By Bruce Hansen

Approximately 50 members landed in the Akron, OH area, home of the Goodyear blimps, for the annual ACGHS National Convention on July 11-14. Our host was Greg Bilek who put together a great weekend of activities. Member Tim LaGanke led a tour of the Age of Steam Roundhouse (www.ageofsteamroundhouse.com) on Thursday afternoon for early arriving members.

The convention site was a full-sized gymnasium at the Family Life Center at Greg’s Church, Johnson United Methodist Church. Set-up began on Friday morning making this a nice two-day show.

Doors opened at 7:30 Saturday morning for members with the public joining the show starting at 9:00. No doubt where the show was taking place as Classic cars, including John Sawyer’s 1929 Model A delivery truck with an ERECTOR banner on the side, graced the entrance way to the show. John had some nice items for sale including an early type I dealer’s parts cabinet and a Hudson No. A.

Friday activities included tours of the Goodyear Wingfoot Blimp Hanger, Stan Hywet Estate (65-room Tudor Mansion of F. A. Seiberling, co-founder of the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company), and the Akron Soap Box Derby Downs. Greg personally hosted a tour of his business, Starpoint 2.0 LLC, where he molds rubber products including his FANTASTIC reproduction DR and LW tires. Oh, nice rubber ERECTOR door mats also. Members were also welcome to visit John Conklin’s train layout at his home on Friday and Saturday. Greg and his church hosted a cookout at the convention site after the tours where members had a great time discussing “Erector” business.

No question the hit of the show was the kid’s building table watched over by Tom Davis. In total, 96 children (and 4 adults) built an Erector glider model. Thanks again to all of the members who contributed parts for this activity. Alabama Bryson (junior member JohnBoy Bryson’s sister) was a tremendous help at the table guiding builders through the process and making up kits of parts. You go girl!

Why so many kids and families at the convention? It was the result of the hard work of our host Greg Bilek with ads in local papers, a billboard, word of mouth, etc. Dan Yett noted that he had never seen so many nonmembers leaving a show with an Erector set under their arms. Greg’s promotion of the show set a high bar for future hosts. Frankly, most of the tables at the show had items for sale. It was refreshing to see “new blood” looking at sets instead of members just exchanging items between each other. I brought 20 type III $5-$20 sets for sale and went home with just two of them.

Besides the kid’s building table, “models that buzz with action” were a big attraction. Greg Ralston WOW’d the crowd with his double-Ferris wheel and airplane ride. Everyone got to try out Greg’s Erector thriller from the No. 8 ½ manual. If you need builder’s parts, contact Greg, who had 100’s of pounds of nice parts for sale. Dave Ware had a number of his creations on display including a Zeppelin airplane ride. Bob Asleson displayed a number of Amusement park models that ran flawlessly throughout the show. Bob also had nice deals on a number of sets and manuals. Greg Bilek had a nice display of sets, a Zeppelin model or two and his excellent repro White Truck tires. Bill Streenz had really good deals on parts including a number of White truck parts that followed me home. JohnBoy Bryson brought his family (dad John, mom Rachel and sister Alabama) along with a super nice Zeppelin model in a hanger, JohnBoy also displayed his school project chronological highlights of Gilbert’s history. Peer Gerlach made the trip from Texas and had parts and sets for sale. He also had a great price on a builder’s manual with a number of original models inside. His granddaughter Evelyn was continually hounded to demonstrate their Erector marionette models.

Bob Zimmerman has long been known as an aficionado of Kaster sets. Well, he now has a new title of Santa Bob; Bob graciously gave Don Hora a No. 13 Jack stone Kaster mold which was the one mold Don was missing to complete his collection of the 44 molds originally sold by Gilbert.

Lots of members had items for display and for sale. Andy Jugle brought a nice array of Gilbert and American Flyer Paper. Bill and Mary Barren also had a very nice display of ads from old magazines and other paper.

Richard Leach had a fine display of Electrical, Mysto and “Little Richard” (my name for them) toys built from self-made tiny Erector set type parts. Kendrick Bisset was first to register for the show and had a knock-out display of Gilbert-produced Meccano sets. Dan Yett brought a mint Amusement Park set with an interesting story behind it. Call Dan for the details, but it’s a “killer’s” set. Dan also showed off a childhood photo of him in his soap box derby car.

Gene Mentzer had a number of nice for sale sets. Stephen Hopkins displayed a number of very nice type I sets, Bill Tanis brought a number of really nice classic period sets, Lang Smoak displayed a number of Erector and chemistry sets. Lang’s wife Johnette displayed an Unloved Erector Set built up from highly abused parts, complete with a sad-faced boy made from some pretty rough parts.

Jay and Linda Smith highlights included a No. 10 set, Meccano boat set and a factory built Hudson Locomotive and Tender with the original factory box. Dan Gills brought a number of type III sets and metal box sets. Ronnie Rodgers had good deals on sets, like an all original No. 10 ½ in very good shape for $125, Doug Allen had nice White truck models and sets for sale. Tom Lindsey (gilbert-fan on eBay) brought a nice No. 12 ½, 10 ½ and 8 ½ for sale. Ron Haubenstricker had some really good deals on chemistry, microscope and Erector sets.

Chuck Bisek had a brisk business going with lots of rare parts and a 1916 No. 8 set that I snagged. Ken Schuman had a nice Junior Erector Ferris wheel and lots of parts and sets. Russell Neiswander had parts and sets for sale. Steven Olson made the drive from North Carolina with a number of 1950’s metal boxed sets for sale. Lloyd McIntyre had good deals on a number of metal boxed Erector sets and a number of chemistry and microscope offerings. Tom Davis displayed/sold a number of items including the 1920’s series of hardcover science books. Gilbert sold sets like Signal Engineering, Hydraulic Engineering, etc. in the 1920’s that included paperback instruction books, but also sold the instructions “ala carte” in hardcover form.

Dennis Dick had many parts and sets for sale. Randy Ramsey had a No. 12 ½, super nice 1938/39 No. 9 ½ and a Hudson loco and tender (and other items) for sale. Randy hosts the Greater Toledo Toy and Train show that draws thousands each year. Contact Randy (info in the directory) for more details on his show. Richard Hummel had a nice train layout running through the show with one American Flyer diesel train and another make that starts with “L”.

Other members attending and enjoying some Ohio hospitality were Ken Weinig, Paul Thole, Dennis Ducharme, Ken Grimes, Robert Kanowske, Jon Goins, Terry Keeler and Joe Slezinger.

A nice tradition started by I believe Linda Truckenmiller years ago is the Ladies’ Tea. Erector widows made this a hit again at this show. I just don’t understand why shiny metal parts don’t interest everyone. I thought EVERYONE wanted to hear about some Erector mystery being solved.

The banquet was hosted by Greg Bilek at the Galaxy Restaurant conveniently located right next to the Holiday Inn Express. Outgoing ACGHS National President Dennis Ducharme thanked the group for his term as President and welcomed incoming National President Chuck Bisek.

Our banquet guest speaker was Lloyd McIntyre who gave a presentation on the Museum of Radio and Technology in Huntington, WV. Their website is www.mrtwv.org if you want to learn more and pay them a visit.

Bob Asleson was recognized for all of his hard work as Secretary/Treasurer over the years. Alabama Bryson was given a gift certificate for helping with the kids’ building table by Tom Davis.

Thanks again to Greg Bilek and his support crew for putting on an excellent show. Hope to see you all again next year in Chicago! And don’t hesitate to contact the members mentioned here with items for sale; most would have no problem boxing something up for the post office.