Using "modern" lacquers - spray gun/folly?

[Antipodes]

Newbie here - posted this originally in "restoration" but realise now this is probably the more appropriate forum. Apologies for the repetition.

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.

[soundman]

Nitro is most certainly available and legal in australia.....often it will be called precatalised laquer.

It does stink though, if you live in high density housing ya neibours will know.

the notion of endless sanding with nitro is misplaced, you only need to go to 180 gritt on the dry timber and 400 between coats.

Industrly uses nitro because it is fast.

I have heard of spray booths for hire....if you hire a booth, there will be air so you can spend up on a decent gun.

I built a portable open fronted booth for a bloke a few years ago..he still uses it in his suburban back yard....the object was to blow the fumes up at speed so they did not drift into the neibours

you will get into a cheap but passable spray outfit for arround $200.

no ya cant rub nitro, it dries too damn fast.

ya might be interested in investigating some of the wipe on, gell or danish oil brews.

But none of them will match the speed and type of finish you will get with sprayed nitro.

cheers

[John Samuel]

Nitro certainly seems like the right approach.

I was thinking about your dilemma when it occurred to me that you may find a member of this forum who lives close to you and who would rent you his gear for a small fee.

It seems possible that a keen hobbyist would have the gear you need, and the small fee you would pay might help him fund his hobby.

Just a thought.

[Antipodes]

Thanks John. Just had a word about this with a friend "off forum" who knows someone who might be a possibility. If that falls through I'm sure there's someone in Sydney's inner-city bit who might be able to help.