[Jamie]

Regarding sanding sealer in general, if it is not the greatest thing to have below your finish coat of lacquer than what purpose does it serve? Why would anyone want to use it?

Sanding sealer is good stuff. I think it's original use is for new wood. New wood soaks up stain and lacquer like a sponge. It will stain unevenly, and when sprayed with lacquer, it just soaks it up and leaves a flat, raw look. You have to spray 30 coats to get a hard looking finish, and even then, some spots will be flat looking. So, you seal it first and the problem is solved. You can also use it like you are - as sort of a grain filler, general smoother, and to give your lacquer a consistant base surface.

When I made that new top for the Philco 45, I used sanding sealer before I finished it. If I hadn't, it wouldn't look shiny and finished. I didn't use it on the cabinet though...Old wood that has a patina and has been previously stained and lacquered, it sort of seals itself. There is a certain roughness to raw wood, whether old or new, be it the grain, or grain that has been filled... that gives the lacquer something to bite on, so you are less likely to get a run. Sanding sealer creates a smooth surface, and the smoother and slicker a surface is, the more likely you are to get a run. It's like painting glass. Of course, you will sand the sealer first, which will etch it, so you will be fine... you just need to be extra careful about runs.

I am not a pro, I am learning still... I'm just trying to tell you about my experiences doing this.