thetyreman , I agree with AndyT; personally, I would love to see a finger hole, it's easier and more practical. Maybe I would "reinforce" it with a rubber ring or a metal one.
There are two types of wood treatments
1. the ones that are absorbed into the surface which are oil based products like Manns Premier UV decking oil which protects against weathering and UV damage.
2. ones that form a protective coating like Sikkens cetol filter 7 Plus
The drying time for these...