent some time a few months back trying to perfect my technique in applying Spar Urethan to larger turnings (bowls, vases, etc.) and keeping it glossy. Its a little challenging, since WoP and Spar Urethane both dry fairly quicky, and if you do not apply the coat properly, you'll leave streaks or bubbles in it. Bubbles are probably the greatest challenge, and one I'm still perfecting a solution for.
Anyway...the trick, is to NOT actually rub the poly into the piece. You need to apply it slowly, evenly, and progressively from one end to the other, without actually wiping it in, and without recovering any part you have already covered. You need it to be a little thicker, too...and, this is where it can get tricky. You need to make sure your WoP is well mixed, and not near the end of its life, or you might find you have a tough time getting it to try properly. If you are successful in applying the poly this way, you should end up with a shiny surface. Now, it won't stay super glossy on the first coat, as it dries the coat will tighten up around the piece, although it will remain shiny, just not glass-like. IF "just shiny" is good enough, you can stop here. If you want a glassy shiny surface, you'll need multiple coats.
Once you have coated the piece, and you can see that it is streak free and shiny, you need to LEAVE IT untouched until its dry. That might take a while, in my case, it has been a day or more. I've been primarily doing this with bell ornaments, and part of the blank is clamped into my chuck jaws. I will carefully remove the piece from the jaws and set it up such that it can dry off the lathe, since it can take a while, by setting the part of the blank that was in the jaws on my workbench or on a table indoors (which is usually better this time of year, as the cold will GREATLY slow down the speed at which the poly dries, let alone full cures. Once the first coat is dry, and if you intend multiple coats then you can wait the time listed in the instructions for your WoP, you can then apply the next coat the same way. You should get a progressively shinier and glassier result each coat. I find that three coats usually does it, unless the wood is a particularly porous wood.
You will ONLY need JUST the WoP for this. You will not need anything else, so NOTHING "OVER" the WoP. You just need to let it cure properly to maintain the glossy finish when you are done. IME, anything else just dulls the finish in the end, even Renaissance Wax. Pure poly (or for that matter, if you prefer it, pure spar urethane) will produce a long lasting, durable, scratch resistant, glasslike finish if applied properly.
Hope that helps!
