Originally Posted by
bbbob
In France, you can buy redi-mixed gum-lacq as they call it, in a wide variety of colors, usually applied over white tape. Also, "usually" applied to the bar/stem combo nowhere near the bike, like in a vise.
For a more permanent job, several DAYS of multiple coats are used with ample dry time too.
I've tried over-the-counter, pre-mixed (or whatever the term is) shellac as well. In my experience, the pre-mixed stuff goes down slower, and it's definitely best to remove the entire bar/stem combo from the bike when using that stuff. Why? Since it's thicker than the alcohol-based stuff I used here, it doesn't 'weep' from top to bottom - one actually has to brush it onto every surface to get a complete, even coat. And yes: it definitely dries slower; I put down three coats over three days when I used that stuff to do the bars of the Casati, Medici, and Bianchi. The finish coat is noticeably glossier than the flakes-and-alcohol mixture, too.
DD