I've got some neighborhood kids that have been working quite a bit in my shop and learning enough to actually make decent furniture. One boy has made a fairly nice bookshelf out of poplar, but he insisted on a mahogany stain. The result was very blotchy but he seemed satisfied. For large projects I've been using poplar and pine with them but they always want a mahogany or walnut looking finish.
The boys want to get together to make a loft bed. I'm happy to buy enough pine to make the bed and to work with them on building it, but I don't know what to do about the finish. What are my best options for getting a decent looking finish out of pine? Is it even possible or should I give up and buy red oak for the boys? They are good kids and are working hard so I would like for them to have a nice project when they are done.
Thanks for all the help, finishes are my weakest point.