Twinkie, your husband did a beautiful job on that machine. So lovely!
I ended up scrubbing my favorite test piece with white vinegar, rinsing, then coating it with a 3:1 mixture of denatured alcohol and shellac. Once the shellac cured I painted it with base lacquer and allowed it 24 hours to cure and it sticks. (Big sigh of relief)
Thanks to SteveH and Twinkie for what has worked for them. If I am ever crazy enough to do this again, I will likely use an enamel paint or start using ginkgo biloba to improve my memory.