Kirk, It sounds like the clear coat has gone bad on the aluminum and needs to be stripped. No big deal, just buy some stripper from your local hardware store and do the wood at the same time. After all has been cleaner with denatured alcohol tape the wood to keep wax off, polish the aluminum, clean again with the alcohol now you can spray it all with clear poly, not lacquer. Give it two or three coats, sand with 2000 grit wet and dry sandpaper with soap and water, spray 3 more coats and do it one more time and it will look like new.
Wayne