Eleven years of freezing and thawing cycles has pretty much destroyed the finish on our crank-out window sill frames. Moisture has settled, pooled, frozen and cracked the varnish on about three dozen windows. Now with the weather so hot, it's a good time for an inside air-conditioned put-sy project, so here goes.
Best tool for completing the removal of the finish? A simple dull-bladed broad knife, scraping back and forth. Vacuum. Repeat. Then on with the detail sander for a touch up. Apply lots of blue tape, then stain, then sealer, then varnish, then varnish. . .
Patience. One detail at a time.