Anthony---about the lugs---I hand painted them with a teeny tiny paint brush that I got at a local art supply store, so I could paint the edges of the lugs without getting paint on the tubes and without masking. The paint was "One-shot," which is designed to be used by sign painters for store windows, metal, and other impervious surfaces. It is super viscous (reputedly requires only one coat) and is supposed to be weather proof. I put two coats on and it's held up pretty well, although there are a few spots where it rubbed off while I was building it. It gives a very smooth, glossy finish, though, which I really like. It was difficult to find locally, so I ended up contacting the manufacturer and having it shipped to me from one of their distributors in SC.