N.A.M.E.S. 2010

[putputman]

I plan to attend the N A M E S show in April for the first time and really looking forward to it. My two younger brothers and I are taking a little road trip and I expressed an interest in the engine show and they agreed. Our plans are to drive through northern Wisconsin to the U P of Michigan, down through the L P of Michigan, cross over to Detroit for the show, and come home by way of Canada.

It is my understanding that the show has moved back to an old location that was used for many years. Not being familiar with the Detroit area, I am looking for some advice as to hotel/motel recommendations from some of you who have been there in the past. It is still a ways off but I would like to get my reservations in fairly soon.

Also open to other places of interest in the Detroit area.

It sounds like George and Steve will be displaying their engines at the show. I'm wondering how many more HMEM members plan to be there. It would be nice to meet some of you at the show.

 

[IronHorse]

I am thinking of attending this year. I have never gone to a model engine show, but I am sure it would be interesting. Although it is an 8 hour drive from Toronto, and I hate driving, maybe this year I will go.


IronHorse

 

[rodan]

Guys,

Although it has been many years since I attended the show, it is a good one.

Can't make any motel/hotel recommendations. But I can recommend you make some time to go to the Henry Ford Museumin Dearborn:

The Henry Ford
20900 Oakwood Blvd.
Dearborn, MI 48124-4088

http://www.thehenryford.org/index.aspx


This is a great museum for the technically inclined. The collection there is quite varied but very interesting. Well worth the price of admission.

Enjoy the trip

Rodan

 

[ChooChooMike]

I HEARTILY recommend rodan suggestion ! I visited the Henry Ford Museum and Greenfield Village last year and LOVED it !!

Being a steam engine nut, I was quite enamored with huge collection of stationary steam engines in the museum and the locomotives running around Greenfield Village

Unfortunately, I was only there for about 1/2 day and couldn't see everything I had wanted. :rant:

GO !!

Mike

 

[kuhncw]

I am planning to give the nearby La Quinta a try this year. Its on-line reviews seemed a bit more favorable than for some of the other choices. www.tripadvisor.com

Hopefully, I've made a good choice.

Regards,

Chuck Kuhn

 

[RonGinger]

I am thinking of attending this year. I have never gone to a model engine show, but I am sure it would be interesting. Although it is an 8 hour drive from Toronto, and I hate driving, maybe this year I will go.


IronHorse

There is a Model Engineering club from Toronto that has come by chartered bus for several years. I dont know their exact name or a contact, but if you dig around you ought to find it. That might be more pleasant than driving alone.

I have 900 miles and about 16 hours to drive, so Im not very sympathetic to your mere 8 hour ride ;D

It is moving back to the Southgate Ice Rink, which is much smaller than the last few shows in Toledo. I prefer Toledo, but Ill still go, I wouldnt miss the show

 

[1hand]

I was going to try to attend, but its the same weekend as my girls dance production. I got to be there to make sure the money was spent on the lessons.... ;D

Matt

 

[stevehuckss396]

There is a page on the NAMES web site that gives the names of all the local motels and resturants.

http://www.modelengineeringsoc.com/hospitality.htm

I am hoping to blow off work early and get down to the arena friday. That seems to be the only time that you get to see anything when you show stuff.

 

[Quickj]

Arv,
I normally do not miss this show, but this year my spouse made arrangements for a vacation in Florida over the same time period as NAME's so I will have to miss it. I normally drive the southern route down around Chicago, but Neal James normally drives the northern route as you are proposing. It takes me 12 Hours exactly from Minneapolis.

I can't recommend a hotel near Southgate, because the show has been in Toledo for a couple of years. Before the show moved to Toledo, Scott Logan (From Logan Lathes) hosted a dinner party every year on Friday evening at the Holiday Inn and I have stayed there a couple of times. Certainly not the worse place I have stayed in Detroit.

Like everyone else, I recommend you take in the Ford Museum while you are there. I would Drive down Thursday, Take in Ford on Friday (All Day), Go to NAMEs on Saturday, and a couple of hours on Sunday and drive home. Actually 2 days at Ford and Greenfield village would be better.

Enjoy the show. Sure wish I could join you all.

 

[putputman]

Thanks for the replies.

Rodan & Mike, it sounds like the Ford museum is a must see when in the Detroit area. Will see If I can get the bros. to go along with it.

Ron, are you saying the show is much smaller or just the show area is smaller?
I am hoping it is still one of the major engine shows in the USA.

