I have been looking around for some N scale kits for my layout and found some DPM kits that look good and am wondering how they are to build? I have built several Cornerstone kits with good luck, how do the DPM kits compair to the Cornerstone kits?
Are there others that I might want to conseder? I would prefer the plastic kits over wood, I have never built a wood kit but might give it a try in the future. Thanks. Mike
I’m in HO, but have built a few DPM’s. They are nice kits, but require more work than the basic Walthers/Atlas plastic. The most challenging may be painting, as the windows, doors, and other details are part of the wall castings - in N scale this could be a real challenge!! The walls usually need a little touch-up in the corners to get tham completely square, and the roof’s are a little basic - some added details are usually necessary. For the price, you can’t go wrong. We just had a several page thread about DPM quality - check it out![:)]
Edit: http://cs.trains.com/trccs/forums/p/144671/1606360.aspx#1606360 is part of one of the threads. If you use the forum search, just type in DPM, and you’ll come up with a ton of comments - both for and against the kits, but I think you’ll find a big majority for!! [:)]
DPM kits are pretty easy to do, but they do have their tricks. Unlike typical plastic kits, there are not “tab A into slot B” arrangements, You have to be careful to keep them squared up, and the cast in windows make them a little tricky to paint. Otherwise they’re very nicely detailed, and very versatile for kitbash projects. My suggestion is to get a small one, and try it out. If you find you have questions, post them here along with some photos. I’m sure there’s enough brain power here to help you through any rough spots.
Also, don’t put all your eggs in the kit basket. I’ve found that there are a lot of materials out there that you can use to scratchbuild a wide variety of building types. Again, start small, practice some skills, and use the money you save to buy more lokeys!
Lee
I love those DPM kits, we have buildings right here in Elkins West Virginia that look exactly like them. Like another poster said, buy a small one and try it. For the cost these days you can’t beat it. I think they could be better with some kind of alteration in the mold for the chimneys. That’s where I seem to spend most cussing time!
I have built 4 of the DPM buildings in N scale…Painting is not that hard and they make great looking buildings…Cox 47
Absolutely! I have built and bash several of these buildings for use at the N Scale club…IMHO they are no harder to paint then HO.
4 walls and a roof, in general. The wall castings are well detailed. You will need to square the edges of the castings, per the included directions. I’ve found that they make the back walls on some of the kits too long. I’ve had to cut about a wall thickness off one edge to get the building square. No big deal.
A DPM kit challenges you to make a unique structure through your own efforts, not theirs. Your own paint and details, including signs and figures, can make these buildings take on any role. Some have big enough ground-floor windows that it’s worthwhile putting in an interior and some lighting.
Kind of like the Twilight Zone: Its boundaries are that of Imagination.
I’ve used the separate DPM wall packs to expand some of my other kits. As a plus, the wall packs have separate door & window castings.
The architectural style is in keeping with many vintage buildings of the 1920’s to 1950’s. I went to school and later worked in buildings that could be made from DPM parts.
Mark Gosdin
If you are afraid of painting the windows on the wall castings, pick up a Gold line kit like Woods Furniture. The windows are separate and the build goes very well. The Gold Line kits are very nice!
By all means, try a wood craftsman kit, too. They have almost a mystical aura about them, something like, “Am I worthy of this kit, Master?” Well, they aren’t Plasticville models, but people shouldn’t be frightened of them, either. With only moderate experience in building plastic kits, you can step up to a wood kit with little difficulty. The results are very satisfying.