How to Prepare Old Seat Frames for Repainting

I got a pair of old Piper seats from a salvage yard. Everything porous was so "special" that it immediately went into the trash. :P I have disassembled the seat frames. What is the right way to prepare them for repainting? Do I need to strip them all the way down to shiny steel? Should I use chemicals (which ones) or abrasive tools?

Thanks,
-- Art Z.

Art, I recommend that you sandblast the seat frames. Of course you need to be careful not to blast through the metal. Most likely the frames are 4130 steel tube with a relatively thin wall. Sandblasting will not only remove the old paint but also any existing corrosion. Another plus is it is fairly quick, and not toxic as most chemical stripper are. Once you have sandblasted the frames, don't touch the frame with your bare hands, use gloves or some plastic to not contaminate the surface. Paint the frames as soon as you can after sandblasting. Rusting can start within a few hours. Good luck with your project.

Regards,
Jim Davis
Restoring BD-4B

Sounds good. Thanks, Jim