You can't "beat it" at all.... its runny, kind of like molasses... when you put it on it will try to slowly run off the surface... if you put it on thin, the surface tension will help keep it in place... if you put it on thick, be ready for run city... this is why I use painters tape, to keep it off where I don't want it..
You use a putty knife to "smear it on, and you will see "drag" marks in the surface from your putty knife, but it is self leveling so the marks should settle... imagine pouring honey onto your kitchen table then draging a fork through it... it starts off as a "blob" with the drag marks in it, but it will try to spread out flat and the fork marks go away... Glaze is the same way..
You have to work with smaller area when using glaze so that you can control the "running"...
It sets in about the same time frame as bondo, 5-15 minutes depending on amount of hardener and environment (temp, lighting)... you will know when it starts to set because it will stop trying to self level which for me is about 5 minutes, and then in about 30 seconds it will turn into something about like bondo body filler putty, then 30 seconds later its hard and you can't smooth it out... then comes the sanding...
At this stage its still soft enough that sanding goes quick, and in about 15-20 minutes it is hard but still fairly easy to sand with 80 grit paper.... its cured when it gives off no more heat....
80 grit paper will leave sanding marks in the surface, that will show up in paint, so you should sand with 80 grit, then 180, then 320 to get rid of the sanding marks...
