so im getting to this conclusion
1) Sand the body up to a high grit sand paper
2) clean the body of any dust
3) apply the suitable gel stain (as many times as needed to get the colour right)
4)apply a layer of Satin Minwax wipe-on poly
^^as many as needed
ok just check that
Yes pretty well that way. Except, I'd use gloss for all the coats up to the last. Use satin for the last. I know it costs more that way, but the satin varnishes have a flattening agent added to them to decrease the gloss. When built up in multiple coats they can cloud the colour and decrease the amount of wood grain showing, sort of like a fogged up windshield on a car. One coat of satin at the end won't be too much of this. Or alternately as previously suggested, use gloss for all coats and after the last coat has dried thoroughly, flatten the whole surface with 0000 steel wool or a fine green scotch brite pad. You may want to sand very lightly between coats with 600 grit wet or dry paper, used dry, to level out any little nibs of dust or any other foreign material. Be very careful with this so you don't sand right through the finish and take off the stain. This can easily happen on rounded edges. Don't use coarse sandpaper; stick with 600 grit for any between coats levelling. You might not need to sand between each coat. I seldom do if I do careful work applying it evenly and don't allow dust to get to it before it dries. I don't know how many coats you'll need before it looks right to you. Depends on the wood. If you work in a warm enough room the Minwax dries fast enough to sand and apply another coat in less than 4 hours. If the sandpaper gums up, it's not yet dry enough. Use fresh sandpaper each time. Wipe off all dust and sandpaper grit before applying the next coat.
Don't work right out of the can of Minwax Polyurethane. You can get dirt into it which can ruin everything. Pour a very small amount into a small container. I use cleaned out tuna cans and pour about 1/2" of the wipe on poly into it. This is usually plenty for one coat. Close up the can of Minwax as soon as you pour it so you don't let it start setting up in the can. Those child proof caps can also be a bit of a problem getting off by hand as you have to press down and turn at the same time and they sometimes won't turn and just ratchet away without opening. I use some vise grip pliers to hold the cap while I turn if this happens.
I use the blue shop towels available in rolls at Home Depot, etc. to apply the wipe on. They have a smooth texture and don't leave gunk behind. Some of the textured paper towels used in the kitchen leave a rough surface. The shop towels I use are made by Kimberly Clark. Alternately, you can use clean pieces of old white T-shirt cotton. This is fine if you have a supply. Or I often buy a box of cotton rags from Home Depot. They are all soft, white cotton and work well. Wash them in water first, no soap, to get rid of any manufaturer's sizing, then put them in the clothes drier to dry them and get rid of lint. Don't use dryer sheets or softeners such as Downy. You want clean, uncontaminated application cloths.
Practice on some scrap first.
Post some pictures of the result or as you go along.
Read the instructions on the can.
Work in a warm enough room and let it dry in a warm enough room. Above 70 degrees F is best. Make a cardboard or some other material cover to keep dust off while it dries.
Buy a book on wood finishing. Bob Flexnor or Jeff Jewitt have good ones, available from Taunton Press, publishers of Fine Woodworking magazine.
Have fun with it.
