The Mellotron Group

Yesterday was hell.
 
I have a friend who lets me use his spray booth and helps me paint when I  
he has time. We finished repainting the cabinet yesterday and I wanted to 
get it  home before the snow storm arrived. I left Manassas at 3:30 PM for a 
12 mile  drive. I got home at 11 PM. I have a huge 4 wheel drive truck, and I 
was able to  take unplowed back roads for part of the journey, but I pulled 
over 3 miles from  my house to help someone who had slid off the road. I 
got stuck in two feet of  mud so soft and thick it was like concrete. I had to 
walk home to get a couple  of shovels and walk back. The snow by the time I 
got back was 8 inches deep. No  luck in digging it out. Finally at 11 PM 
three guys in three trucks with chains  came along. It took all three of them 
to pull me loose. I wasn't leaving my  truck or that cabinet on the side of 
the road.
 
When I finally got home, we had no power... all night.
 
For those of you who can see them, here are some photos. I'll put up  a 
summary on the group page when it's done. 
 
The cabinet had the right side busted out and holes drilled all over it.  
The rear frame mount was warped and falling off.

Gas heat, but an electric blower. I have a furnace and air conditioner that 
 addresses the basement and the first floor and then a 2nd unit in the 
attic that  heats and cools the 2nd floor. Karen has asthma so we don't burn 
fires anymore  even though we have two fireplaces. We do have lots of blankets 
and two very  large, warm dogs.
 
 
I'm so exhauster and sore from digging, I haven't the strength to complete  
the reassembly. There's still much to be done.
 
 
In a message dated 1/27/2011 1:28:48 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
barrickjohn262@gmail.com writes:

 
 
 
Nice job as always, Frank.  Is your heat gas or electric?  I hope  it's gas.

On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 11:48 AM, <_lsf5275@aol.com_ 
(mailto:lsf5275@aol.com) > wrote:


Yesterday was hell.
 
I have a friend who lets me use his spray booth and helps me paint when  I 
he has time. We finished repainting the cabinet yesterday and I wanted to  
get it home before the snow storm arrived. I left Manassas at 3:30 PM for a  
12 mile drive. I got home at 11 PM. I have a huge 4 wheel drive truck, and I 
 was able to take unplowed back roads for part of the journey, but I pulled 
 over 3 miles from my house to help someone who had slid off the road. I 
got  stuck in two feet of mud so soft and thick it was like concrete. I had to 
 walk home to get a couple of shovels and walk back. The snow by the time I 
 got back was 8 inches deep. No luck in digging it out. Finally at 11 PM  
three guys in three trucks with chains came along. It took all three of them  
to pull me loose. I wasn't leaving my truck or that cabinet on the side of  
the road.
 
When I finally got home, we had no power... all night.
 
For those of you who can see them, here are some photos. I'll put up  a 
summary on the group page when it's done. 
 
The cabinet had the right side busted out and holes drilled all over  it. 
The rear frame mount was warped and falling off.

On 01/27/2011 09:48 AM, lsf5275@aol.com wrote:
> Yesterday was hell.
> I have a friend who lets me use his spray booth and helps me paint
> when I he has time. We finished repainting the cabinet yesterday and I
> wanted to get it home before the snow storm arrived. I left Manassas
> at 3:30 PM for a 12 mile drive. I got home at 11 PM. I have a huge 4
> wheel drive truck, and I was able to take unplowed back roads for part
> of the journey, but I pulled over 3 miles from my house to help
> someone who had slid off the road. I got stuck in two feet of mud so
> soft and thick it was like concrete. I had to walk home to get a
> couple of shovels and walk back. The snow by the time I got back was 8
> inches deep. No luck in digging it out. Finally at 11 PM three guys in
> three trucks with chains came along. It took all three of them to pull
> me loose. I wasn't leaving my truck or that cabinet on the side of the
> road.
> When I finally got home, we had no power... all night.
> For those of you who can see them, here are some photos. I'll put up a
> summary on the group page when it's done.
> The cabinet had the right side busted out and holes drilled all over
> it. The rear frame mount was warped and falling off.

I continue to be impressed (amazed even) by the lengths that you will 
go to to resurrect a tron! [applause]
-- 
Cheers, SDM -- a 21st Century Schizoid Man
Systems Theory project website: http://systemstheory.net
find us on MySpace, GarageBand, Reverb Nation, Last FM, CDBaby
free MP3s of Systems Theory, Mike Dickson & Greg Amov music at
http://mikedickson.org.uk

On Jan 27, 2011, at 12:48 PM, lsf5275@aol.com wrote:

> Yesterday was hell.
>  
> I have a friend who lets me use his spray booth and helps me paint when I he has time. We finished repainting the cabinet yesterday and I wanted to get it home before the snow storm arrived. I left Manassas at 3:30 PM for a 12 mile drive. I got home at 11 PM. I have a huge 4 wheel drive truck, and I was able to take unplowed back roads for part of the journey, but I pulled over 3 miles from my house to help someone who had slid off the road. I got stuck in two feet of mud so soft and thick it was like concrete. I had to walk home to get a couple of shovels and walk back. The snow by the time I got back was 8 inches deep. No luck in digging it out. Finally at 11 PM three guys in three trucks with chains came along. It took all three of them to pull me loose. I wasn't leaving my truck or that cabinet on the side of the road.
>  
> When I finally got home, we had no power... all night.
>  
> For those of you who can see them, here are some photos. I'll put up a summary on the group page when it's done.
>  
> The cabinet had the right side busted out and holes drilled all over it. The rear frame mount was warped and falling off.

