x2 on the latex glove. If you dont wanna bother, I just use a mill file and/or sandpaper to get the glue off my finger.
If you wanna fill grain/seal raw wood I recommend using thin so it penetrates evenly, at least fort th efirst coat. Then if you need to build it up faster you can use the gel type, but I find the gel doesn;t always penetrate evenly as a base coat and it can show in the finish.