Removal of old finish

[Mike Jones NM]

Just wondering what you all use to remove old finish, varnish, paint etc?
I'm working on a really old table that got broken so I'm taking it down to bare wood to start with. Been using "dads" remover and have always had pretty good luck with it. Is there something better out there??

[Jerry Olexa]

If its a really old table, it could be simply shellac. If so, denaured alcohol will easily remove it.. test it in a small, obscure area...

[Steve Schoene]

Strippers containing methylene chloride are most effective. Choose the heaviest can, since that indicates the highest concentration of the active ingredient. But this is nasty stuff, requiring serious ventilation, not just a couple of open windows.