Best way to refinish a metal (basketball) pole?

[GeauxLSU]

Like the title says. 18 years of being outside has taken it's toll. Need to remove old paint and rust and refinish.
I'm interested in EASY. A couple of years ago I tried a wire brush on a drill. I'm pretty sure I'd have died of old age before finishing.

While mechanical is preferable, if chemical cuts the time down significantly, I'm in.

So what's the magic?

 

[Gimli2]

How important is pretty, and how much longer do you need it to last? I vote you wire brush off the loose paint and slather it with rust converter (chemically changes rust into, um, something else).

 

[geezer]

Belt sander, OSPHO, and a quality DTM paint...

 

[GeauxLSU]

How important is pretty, and how much longer do you need it to last? I vote you wire brush off the loose paint and slather it with rust converter (chemically changes rust into, um, something else).

I'm not very pretty, sooooo......
If it would look decent for 5 years with minimal touch up that would be great. Like I mentioned, it's survived 18 to this point. I've never used a converter but from what I gather, they work (in theory).

Belt sander, OSPHO, and a quality DTM paint...

No belt sander. Palm and surface grinder only.

 

[Barbwire]

Be sure if male dogs are around to slip a larger piece of pvc pipe over it and bury it an inch or so to prevent rust at the bottom. My goal has a piece about 20" inches tall on it. It works.

 

[BillsCamino]

POR 15
It can be applied over rust. Just wire brush off the loose stuff. Apply with paint brush.
Don't get any on your hands...difficult to remove.
Comes in colors.

I've used this stuff on car chassis...


https://www.amazon.com/POR-15-45004-Gloss-black-Preventive/dp/B00H2VVL0S

 

[GeauxLSU]

Be sure if male dogs are around to slip a larger piece of pvc pipe over it and bury it an inch or so to prevent rust at the bottom. My goal has a piece about 20" inches tall on it. It works.

Yep, wish I had done that when it was installed. No longer have any male dogs so no issue any longer, but that damage is definitely there.

 

[Cadcom]

POR 15
It can be applied over rust. Just wire brush off the loose stuff. Apply with paint brush.
Don't get any on your hands...difficult to remove.
Comes in colors.

I've used this stuff on car chassis...


https://www.amazon.com/POR-15-45004-Gloss-black-Preventive/dp/B00H2VVL0S

Best stuff around! Works great.

 

[GeauxLSU]

POR 15
It can be applied over rust. Just wire brush off the loose stuff. Apply with paint brush.
Don't get any on your hands...difficult to remove.
Comes in colors.

I've used this stuff on car chassis...


https://www.amazon.com/POR-15-45004-Gloss-black-Preventive/dp/B00H2VVL0S

Best stuff around! Works great.

Anybody stock it locally? I'm trying to tackle this today (ideally).

 

[Mgknebel]

I have always had good luck with aircraft remover. It’s a rattle can that you spray on and leave for a few minutes. I’ve used them to remove years of caked on paint on tools at work.