Hello Frank,
I completely understand the logic of why you wanted to DIY this - job satisfaction is indeed rewarding. The problem here is, you won’t be completely happy with the end result. If it was just a question of rubbing down some scratches, priming, and a couple of light coats of colour - just to make them look a bit better - then fine.
Take some positives from it Frank, although it’s possible, you have found it’s not worth while.
Regards,
Gareth.