Sewing machine cabinet refinish

[Cesar Vega]

Hi,

I'm in the task of refinishing a very old sewing machine cabinet, well, like 40 years old, may be is not "that old" in furniture terms.

The thing has so much scratches like if two cats had been fighting in the top.
Some cracks too. The finish is seriously worn out on several places. One of these damaged spots is because it was place near to a fire place at some point... ... the others, I don't know.

The wood looks like pine. Plywood at some points and solid at others.
It has been stained with a nice warm color, like the Golden Oak from minwax.
I'm trying to figure out what is the finish, too. I think it is shellac, for the way it aged. It's very brittle too.
However testing with some drops of alcohol resulted that it did nothing to the finish. Also, user some lacquer thinner, the strongest I had and it did nothing, too.
What it could be? and what could be a good method to remove a stubborn finish like this?

And finally, I kind of think shellac would not be the proper way to refinish this. For the scratches it has, it seems like it'd need a tough finish, like polyurethane, though, I don't know what's the common finish on sewing machines cabinets.

Thank you very much for your help.

[Frederick Rowe]

What Is That Finish?
http://www.hardwoodlumberandmore.com...0/Default.aspx

According to this protocol, that leaves reactive finishes.

If none of the preceding steps softened the finish, you are looking at one of the “reactive finishes”—finishes that cure by a chemical reaction and are no longer dissolved or softened by solvent. For example, mineral spirits will do nothing to soften varnish once the varnish is cured. If this is the case you have a varnish finish (polyurethane, alkyd, or phenolic resin) or you have one of the two-part finishes (conversion varnish or catalyzed lacquer) that are becoming more common in commercial furniture and cabinetry.

[Cesar Vega]

Then, now I think it is varnish
Either alkyd or phenolic, one of these.

Now, I have to check how to remove varnish, because the few references I have now, non give a straight answer or procedure.

I already tried with a paint/lacquer remover from Crown, Handi-Strip® All-Purpose Semi-Paste Stripper, and it did almost nothing. I applied let it try 25 minutes and tried to remove with a plastic pad, and nothing happened with a few passes. After like twenty strokes, it finally stared to remove some. At that rate, I'd take like 30 hours just to remove the previous finish

[Steve Schoene]

The stripper you have should work, though not the fastest. For one thing it is liquid, where a gel would go on heavier and stay on vertical surfaces better. You can help it along with some Saran wrap to cover the surface so it doesn't dry out (and stop working) as rapidly. Also be sure that you really lay it on. No brushing out--just stroke it on in one pass. It will be better if you manipulate the table so that you are working on horizontal surfaces.