Painting/stripping/ grinding questions???

OK so Im ready to do some major work on a Old westinghouse wet chest, When It comes to rust Im thinking grinder as some places the rust is kinda deep( mostly on the bottom and inside at the bottom) Now what do I do to cleanup the grinding, would I then use a wetsandpaper and sand the metal slightly? and Stripping Is it usually adviseable to just strip it to the bear metal or just sand off the paint that isnt holding to the metal still? Im wanting to start this Soon and then just wait to paint( prob 2 months when it becomes warm enough) and I will probbably just will have to do a light sanding/steelwool to get rid of surface rust that wil make its way back between then and now. So for those of you whom do your own painting If you could shead some Light on this I would appreciate it. I have talked to some car people Online and they say " grinder what are you planning to do" and I tell them this all Isnt just slight surface rust and I have ground down metal before But always am ready to listen to some Ideas on strippers etc. thanks again