Thank you guys. I'd also like to take this as an opportunity to highlight that this is not hard to do, nor does it need to be expensive. So, I encourage anyone who has wanted to but shied away from it due to it looking intimidating to give it a shot.
-You can easily pick up a body with good-looking topwood for cheap these days. There are lots of US-based shops cranking out strat and tele bodies on Ebay and Reverb. Obviously, you cant assume the tonewood quality, but for a learning experience, it doesn't really matter. I have stopped routing my own bodies because I'm beginning to find it AS expensive, or MORE expensive, to get body blanks and book-matched tops separately. Not to mention the wear and tear on router bits.
-YouTube tutorials...there are tons of them
-You absolutely 100% do not need to spray anything unless you are a nitro die-hard
-Yes, you can finish with an orbital sander, some good finishing-grade paper, and a delicate touch. Yes, you can wet-sand with an orbital. I will still hand sand when you really get into the finishing grits
-Dyes and tints are cheap, comparatively to most things
-Wipe on PU, PA, or my fave, tru-oil, I think all provide more than acceptable finishes and don't deaden the wood (this is my personal opinion and its definitely not to say its right or that anyone who disagrees is wrong), and they are also cheap, comparatively.
-Take your time and it is pretty straightforward
Realistically you could do a body like this for less than the cost of the gotoh bridge, tuners, and pick-your-brand pickups you are going to put in it. I am not a luthier, an artist, or an expert, or even a very good guitar player. This is just a hobby I really enjoy.
Is it going to look like a PRS etc...probably not. Is it going to look like you built it in your backyard, if you take your time, definitely not.
So, all that said, give it a shot.