Any experience with DPM building kits?

[Anonymous]

Hey guys, I was searching for buildings for my layout--not quite there, but thought they might make good xmas gift ideas--and I came across Design Preservation Models(I think that what it stands for)DPM building kits. They definitly have the 'style' of building I want and notcied a starter kit(N scale) that basically comes with everything you need. It's 120$ on their site, but I've seen it on EBAY for much cheaper. I'm just wondering how their kits are and if anybody has had any experience with the starter kit.

Thanks(yet)again
JASON

[orsonroy]

DPM makes great buildings, but they're pretty spartan. Essentially, for a very reasonable price, you get four walls and roofing material. Any other detailing (fire escapes, access hatches, roof piping) is up to you. I love DPM kits, and have built dozens of them in both HO and N (I've got five N scale buildings in primer now, and just painted one over the weekend). They're the best urban American buildings on the market, and assemble quickly.

I've bought the N scale multi-building set for about $100 on the street. Considering all the cast metal details you also get witht he set, the price is a steal!

[tstage]

The DPM kits are very nicely detailed but take more customizing than most "glue here, attach there" kits. You have to sand some of the edges to get the pieces to fit together properly at 90 degrees. (There bevel them so that there is enough material to do that.)

I've only made one so far - a freight house. One inside corner isn't exactly 90 degrees but you can't really telll unless you look at it from the bottom. (Helps to have a square or good machining block. Nice kits. It will take you some time to assemble and paint but they're worth the effort.

Tom

[Anonymous]

DPM kits rock. They are very affordable and give you several options. You can just stick them together and put on the layout. You can spend time in painting the details (window/door frames, moldings etc), you can kitbash a couple together to make a different building, or you could go all out and detail with fire escapes, TV antennaes, etc. etc.

Gotta love 'em!

[bsteel4065]

DPM are great kits. They have good detail and are superb for kitbashing. I have a whole bunch of them. As everyone has said, you can make them as detailed as you want. I put interiors and lighting. DPM are excellent. I wi***hey made more and bigger. (Yes I've used their modular kits too.)

[Anonymous]

I agree with all of the above comments. DPM kits are easy to build and let you fini***hem off in many ways to make yours look different than mine or any of those other guys who built the same kit. I've added roof top AC units to most of mine. Just make them out of styrene, paint green, add some black lines for wiring and 'freon' and a little weathering. You can substitute sandpaper to get a different roof look. Lots of options.

[tomwatkins]

They are great kits. They provide just the basics, you have to add the extra detailing pieces, but what's there is super. I use the bulk packs a lot and mix and match pieces to build the structures I want.
Have Fun,
Tom Watkins

[Anonymous]

I agree, the kits are pretty good! I bought the town and factory building set at a train show for $88 - it is well worth the money - good luck with your buildings!

[Anonymous]

You can also get good deals on DPM on ebay. Many of the sellers just do the "buy it now" thing and several offer either really cheap or free shipping.

The really cool thing about DPM, besides what I wrote above, is kitbashing. If you screw up a bash, you aren't out a bunch of cash, nor did you just mess up a limited edition model.

[Anonymous]

DPM makes great kits. I have also used the DPM wall sections in several styles to make buildings that will fit a special place on the layout. Walthers has recently introduced a line of background buildings that fit against the wall behind the track. I have done several buildings of this type from DPM components.
The brick patterns are easy to paint with light morter color, and then wipe away the paint from the surface of the bricks.