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I've never used sign writer's paint, but I 'd say generally the warmer the paint and the paint shop, the better the result. When everything is cold it's necessary to use more thinners, which means that when the paint has 'flashed off' (i.e. the the thinner has evaporated) there is less of a covering of paint.
I have seen, but never used, a spray gun with a heating element under the reservoir. The idea was to get a better build of paint by using less thinner.
Incidentally, it's not hard to make an amateur stoving oven - essentially all you need is an insulated box with a flue and some means of heating. With basic stoving enamel, you only need to achieve a temperature of 120C and maintain it for 30 minutes. I should mention that professional ovens have explosion relief panels, so beware of that potential problem, but if we're talking about a single bike frame that has been allowed to flash off the risk of explosion must be fairly low. Just don't stand in front of it the first few times you stove - this would definitely be at your own risk!
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clubman
@jeff80
Ah, bit late for that sadly. Will be doing the head in blue in the next few days but brush enamelling with sign writers pain, which seems to flatten out nicely and hold a 'wet edge long enough to get a decent finish. H(having said that, I believe part of the reason I'm having trouble at the moment is the hot(ish) weather, as the paint is drying to a tacky stage far quicker than in ought to.
That said, I believe I may have hit on a reasonable technique tonight-apply the paint thick by brush,then wipe off with a paint/turps soaked rag wadded up-seems to smooth things down well enough whilst leaving a very thin layer of paint on-thereby by passing the plaint-pooling-around-lugs issues. looks ok now but will obviously have top check it over tomorrow morning when the paint is getting close to fully dry....