That's a good point about the oil, but shellac's shelf life is more about the alcohol than moisture. The solvent evaporates or breaks down over time, even in a sealed can. Desiccant helps, but you can't stop the chemical change. I've opened year old cans that were bone dry but the shellac was still cloudy and stringy. Once the esters start to go, it's done.

Two weekends for a whole kitchen? That's wild. My last cabinet took me a month just to get the doors right.

Man, that's like my entire diet being chicken nuggets because they're easy and reliable. Sure, it works for a while, but one bad batch and the whole system goes down lol. You're right to be worried, it's basic risk stuff they're ignoring for a quick fix. Hope they figure it out before some bug figures out the all-you-can-eat maple buffet.