sealing bowls on a lathe

[RextheElder]

most of the turning I do is with mesquite
I was in a senior citizens wood shop in TN last summer turning fishing rod handles
a gentleman brought in a bowl he was working on that had some cracks & asked the shop manager about sealing the cracks.  I did not catch the name of the crack sealer, but later I saw the bowl & it was beautiful
I tried laminating some layers of mesquite strips & then stacked them form turning
I dropped the 9-inch dia. X 4-inch thick bowl when it was partially finished & broke a large chunk from rim.
I am trying to reduce the bowl in size& there are several lamination cracks & natural wood cracks I need to fill & also to hold some small pieces in place

1. what can I use to fill the cracks and further cement pieces in place?
   
2. my wife wants the bowl finished & sealed with a coating that will retain the natural wood grain & color.  What do I use to finish the completed bowl?
   

[Rodneywt1180b]

For small cracks super glue and wood dust works.  For larger cracks I prefer epoxy and wood dust or if I want contrast I use dried coffee grounds.  Some folks use turquoise and other materials too for decorative effects too.

Any finish will darken the wood some.  Clear lacquer is less yellow than the others. If you're planning to put food in it I would look for Salad Bowl Finish. I forget the brand.