Staining Birch Veneer Plywood - ATM Project - Help!

John Steinberg wrote:
I'm *consulting on the construction of a truss tube Dob and the rocker
box is nearing completion. Ideally, it will be stained with a
water-based but water-resistant clear stain that lets the beauty of the
wood show through with zero or minimal color/tint added.

I'm off to Lowes and/or Home Depot later today and soliciting brand
names and/or the type of product most suitable for this type of job.

The shop in question is poorly ventilated so if there's something on
the market that does the above without noxious fumes, still better.

If nothing available meets the listed criteria, what would be the best
product to achieve a durable, clear finish on the rocker box?

Thanks for any authoritative replies.

I'm no authority, but I have had good results with Varathane. I use the
clear satin finish. It is not completely clear, but still very good. I
have used it on oak, pine, birch. Oak really shows quite a bit of
colour, pine shows some, but it is the regular pine colour, and birch
stays very white.

Eric.