Thread: Using "modern" lacquers - spray gun/folly?

I've got quite a few (mainly mid century/modern) pieces which need re-lacquering. Additionally I restore vintage drums that occasionally need lacquering. Most of these would've originally been done in nitrocellulose lacquer which the purist in me says I should use where possible.

A few questions:

1. Is nitro even legal here? I lived in Sweden and Denmark for many years and it was all but illegal there but I remember getting a few cans here of something called Mirotec (or something similar).

2. I've got no spray gun, no booth (but an open courtyard garden). How many projects would I need to do to make it worthwhile getting the gear (I've just been quoted $300 - 500 for a lacquer job - admittedly one where I want a really perfect finish). And how feasable with no booth?

3. I did a passable nitro job with spray cans on a Swedish coffee table but it felt like I was cutting corners, with no real control of the spray. And not enough layers. Can using cans work out well?

4. I'm very used to working with shellac - can nitro be applied in a similar way with a rubber (just trying to avoid endless sanding which inevitably makes me lose interest in a project)?

5. What else other than nitro would work for furniture restoration?

6. Do people rent out spray booths?

Sounding particularly ignorant here but the whole post-shellac world has kinda passed me by (similarly "modern" techniques like machine sanding and polishing).

All tips gratefully accepted.