Frank, 

I don't know how to tell you this, but, well, probably while you were walking back home for those shovels, someone stole the guts from this mellotron. For experienced eyes, the fact that there's nothing left is very plan to see. 

I'd suggest keeping your eyes open in local clubs to see if someone walks in to set up their band and has two sawhorses or something like that.

No thanks are necessary. I'm just glad to help.

Rick

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Not to worry Rick. I carried the guts home with me when I went to get the  
shovels. Control panel and power supply in one arm... dragged the mainframe  
though the show with my other. I didn't want to risk messing up the paint 
job on  the cabinet.
 
 
In a message dated 1/27/2011 1:49:15 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
rick@rickblechta.com writes:

Frank, 


I don't know how to tell you this, but, well, probably while you were  
walking back home for those shovels, someone stole the guts from this  
mellotron. For experienced eyes, the fact that there's nothing left is very  plan to 
see. 


I'd suggest keeping your eyes open in local clubs to see if someone walks  
in to set up their band and has two sawhorses or something like that.


No thanks are necessary. I'm just glad to help.


Rick

just think how much easier it would be to carry an M4000D thru 8 inches of
snow ;)



--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, john barrick <barrickjohn262@...> wrote:

>
> That Frank, no one's getting anything past him.
> 
> On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 1:23 PM, <lsf5275@...> wrote:
> 
> >
> >
> >  Not to worry Rick. I carried the guts home with me when I went to get the
> > shovels. Control panel and power supply in one arm... dragged the mainframe
> > though the show with my other. I didn't want to risk messing up the paint
> > job on the cabinet.
> >
> >  In a message dated 1/27/2011 1:49:15 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,
> > rick@... writes:
> >
> > Frank,
> >
> > I don't know how to tell you this, but, well, probably while you were
> > walking back home for those shovels, someone stole the guts from this
> > mellotron. For experienced eyes, the fact that there's nothing left is very
> > plan to see.
> >
> > I'd suggest keeping your eyes open in local clubs to see if someone walks
> > in to set up their band and has two sawhorses or something like that.
> >
> > No thanks are necessary. I'm just glad to help.
> >
> > Rick
> >
> >  
> >
>

Hey Frank-
   What a trooper!  Nice finish on the case, too.  You even capped it off with a TWO DOG NIGHT!
   Please send us some of your snow (in small doses, of course).  The plains of Colorado this winter are as dry as a popcorn fart...
 
   -Bruce D.


--- On Thu, 1/27/11, lsf5275@aol.com <lsf5275@aol.com> wrote:

From: lsf5275@aol.com <lsf5275@aol.com>
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: The continuing saga of #525
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, January 27, 2011, 11:35 AM


  




Gas heat, but an electric blower. I have a furnace and air conditioner that addresses the basement and the first floor and then a 2nd unit in the attic that heats and cools the 2nd floor. Karen has asthma so we don't burn fires anymore even though we have two fireplaces. We do have lots of blankets and two very large, warm dogs.
 
 
I'm so exhauster and sore from digging, I haven't the strength to complete the reassembly. There's still much to be done.
 

In a message dated 1/27/2011 1:28:48 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, barrickjohn262@gmail.com writes:
  

Nice job as always, Frank.  Is your heat gas or electric?  I hope it's gas.


On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 11:48 AM, <lsf5275@aol.com> wrote:



Yesterday was hell.
 
I have a friend who lets me use his spray booth and helps me paint when I he has time. We finished repainting the cabinet yesterday and I wanted to get it home before the snow storm arrived. I left Manassas at 3:30 PM for a 12 mile drive. I got home at 11 PM. I have a huge 4 wheel drive truck, and I was able to take unplowed back roads for part of the journey, but I pulled over 3 miles from my house to help someone who had slid off the road. I got stuck in two feet of mud so soft and thick it was like concrete. I had to walk home to get a couple of shovels and walk back. The snow by the time I got back was 8 inches deep. No luck in digging it out. Finally at 11 PM three guys in three trucks with chains came along. It took all three of them to pull me loose. I wasn't leaving my truck or that cabinet on the side of the road.
 
When I finally got home, we had no power... all night.
 
For those of you who can see them, here are some photos. I'll put up a summary on the group page when it's done. 
 
The cabinet had the right side busted out and holes drilled all over it. The rear frame mount was warped and falling off.

In a message dated 1/27/2011 4:58:54 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
barrickjohn262@gmail.com writes:

 
 
 
That Frank, no one's getting anything past him.