Steve, I have seen the NAMES web site but am hoping to get recommendations from some HMEM members that have been their before. Maybe even a place that members hang out in the evening.
Looking forward to seeing that POM engine of yours at the show.

Quickj, my heart really bleeds for you having to spend time in Florida with your best friend after one of these long Minnesota winters.
I'm sure we will meet at LeSueur or Albany. Have a good trip.

Still would like hotel/motel recommendations from members who have been there.

 

[RonGinger]

Ron, are you saying the show is much smaller or just the show area is smaller?
I am hoping it is still one of the major engine shows in the USA.

The location is much smaller than Toledo. Of course there is no way to tell how many exhibitors will attend, there are some that thought that moving to Toledo caused some of the Detroit exhibitors to not attend. For those of us driving hundreds of miles it seems silly that a 30 mile move of the show would make any difference to the attendance.

The show was at this same location for 5 or 6 years before the move to Toledo. It is a city owned Ice Arena. There are 2 rinks, and at this time of year one rink has been 'de-iced' and is used as a general show site. The first year the entire show was on the one rink, and it was rather crowded. The next couple years they expanded by putting down some plywood sheets on the ice. It was a terrible place for a show- your feet froze.

They will not be using the ice side this time, so its back to one rink. If they get a normal turnout its going to be crowded.

The show is run by a committee of about a dozen people. I understand there have been lots of debate over the location. I suspect Toledo cost a lot more money, and may have been more than they can afford.

In my personal view I really wish it were in Toledo- I really liked the location. We stayed right there in the connected hotel and it made it all very easy. But I would not miss the show, so Ill go wherever they move it.

 

[PTsideshow]

Here is the Hotel/Motel list for the area around the NAMES location.

We started to install the piping for the air manifold system in the area. Yesterday, as somebody in the last couple of years had removed most of the piping. But it will be back in for the show. We will be using the east arena known as arena 'B'. and the meeting room near the dining/food service area to the east.

Sounds like we will have a full list of vendors as the booths and tables are all spoken for.

When calling about the rooms.

Remember to ask for the NAMES room Rate

For those of us driving hundreds of miles it seems silly that a 30 mile move of the show would make any difference to the attendance.

And to address the above statement. It was one group of people that didn't get their way about things at the show. And had a hissie fit. That was talking that up, most didn't take an active part in the set up or operation of the show.

All though I feel with the problems they had in their own groups at the time caused a lot of the huff and puff stuff. Too many people that have "NO" connection or "DIRECT" knowledge with the show are making statements about the what and why of the changes as to the location. And other things going on.

A number of the Board members retired/ left the board. Some due to their moving to Florida and would no longer be able to take part in the year long activities of the business end. Some due to declining or worsening health and have reduced their participation, to a minimum or retired from the board.
Now you add to those facts that, the people that displayed are getting older. And are finding it harder to drive to the shows no matter were they are held.

Part of the problem was that the Canadian people that bussed it to the shows found the extra time it took to get there, That it doubled the number of drivers according to the laws to get there and made it cost prohibitive.

The other item is most of the Boards members and active volunteers now reside in southeast Michigan or Canada. With in a 100 miles or so of the arena.

There is also just the general drama of some peoples need to get something started and stir crap up, to try to ruin things for everybody else! If you have spent 20 minutes on the forums or in group of hobby people you know the kind of thing I'm talking about.

It's to bad but that is life.

FYI It takes a week to set the show up in the arena whether it was Seagate or Yack or at Southgate. Everything from laying out the table spaces and isles to setting up and covering the tables to the airlines etc. are done by volunteers or arena staff payed by the group renting the arena.

We will be back there at least more two days to finish up the reinstall the manifolds etc. before the setup.

There was a new management company that took over Seagate arena for the City of Toledo, They wanted to double the rent and other costs for the show.

I will be posting the sheet for exhibitors, Fuel rules and safety as soon as I get a corrected copy. Different fire departs different rules or interpretation of the rules.

Any other questions, I will try to answer or get the answers too.

 

[PTsideshow]

Here is some more information and changes that might be of interest to those thinking of attending.

There will be a space as in the past for static display of large scale outdoor RR equipment. And the large scale tractors inside. Due to space limitations there will not be either an oval or straight section of track inside the arena area for running.

There is some thing being worked out about the local track and shuttle buses to and from the arena, Details as soon as they are available.


