Odds-N-Ends paint?

[Ron Warner]

Hey everyone, before someone says "search old threads" I have, and the newest I could find with this topic was 2012.

I used to use a paint called "Odds-N-Ends" by Plasti-Kote. I've been away from modeling for years, and want to know if it's still around. I like building factory-stock old cars, and they had a lot of colors that Testors and Tamiya didn't have (I'm specifically thinking of stuff like pale yellow, etc.) and I don't like using 1:1 paint for projects I'm going to dull-coat and weather as it's expensive.

All I can find are the Short Cuts paints, which are OK but don't have most of the colors I used to get...they're much more generic. Any ideas? Other paints you use? (Again, I know about the hobby Brands and Duplicolor, etc.)

[stitchdup]

I dont know if its the same in  the us, but they are still available. In the uk they seem to be mostly in house paint type shops now or general tool shops

[Mark]

The Odds-N-Ends I remember was branded as Pactra, which was discontinued years ago.  Short Cuts was always Krylon's product, which has always been sold as a competitor or alternative to Odds-N-Ends when it was on the market.

[GeeBee]

There still available here in the UK,  but the formula has changed, there now water based, I've got quite a few of the older versions,  thinned with lacquer thinners they airbrush really nice.

[Fat Brian]

The paint I remember was made by Plastikote, I haven't seen it in over a decade and have never found anything quite like it.

[Snake45]

I used to buy it at a local small hardware store that is also now defunct. Yes, it was originally called Pactra Odds N Ends, later they dropped the Pactra name. The line included a beautiful aluminum brush paint that I miss a lot. I haven't seen them for a decade or more. 

Tim Boyd famously used the stuff on a few of his hot rod builds. 

[Miatatom]

Take a look at Createx. Their color chart helps with mixing specific colors.

[espo]

I have used them long ago. I have noticed them at Hobby Lobby and the Wal Mart but the formulas may have changed with time. What I do remember was that they seemed sort of "thick" and you had to be very carful about spraying to heavy of a coat of color and slow drying times. They did have some great colors and would general give you a smooth finish.  

[John Pol]

You still can get it at Micheals this paint

[Snake45]

1 hour ago, John Pol said:

You still can get it at Micheals this paint

What, the spray? Hobby Lobby has it too. The Plasti-Kote website doesn't even show the jars anymore. 

[John Pol]

Yes the spray paint not the bottles

[Ron Warner]

I can't find the jars or the spray on Plasti-Kot'e's website. Our Hobby Lobby stores have the Krylon Short Cuts brand now. They seem similar, but a much more generic color selection.

[Fat Brian]

5 hours ago, Ron Warner said:

I can't find the jars or the spray on Plasti-Kot'e's website. Our Hobby Lobby stores have the Krylon Short Cuts brand now. They seem similar, but a much more generic color selection.

Be careful with Krylon paints, some like the Fusion line can eat plastic.

[The_Inspector_069]

The plastikote Odds and Ends paints were discontinued due to the toxicity from the fumes. 
Hense, the reason they went to water base. But it does not compare to the original oil based product.

As an alternative, I have used Testors/ Model Master paints. They’re ok, but overpriced for what they do.

I am still looking for an alternative to the alternative.

[Miatatom]

There's a learning curve, but I like the Createx line of paints.

[TransAmMike]

1 hour ago, Miatatom said:

There's a learning curve, but I like the Createx line of paints.

While I'm certainly no expert, I use Createx quite a bit but I would not recommend a relatively new air-brusher to use it.  I used Tamiya acrylic for the first time (my Buddy Zippy sent me a couple bottles for me to try since he likes it a lot) and my first experience was positive.  Another alternative is craft acrylics,  Hobby Lobby my go to place to buy them. A lot of color choices, flat, glossy and metallics.

 

[Dave G.]

5 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

While I'm certainly no expert, I use Createx quite a bit but I would not recommend a relatively new air-brusher to use it.  I used Tamiya acrylic for the first time (my Buddy Zippy sent me a couple bottles for me to try since he likes it a lot) and my first experience was positive.  Another alternative is craft acrylics,  Hobby Lobby my go to place to buy them. A lot of color choices, flat, glossy and metallics.

 

Yep

[TransAmMike]

2 minutes ago, Dave G. said:

Yep

??Ha, I knew you'd agree Dave!!

[Zippi]

If your wanting paint that match factory colors from back in the day, check out MCW paints. 

[Bugatti Fan]

Matching factory colours. There are a number of specialist auto paint suppliers who can make up aerosols to suit. They tend to acrylic formula paints so should be ok on plastic models. I have used some to good effect and they worked very well on my models.

[stavanzer]

My HL is now out of Short-Cuts paints too. I wonder what the heck is really going on?

[Mark]

They seem to get big shipments.  Next to nothing one visit, fully stocked next time.  They may have had them on sale last week, if so that triggers a run on the stuff.