Using Heirloom gel paint stripper and some coarse steel wool I have been doing the arduous task of removing the existing paint. I find it works pretty good if you put the gel on the wool and use it to apply with a downward motion. The steel wool is also handy at scooping up gel blobs that slide off and re-applying it.
This is a very messy job but saves hours of sanding. Once the gel has been sitting for a minute or two the steel wool becomes like a paint-eraser.
I'm only about 45% done however because I accidentally got a hole in one of my rubber gloves - this paint stripper is strong and you do NOT want to get it on your skin.
I tried continuing with kitchen style rubber gloves and that was a very bad idea. DO NOT USE KITCHEN GLOVES.
The stripper will leach right through the glove, eat the inside layer and burn your skin. Trust me on this.
In the mean time I've been going around the lugs and cleaning up some of the original workmanship with a small file.
I've decided to use a more time consuming method of painting than a rattle can, but it will be good practice for other projects in the future.
Following ideas on the web (Google for "$50 paint job") I've decided to hand paint it with Tremclad. I live in an apartment, and the logistics of turning my balcony into a spray booth was giving me visions of a Dexter-style-kill-room. I could also see the necessary supplies end up becoming cost prohibitive to make this work.
I can hand-paint and sand it indoors on my workbench which will be less messy and less likely to end up with wind-swept debris and rain wrecking it.
A good tutorial on this can be found here:
http://www.mytenspeeds.com/My_TenSpe...troduction.htm
(I think that is actually a forum member's site)