Mikepier wrote:
Here are some pics. Unfortunately these were taken after dark tonite,
but you can get an idea.
http://picasaweb.google.com/mikerock92/FrontDoor

They aren't closeup enough to tell for absolutely sure, but from the
grain characteristics I see, it's highly unlikely imo that the door is
oak. Looks more like a stained pine or fir; outside possibility it's
another hardwood but it doesn't look at all like oak.

Unless it's solid (that is, not veneer over core) I'd not take it to a
dunk-type commercial stripper--their process is liable to lift the veneer.

As someone else says, varnish stripping isn't that bad compared to
paint--there are quite a number that are good for the job.

Overall, this doesn't really look like that tough a job other than time
fiddling around the panels, etc.; it isn't _that_ weathered from the
picture I looked at.

--