Refurbishing a garden seat

[Ian]

I have a wooden garden seat with cast iron ends. The ends have been painted many times, but are now in a sorry state. The best approach would be to strip all the paint off and start again.

(This brought back memories of when ah were a lad, when we would tek us cast iron bits to t' foundry, slip t'foreman 'alf a crown, and he would dunk t'bits into summat, and they would emerge as bright as a new pin).

In the absence of a local foundry, any ideas for stripping off the paint? Nitromors? Something else?

[Adrian C]

Electrolysis in a caustic solution? (random guess, no experience)

[Steve Walker]

Stick 'em on top of a bonfire for a few hours, remembering to allow slow cooling?

Criticising the government is not illegal, but on investigation often turns out to be linked to other offences

[meow2222]

If youre not willing to use paint striper, the primary cheap alternative is a mild solution of caustic soda in wallpaper paste. It only attacks some paint types though, and I've little idea what's on your metalwork.

There's also a rotary wire brush, but I wouldnt normally want to put that much work into something that wont save you a bean. As has been said, charring the paint would make it come off easier - but would mean it all had to come off then.

NT

[Chewbacca]

I know you said cast iron, but some of the newer seat have ends from cast ally which when painted can look like iron. Please don't be offended if you know the difference, but caustic soda will attack the ally.