I have two DPM structures that could use positionable doors. Has anyone done something similiar with thier DPM structures?
These aren’t DPM’s, but it’s sort of what you’re thinking of. The first is a Walthers kit. The picture is kind of small, but the loading dock door in the center looked like the other one originally. I cut the door in two, sanded and painted the edges, and then glued the halves in with the door in the open position.
This one is a City Classics. Again, I cut the door in two and re-mounted it.
I guess the issue with many DPM’s, though, is that the doors are molded as part of the wall. I’ve got one that I’m planning the same sort of thing on. I’ll start by cutting around the door from the inside with a sharp hobby knife. Hopefully, I can do this, but I know that the plastic is very thick. I may have to use a Dremel, but I hope not. The knife will give a much thinner cut, and will leave a better edge.
For a cutting that might work, try using a really fine drill bit as a router. It worked when I was modifying an Accurail box car. You will have to be very careful as you can do a lot of damage real quick, but it’s got to be easier than cutting around the bracing of an outside braced box car.
Mr Beasely, Im building the City Classics grocery store right now. What did you use for the sidewalk? Was there any parts of the build that I should know about?
I had a lot of fun with this kit. I sent in the little card in the package and got the extra decal set with prototype store names - I chose the A&P for mine. The kit comes with the signs for the windows, in two sets with different prices for different eras. Yes, they provided the signs for S&H Green Stamps and for Spam.
The sidewalk is just made of styrene. I cut out an outline of the store shape, so that the store sits down inside the sidewalk pattern. This hides the base of the store, and prevents light from leaking out. I painted the sidewalk “rainy day gray” with cheap acrylic craft paint, and added the lines with a #2 pencil.
I used my computer to print up images of the wood floor and store shelves for the interior. Some shelf pictures were stuck on the walls, while I used others to fold up and make the free-standing shelves in the middle of the store. I mounted the light above the big windows, so it couldn’t be seen from outside but lit up the store pretty well.
All of the figures in this scene are from the same Preiser set:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/590-10492
They’re on sale at Walthers right now, but the low value of the dollar has made them a lot pricier than when I bought them a couple of years ago. Then again, take a look at the advertised price of that Spam in the window.