Thanks polyparrot,
I'm hoping the spray will be ok but I have found a source for flakes if it doesn't work out. Yes being winter here may retard the drying process, here's hoping!
I did finally after hours of searching find some aniline dye and some absolute denatured alcohol that can be shipped to me at a semi-reasonable cost, so there is that.
I did see on another forum someone complaining that he had to buy a quart of shellac for a whopping $15 because they didn't have pints in stock. Here in Australia Zinsser don't import the pint, the only readily available size is the quart for $32. This whole process is breaking the bank and i'm having to buy huge quantities of everything, to be honest I'm a little disheartened and thinking of just leaving the machines and if the exposed decals rub off so be it! The money I save not buying these materials will get me another machine easily.
Sorry if I sound like I'm having a whinge but in Australia everything is more costly because of transport.