February 14, 2010 by tom.

I’ve been waiting patiently, or maybe impatiently for winter to finish so I can work on the truck again. I am going to buy some metal tubing for fixing the bottom of the cab and the cab mount. I also ordered some POR 15 to try. I’ve also bought a farm jack to jack up the cab so I can remove the piece of metal that was riveted across the bottom. Lord knows how much rust is under that part of the cab. I plan to replace it with polished aluminum diamond plate after I fix the cab mount. I’ve also been sketching some paint scheme ideas and when I have a few that I want to post, you’ll see them here. On the other artistic front, I’m finishing up the portrait commission and am looking forward to creating some paintings relating to trucks. I’ve had cabin fever and was actually outside today. Then again, it’s Maine and Spring won’t be here until April. I have to be careful not to get the truck stuck during mud season. Anyway, figured I’d give an update on my truck and art. Until next time, see ya. Tom

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

January 23, 2010 by tom.

2010 and is finally here and I haven’t been writing or posting anything on my adventures. A quick update is needed on the truck and my artistic endeavors. Since the last post, the truck came home the week before Christmas with a new to me/Used in general Air compressor and a rebuilt used air dryer. Also had a new flex pipe put on the exhaust near the engine and new windshield wiper blades. $1100 dollars later, the truck is home safe and sound hibernating for the winter. Drove fine home from Bangor, I did hear a Twack sound in Hudson and pulled over in the parking lot of a local restaurant. I thought it was a tire, turned out that I hit a bump and the cab jumped and landed on one of the two by fours I had supporting the rear of the cab. It cracked one and dented the cab lip outward. There was also a piece of metal tubing supporting the other side of the cab between the frame rails but that was no where in sight. So, my projects for this year on the truck are to have the rear of the cab fixed so the cab rides correctly on the cab mount. The cab’s cross member is rusted. The cab mount on the frame is still structurely sound. I’m going to see if I can jack the back of the cab up and fix it myself with new metal tubing and bolts. If I had difficulties, I have been in touch with another shop and will see about taking the old girl there. I’m also planning to start painting the frame and continue sanding the outside of the cab. It feels nice to not have to spend money on my truck, people have said they are a money pit and from experience, I believe it. However, the feeling I get behind the wheel of the truck driving it on the road, makes all of the money spent worth it. I’ll try to write more. T

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

November 14, 2009 by tom.

Truck Diaries: 11/14/09 8:14 Pm

I had my first tow for my truck today. One too many leaks in the air system and the air system wouldn’t build up enough pressure. It left me stranded in the driveway at Strouts Welding. It wouldn’t build up pressure and air was leaking from under the transmission. I had it towed to Dysart’s Service. Nothing like a $300 tow bill to make your day and too cap off the taking it to the shop episode. Until next time, stay tuned to the next episode.

Recap of the Taking it to the shop episode:

Posted on the discussion forum for the ATHS -11/11/2009 6:02:18 PM

The floor in my cab is rusted out and the cab mount doesn’t have any metal to support the cab. Two to three people at the shop have told me that whole floor and it’s supports or lack of supports on the driver’s side need to be replaced. The supports for the floor in the rear of the cab have to be built from scratch and I do have an air valve that needs to be removed. I’ve got a few more welders to talk to before I make a decision about the repair. I may wait until next spring after I bank up some money over the winter. I’m even considering buying a welder and a torch and the steel tubing and doing it myself next year. I’m not looking to have my truck returned to factory condition or be a turn key hot rodder, just trying to fix the major problems first. There are some things that I can do myself and sometimes I also need to ask for help. I don’t know if there are many members up here in my part of Maine. I guess I picked the wrong time of the year to have this part of my truck fixed. Thanks for the help and the advice, the adventure continues . .

Earlier Posting on the forum Posted 11/11/2009 6:58:37 AM

I’m currently working on my first restoration project and am running into difficulties with a shop not wanting to do the work. Is this a common practice with most machine or body shops? I live in rural Maine, north of Bangor and took my truck to a local machine/fabrication/welding shop. They told me to clean out the interior and bring it back to the shop. It took me a few weeks but I got it done on weekends. They have a retired body guy who lives across the street who was going to do the work. I brought the truck back after removing 35 years of carpet, dust and rust and the old guy said it would take a month’s worth of work to replace the floor and the cab mount(That’s about 4-5 grand, ouch!) The funny thing is that is he is going to Florida for a month in a few days and the owner of the shop isn’t sure if welders can do the work. It makes me wonder if the shops can pick and choose their work and aren’t affected by the so called dismal economy? I also called another shop and the guy seems more interested in hunting rather than fixing my truck. I guess it must be nice to pick and choose your work and not have to go to a steady job to pay your bills. I believe in supporting local businesses but this is ridiculous. Luckily, I’m still searching for a welder to do the work. Any one else have any bad experiences from taking their trucks to shops regardless of the state?

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

October 18, 2009 by tom.

I wrote this post a few weeks ago on a Sunday morning and saved it as a draft and forgot to publish it.

