Sound like your in same boat as me kind of!
I started a wheel, hours in total of rubbing down/off the original paint / lacker, i'd say getting close to 15 horus or something stupid. I've spent ages rubbing, a few hours a day over a few weeks.
I find im becomming OCD on how smooth you can get the alloy before painting lol!
However i've put the wheel back on as it is, not started the other 3, and im gonna try and find someone to blast them, because there's no WAY im rubbing down the other 3!!!!
So if anyone know's anyone in the Gloucestershire area, let us know please
