DaytonDailyNews.com

Bill Hagenbuch, 89, knows how to spin a good yarn.

With the assistance of his daughter Kate, the Engineers Club of Dayton and The Cordage Institute, Hagenbuch's knowledge and experience in rope making has been converted into a DVD documentary.

"Ropewalk: A Cordage Engineer's Journey Through History" relates the history of rope making including the story of the Hooven and Allison Co., a rope and twine manufacturing company that operated in Xenia until 2004.

It is also a personal story about Hagenbuch, whose family was an integral part of the Xenia company that was founded in 1869 and for which he worked for nearly 40 years.

"I started by helping to unload the imported fiber (400-pound bales of sisal and 275-pound bales of Manila hemp) from the rail cars and stack it in the warehouse," said Hagenbuch of Beavercreek.

Before Hagenbuch retired in 1987 he had worked as chief engineer, general manager, president and finally as chairman of the board.

Hagenbuch, trained as a chemical engineer, is particularly proud of his work to motorize the plant's old machinery, which for 40 years had been driven by pulleys and convert to synthetic rope made from polypropylene pellets.

Kate Hagenbuch, a registered nurse in Miami Valley Hospital's Emergency Department, made several attempts to videotape her father's story of rope.

The Oakwood resident said she knew nothing about filmmaking but was confident in her organizational skills.

Hagenbuch pulled together a team of professionals to help fulfill her vision.

"The intent was to preserve and share Dad's efforts on rope making history, though obviously a film starring Bill Hagenbuch will become a family legacy."

Athens filmmaker Steve Fetsch served as director, editor and cinematographer. Fetsch filmed Bill Hagenbuch for eight hours during the course of three days.

He combined that footage with historical photographs and movie footage, graphics and animations to produce a DVD that covers a range of rope related topics from agriculture to globalization and space exploration.

"Ropewalk" debuted April 25 at the Engineers Club. Bill Hagenbuch has been a member of the club for 60 years.

During World War II, Hagenbuch served in the Army Air Corps and met his wife, Grace Horner.

After the war, Hagenbuch thought it best to get a job with Hooven and Allison, a company his family had been involved with since its founding.

More than 60 years later, his daughter's happiness also has been secured by the rope-making business.

Kate Hagenbuch tied the matrimonial knot in March with Mark Martel, the production designer of "Ropewalk."

The Engineers Club is distributing 500 free copies of the DVD to local libraries, historical societies and selected schools.

To obtain a copy, order online at www.filmbaby.com or call (877) FILMBABY (345-6222).

For more information, visit www.storyofrope.org.

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