Katie...
Another 2 cents...
I agree on stripping... all the way to wood... Citristrip works good for me.
I like the idea of removing the top & laying some ply on it til done.
After stripping, let it dry good, sand smooth to no more than 220 grit.
Experiment with some dark stain (maybe an ebony stain) and follow the directions closely.
Once you get the color you like... and you have
let it DRY... very DRY...
Do a very light sanding to knock off any more raised grain.
Wipe off really good with a clean dry cotton cloth (rag).
Then, start the protective finish... I think you want a Satin finish rather than Gloss or Semi Gloss.
I agree with General Finishes "Arm-R-Seal" wipe on Heavy Duty oil & urethane top coat... Give it as many coats as you feel like doing...
1. Wipe on a coat.
2. If you have good drying conditions, let dry for about 6-8 hours; else, 24 hrs.
3. Buff lightly with 0000 steel wool (after each coat
except the final coat)
4. Go back to step 1 for another coat... 4-5 coats would probably do it... go as far as want after that...
Take your time and do it right...
Some finishing help here:
http://woodworkstuff.net/sgaquar1.html http://woodworkstuff.net/woodidxfin.html http://woodworkstuff.net/
There is a section on Finishing on my website that could help you... take a look.
If you can, let us know how it came out.
Edit:
I just noticed the last posting date... she will probably be finished with it by the time she reads this... Oh well... 1 cent worth?