Different strokes.
I didn't feel it was necessary for an indoor item that will not see high moisture or extreme temperatures. Now I would never paint a car, truck, tractor or about any outside item without primer but not on well prepared indoor stuff.
FWIW, I used very little sandpaper either except in tight areas. I did 95% of my surface prep with BBQ grill cleaning pads with a D handle.
http://www.choiceful.com/prod_image/71617_m.jpg
They do a great job on old paint, grunge and even scaly rust like you often see at the bottom of the legs in the first couple of inches. Those pads also make a fine push block too and grip better than the foam rubber pad ones.
I get them at Wally World for about $2.
I follow the sanding/scouring with a solvent cleaning. I think the one I used was called "Liquid Sand" or something like that.
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I do something that I don't see most others doing. I prep and paint the insides and normally unseen parts of all of the castings etc. If you pull my belt cover off for example it looks as nice on the inside as on the outside. The bottom of the main table looks great prepped and painted. Good masking is critical...
It has been maybe 8 years or more since I quickly painted "The Old Gray Mare" and it shows no signs of peeling or flaking. It has been sitting in the old shop where it can drop to 20 below zero at times and stuff sweats badly in spring and fall.
I will be moving it into the new shop where it will never freeze again, hopefully this week. I didn't take nearly the pains with her as I have the later ones.