Speaking of plans, I started removing the carpet out of the truck this morning along with the passenger seat. I’ve got the interior panels of the rear wall in preparation for the new floor that’s being put in in a few weeks at a local machine shop. That’s the last major project on it for the year. I will be working on renewing the panels in my studio with vinyl covering. My color scheme will be teal, brown, orange, and beige. I’m keeping with the original colors plus adding teal and orange. Last weekend, I changed the flex pipe on the driver’s side stack and that was a two day, multiple session experience freeing rusted nuts and clamps. Either way, I got it done. Till next time, Tom

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

October 18, 2009 by tom.

Nothing special to write today other than worked in the studio the morning on a portrait commission and my diptych on Queer Spirituality. I hope to have the portrait ready by Christmas, the other maybe sometime during the winter. Took out the air ducts in the floor from the heating system for the truck. Hope to take out the driver’s seat and the heater assembly next weekend and then take it to the shop to get the floor fixed. Road salt took a beating on the old truck’s floor. Listening to James McMurtry and his new CD Live in Europe. Other than that, nothing special. Till later, Tom

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

September 10, 2009 by tom.

I started covering up some of the rust spots on the truck with Body filler yesterday after work. Have a few more spots on the cab to repair, have to get some sheet metal to the edges around the cab. Looks like my truck was painted white before silver and then orange before white. I’ve been thinking about painting it white with custom painted murals. I haven’t designed the murals yet as I want to fix the mechanical and other cab areas first. I may have the cab taken off next summer to have the rear of the floor repaired. I think it needs welding and I have to research the cab mounts. They may need replacing but I’ll talk with the guys from the dealership to see if I can find out some information about replacing them. I haven’t been painting, although, I start teaching my acrylic painting class tonight at Bangor Adult Education. Will right soon, Tom

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

September 1, 2009 by tom.

I started working on a diptych style painting on Sunday. I’m laying out the right side on a canvas panel after designing the image with Photoshop. I’m still working on the left side of it and then will lay that out on the other panel. The style is a mixture of Art Nouveau and Cartoon Surrealism with social commentary added for flavor. My signature use of fat men is evident in this work. I’ll post more when I work on it again at the end of the week. I’m enjoying drawing out the composition. Till then, Tom

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

August 2, 2009 by tom.

I feel refreshed after my vacation. I know I wrote that I was considering creative retirement but after more rest on my vacation, I don’t think creative retirement will happen until I draw my last breath. I guess I was going through a creative block. I did start drawing more cartoon style characters from a book that I was reading. The book is one of my reference books -Cartooning the Head and Figure by Jack Hamm. I’ve started to incorporate cartoon elements into my work. More to do with fine line work and drawing with a pencil, then using acrylic paint over top of the pencil. I like working in Mixed media more now than I have in the past. As I’ve been painting, I seem to miss drawing and have decided to combine the two and see what the results are in the finished work. Also, before I go, I spilled yellow paint on a cork board by accident and used my palette knife to wipe it off and ended up painting the whole cork board. I’ve never tried or considered cork as a painting ground before today. Accidents can bring surprises. Here are two of my latest paintings. One is of a man in a pool that is not yet titled and the other is a page for my in progress artist book. Enjoy, Tom

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

July 27, 2009 by tom.

I’m on vacation in the scenic Eastport Maine. I visit here at once every year. I didn’t bring any painting supplies with but did bring my sketch book and a book on cartooning. I have been missing drawing lately and wanted to get back to it. I have some ideas for illustrating my capstone paper from my graduate work but mostly just want to draw without an agenda or concept. I’ve been also reading The Challenge of Aging - Ulyssean Paths To Creative Living by John A.B. McLeish hoping it will inspire me or give me confidence about continuing my artistic journey. At this point in my life, I’m considering retiring from being creative. I don’t feel that I have anything else left to say as an artist. Reading the book has given me insight about the creative process but I am not sure If all of the scraps of projects that I’ve left behind are worth salvaging. No, I’m not giving up on the Truck project but am reconsidering taking a break for awhile until something comes along and inspires me to be creative again. Maybe I’ll spend my creative time working on my art website instead of wanting to created new work and not document it. I have to find the other side of me that wants to cleans up the artistic mess that I’ve created in my studio. I also want to continue writing. Since I’m writing this in the Eastport Library, I think I need to find some information on creative block or about the ups and downs of the process of being an artist. Life is a process and even though I don’t know what is around the corner, I continue to walk on my journey. That’s it for now.

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »

July 24, 2009 by tom.

Well, I’ve been wanting to write again and yesterday started the process. I haven’t been creative in my studio in over a few weeks. I’ve been in there organizing all of my mess and cleaning up after previous endeavors. I guess the Truck project is my creative outlet at the moment. I hope to start doing some of the body work on the cab next month after getting the door, lights and speedometer fixed. I’ve got a few ideas about the paint scheme but they are only rough sketches. I’m thinking about murals on the truck with an angel theme. My truck is named “Misguided Angel” after the same named song by the Cowboy Junkies. The first time I heard the song, it reminded me of true country music about real people and real life situations. Also, I thought it would be a cool name for a truck. Music plays a big part in my life and my spirits. It’s one of my favorite things to do, listen and enjoy it. No epic post today but at least, I’m writing. Tom

Posted in Uncategorized | No Comments »