I have severe back problems with two titanium rods, 13 screws and two plates in my lower back. I have NO air powered, electrical or whatever sanders. I do everything by hand. I do lots and lots of sanding. I also start with 80 grit. Not the normal 30 grit with powered sanders as a lot of people use. After the entire chassis, cab fenders, etc are sanded in 80, I go and do it all over again in 220, then AGAIN in 400. Nevermind the filler, glaze, primers, etc in the process.
The idea is to FEEL the work and leave a good substrate on which to build on that is straight and solid. You have two camps.. one says you need to strip down to the bare metal. The answer to that camp is sandblasting. I do that myself ALOT. I want to see gleaming bare steel on every square inch of my restorations. If I don't see that myself, I can only assume there is something under those many coats of paint that will come back and bite me later.
The other camp says, just rough up the current paint and substrate and smooth it out, cover it with modern coatings, and you are good to go. Very valid and a good way to go as well.
Neither of those methods require powered sanders. As an amateur restorer, you can do much more damage than good that way. Learn to feel the curves and how each substrate behaves. The reason powered sanders are used in auto body is for expedience by the professionals. If you are in a hurry, do it by hand. If I can do it, anyone can.
