Shellac or ?

[bagpipeswest]

Iam replacing every panel and stripping all the cabinets in the "lounge bait" and I do not what to go the shellac route

What do you guys suggest?

Now most of the colour samples are based on oak. After staining will birch end up lighter than oak
I want to come close to the original colour

I'm truly at a loss on all this
Thanks

[schweetcruisers]

I don't know if you found a answer to this yet or not, but most big box stores like Lowes or Home Depot will have a oak and pine sample, birch will stain close to the pine. Oak is red in color naturally and birch is white/yellow, so oak will be darker. If you look up a company called General Finishes they do a lot of samples on birch and they have a lot of water based stains, which is a lot more pleasant to work with than oil based.

[Gone Kayaking]

Here's a good thread in this forum on the topic. The majority seem to go with shellac. I used amber to come close to the original....about 4 thin coats seemed the right amount. Many then use a paste wax to finish.
vintageshasta.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=walls&action=display&thread=182

[cowcharge]

I'm not fond of that orangey amber color, so I used tung oil on mine, it gave it a beautiful soft golden color, with a great 3-D grain effect that varies with the light angle... And I'll never have to sand it, just hit it with steel wool and apply some more oil...

[cowcharge]

Every time I hear the word "shellac" I think of this.

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[thehorsepeople4]

After much experimenting, I have come up with the solution for our 59 Deville. I can match the color of the previous wood easily.

For new birch, I give it two or three coats of Amber Shellac. First coat diluted well with denatured Alcohol. Next two full strength. No sanding in between. Once the third coat is on (or when I like the color and it matches the old), and dried well, I lightly hit it with fine steel wool. Wipe down well with a tack cloth.

I then give it two to four coats with water based glossy Poly Acrylic. I like Helmsmen but there are many quality water based ones like Varathane....minwax, etc. I know it has been said that you can't mix the two but I am extremely pleased with the result. The Shellac is quick drying and easy cleanup with the denatured alcohol and the water base gives me the gloss I am looking for and better protection from wet spill and scratches. I visited two different trailers that have used this method and both are four and five years into their restoration.
Good luck....there are lots of options out there.

Sidebar note....I was in a Bagpipe Band throughout high school. I still get the chills when I hear Bonnie Dun Die!