shine like car paint but how?
Get some high gloss paint or polyurethane.
First you need a paint or finish that is full gloss. Then you need one that is abradable. (Poly is not very abradable). Applying that finish or paint will get you as glossy as you can get off the gun or off the brush. Normally this is about 85-90 degrees on a scale of 0-100. Let it cure for several weeks, then polish with progressively finer abrasives like auto rubbing compounds.
I use oil based high gloss paints. First of all I sand the surface using three different sand papers, starting with the most coarse and working my way to the finest. I wipe it clean with methylated spirits because it dries instantly and there is no water to make the timber swell or affect the paint in any way. I apply a good quality undercoat, usually oil based. If you can find a ridge filler undercoat, it will help even out flaws. If you have large pits or dents you might want to fill with an appropriate filler. Leave for a minimum of 12 hours and sand with a fine grade paper. Wipe off with metho again. Feel with your fingers - if you can feel bumps you will be able to see them, so you may need to sand a little more. For the paint: use the best quality brush you can afford. Ask for advice in the paint store if you are unsure. Load your brush with a small amount of paint. If it's a small item you should be able to do a stroke the full length in one go. If not, you will need to reload mid stroke. Apply the paint, reload and pick up where you left off. When one length is complete, go back and lay off in the opposite direction, that is to brush the paint all in the same direction. Work quickly. When you have completed your first coat, leave to dry for a minimum of 12 hours and repeat the sand and paint process again. I usually do three coats of oil based paint, but you may not need to. If I'm doing a clear finish on a timber project, I will rub boiled linseed oil into the clear finish with a very, very fine steel wool. It gives a lovely soft finish. There are also two pack products available which can be sprayed on and give a very high gloss finish, but I have never used those.
