Tassie Oak Chess Board Finish Help

Hi all,

First time post. Started constructing this as job last week to show students some quality work, nowhere near Completed, still have draws and pieces ti build.
Just a question in regards to a suitable finish. I am after a finish that is quite thick on, the reason being I have some small blemishes and uneven surfaces in spots. Generally I can sand this out, however with the veneer strip I have used I can't accomplish this. Any help will be greatly appreciated. Attachment 278164Attachment 278165Attachment 278166

Nice job mate. May I suggest a quality sanding sealer may assist in filling the imperfections. I would probably follow this up with a french polish and a wax applied with steel wool to help dull down the gloss and level out the surface.:)