Furniture Stripping

Furniture stripping is always a messy process.  I like to start by removing all hardware on the piece.  This includes knobs, pulls, hinges, glass etc.  By doing this you save time having to clean all the dirty pieces with stripped finish in them.  You also run the risk of ruining certain hardware by not removing it. 
Next, I try to find the right stripper.  Metholene Chloride(MC) is a sure way to strip most pieces.  However, in some areas it is not sold.  It is highly flammable and corrosive but gets the job done.  Be sure to wear gloves because it will burn your skin.  There are many types of stripper if MC is not for you.  Orange-glo makes an environmentally safe stripper that works okay.  If the piece has a laquor finish, laquor thinner will strip it with some heavy single O steel wool.  If the piece has old shellac, denatured alcohol will disolve the shellac instantly.
The best tip for stripping I can give you is, the more you strip the less you will have to sand.  Hurrying with stripping just leads to way more time consuming sanding.
Whatever method you use, always finish by cleaning the piece.  I like laquor thinner.  I quickly dries and washes away most strippers.
After you strip the piece, let it dry for a couple hours.  A wet piece will just gum up your sandpaper.  Sandpaper is not cheap and you use alot of it.