Thanks for the responses, everyone. I would do it myself, except for the fact that I know almost nothing about metalworking or welding. All I'd be able to do is paint ;) Plus, if there's any demand for the product, we'll need the items mass produced.
One component of the furniture will be height adjustable tubular legs, with one tube fitting into a larger one, being locked in place by an adjustment knob or screw. Does anyone know the best way to implement this? I've seen various furniture pieces with extruded nylon or plastic sleeves/liners that fit into the larger tube, acting as a cushion/bearing against the smaller tube. Sort of like a hollow end plug. Can anyone suggest a source for these items? Also, what's the best way to thread the hole in the larger tube to accept the height adjustment screw? For heavy loads, perhaps it would make sense to drill a series of holes in the smaller tube and use a screw or pin that would extend through both tubes. Or perhaps someone knows of a source for ready made assemblies like this?
With respect to the finishing process, I've check with local shops that do blating and powder coating, and all were expensive. I'm wondering if there are larger shops that will group small jobs together with a larger customer's powder coating job, in order to reduce setup costs. Thanks!