Seminar list should be available soon.

There are no Vendor Tables Available for this years (2010 Show) By city ordnance,there is no selling from trailer,trunk,car or free standing outdoors set ups. The city said it will be enforced!

Friday is set up day for exhibitors. Setup time is 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM Friday.

 

[PTsideshow]

There are NO MORE VENDOR tables for rent at THIS YEAR SHOW 2010

There are over 120 tables including Booth tables that have been Rented for this year.

Also please read the following:

You can not sell from the exhibitor tables, And to clarify some statements e mailed to me. "NO" as far as I have been able to find "NO ONE" has ever been given permission to sell from the exhibitor tables at any time in the past. They are for display only. We have removed people in the last couple of years that have broken that rule.

This year due to space N.A.M.E.S. as a group, was not going to have a sales table for exhibitors as in past years.

But either the group or the guy that has run the exhibitors sales tables the last couple years. Has rented some vendor tables and is planning to let people sell items on the tables on a commission basis.
I have no other information on it. I also don't know if it is just him or the group he is with doing it. A live steam RR group out of Ohio.

Bottom line is if you sell it you better be on a VENDORS tables. And people have tried being sneaky about it. They don't get away with it much. As the other exhibitors, vendors and customers let us know!

The only other set in stone selling rule is NO Knives, Guns are allowed with open access on the tables or for sale.

By city ordnance,there is no selling from trailer,trunk,car or free standing outdoors set ups. The city said it will be enforced!

 

[PTsideshow]

2010 Seminar Schedule

The 2010 seminar schedule has been finalized. But due to circumstances beyond our control can be changed.

Once again this year we have a fine line-up of seminars for you to attend. All seminars will be in two areas. Seminar A and B will be located on the 2nd floor at the south end of the arena. Please look for the signs.

Saturday, April 24, 2010
Time--------Room------Presenter--------------Subject

10:00 AM-----A---------Mike Rehmus--------3D CAD to Casting

10:00 AM-----B---------Rich Carlstedt-------Unique Methods of Model Part Fabrication (Including "Micro" Forge)

12:00 PM-----A---------Dale Grover----------Getting Started With EMC, Free Open Source CNC Control Software

12:00 PM-----B---------Jerry Kieffer----------Basic Gear Cutting

2:00 PM------A---------Ron Ginger------------Adventures in Home Shop CNC

2:00 PM------B---------Rick Chownyk---------Building a Backyard Foundry

Sunday, April 25, 2010
Time------Room---------Presenter-----------Subject

10:00 AM-----A---------Phil Shannon---------Try This (35 Years Worth of Machining and Bench Tips)

10:00 AM-----B---------Dale Grover----------Getting Started With EMC, Free Open Source CNC Control Software

 

[PTsideshow]

Didn't realise that this wasn't the original thread.
Here is the link to the flyer and map of the local area
;D

 

[putputman]

PTsideshow, this will be my first national engine show like this. Not sure what to expect.

Is there plenty of parking at the show?

Is there shuttle service from the hotels?

Are there food vendors for breakfast, lunch, etc.?

Does HMEM have a booth or meeting place?

Looking foreward to meeting some of the people that have been posting.

 

[PTsideshow]

There is plenty of free parking around the arena. There food vendors that service the arena. The usual stadium food with a dining area that has plate type meals.

The hotels/motels are spread all over the place so its drive yourself to the show.

There are also plenty of the usual fast food joints and other family style restaurants. in the area.

The only shuttle service is for the wives/ladies to go to the mall. And a shuttle to the live steam groups tracks for rides Great Lake Live steamers.

Don't think HMEM has a booth or table. As a Meeting place generally those that are going pick a time and spot to meet, along with making up a small tag or sign and wear them.

If you are setting up to display your engines you can have a sign says that you are looking for other forum members. That is another good way to snag bodies as they walk by.

Before it's here I will post the final layout

 

[PTsideshow]

Here is the layout as planned for 2010 show

Green Tables are the exhibitors tables
Red Tables are the vendors tables and Booths are two tables
NORTH is to the right of the drawing

And please the layout is not open for discussion, Due to City Fire and Safety Ordinances, walkways widths and pathways to the fire exits are set.

 

[PTsideshow]

Well all the air manifolds, are in area "B" and we are good to go for the show. They have a couple of more tournaments over the next couple of weeks ends then they will take the sheet of ice out.