On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 1:23 PM, <_lsf5275@aol.com_ 
(mailto:lsf5275@aol.com) > wrote:


 
 
 
Not to worry Rick. I carried the  guts home with me when I went to get the 
shovels. Control panel and power  supply in one arm... dragged the mainframe 
though the show with my other. I  didn't want to risk messing up the paint 
job on the cabinet.
 

 
In a message dated 1/27/2011 1:49:15 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, 
_rick@rickblechta.com_ (mailto:rick@rickblechta.com)  writes:

Frank, 


I don't know how to tell you this, but, well, probably while you were  
walking back home for those shovels, someone stole the guts from this  
mellotron. For experienced eyes, the fact that there's nothing left is  very plan to 
see. 


I'd suggest keeping your eyes open in local clubs to see if someone  walks 
in to set up their band and has two sawhorses or something like  that.


No thanks are necessary. I'm just glad to help.


Rick

The machine is finished. Now I get to live with it until Sunday, during  
which time I will make countless adjustments and fiddle with it until it is  
finally taken way from me.
 
 
In a message dated 1/27/2011 10:42:04 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
pocotron@yahoo.com writes:

 
 
 
Hey Frank-
   What a trooper!  Nice finish on the case,  too.  You even capped it off 
with a TWO DOG NIGHT!
   Please send us some of your snow (in small doses, of  course).  The 
plains of Colorado this winter are as dry as a  popcorn fart...
 
   -Bruce D.


--- On Thu, 1/27/11, lsf5275@aol.com  <lsf5275@aol.com> wrote:

From:  lsf5275@aol.com <lsf5275@aol.com>
Subject: Re:  [newmellotrongroup] Re: The continuing saga of #525
To:  newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thursday, January 27, 2011,  11:35 AM


 
 
Gas heat, but an electric blower. I have a furnace and air  conditioner 
that addresses the basement and the first floor and then a  2nd unit in the 
attic that heats and cools the 2nd floor. Karen has  asthma so we don't burn 
fires anymore even though we have two  fireplaces. We do have lots of blankets 
and two very large, warm  dogs.
 
 
I'm so exhauster and sore from digging, I haven't the strength to  complete 
the reassembly. There's still much to be done.
 
 
In a message dated 1/27/2011 1:28:48 P.M. Eastern Standard Time,  
barrickjohn262@gmail.com writes:

 
Nice job as always, Frank.  Is your heat gas or electric?  I hope it's gas.

On Thu, Jan 27, 2011 at 11:48  AM, <_lsf5275@aol.com_ 
(http://us.mc636.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=lsf5275@aol.com) >  wrote:


Yesterday was hell.
 
I have a friend who lets me use his spray booth and helps me  paint when I 
he has time. We finished repainting the cabinet  yesterday and I wanted to 
get it home before the snow storm  arrived. I left Manassas at 3:30 PM for a 
12 mile drive. I got  home at 11 PM. I have a huge 4 wheel drive truck, and 
I was able  to take unplowed back roads for part of the journey, but I 
pulled  over 3 miles from my house to help someone who had slid off the  road. I 
got stuck in two feet of mud so soft and thick it was like  concrete. I had 
to walk home to get a couple of shovels and walk  back. The snow by the time 
I got back was 8 inches deep. No luck  in digging it out. Finally at 11 PM 
three guys in three trucks  with chains came along. It took all three of 
them to pull me  loose. I wasn't leaving my truck or that cabinet on the side 
of  the road.
 
When I finally got home, we had no power... all night.
 
For those of you who can see them, here are some photos. I'll  put up a 
summary on the group page when it's done. 
 
The cabinet had the right side busted out and holes drilled  all over it. 
The rear frame mount was warped and falling  off.

Don't send any out here.  I was traipsing around outside earlier today in T-shirt and shorts.  

F1

In a message dated 01/27/11 19:42:02 Pacific Standard Time, pocotron@yahoo.com writes:
Hey Frank-
   What a trooper!  Nice finish on the case, too.  You even capped it off with a TWO DOG NIGHT!
   Please send us some of your snow (in small doses, of course).  The plains of Colorado this winter are as dry as a popcorn fart...

   -Bruce D.

HEY!  
  It will be 65 degrees here in Colo. today, so I may do the same thing!  In contrast, we should have snow and 10 degrees here by Monday.
  So sorry about your delicate west coast condition, Frank.
  Hang in there, people in the east!
  Gawd, the weather's weird!
 
   -Bruce D.


--- On Fri, 1/28/11, mainpsych <MAinPsych@aol.com> wrote:

From: mainpsych <MAinPsych@aol.com>
Subject: Re: [newmellotrongroup] Re: The continuing saga of #525
To: newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com
Date: Friday, January 28, 2011, 12:43 AM


  




Don't send any out here.  I was traipsing around outside earlier today in T-shirt and shorts.  

F1
 
In a message dated 01/27/11 19:42:02 Pacific Standard Time, pocotron@yahoo.com writes:






Hey Frank-
   What a trooper!  Nice finish on the case, too.  You even capped it off with a TWO DOG NIGHT!
   Please send us some of your snow (in small doses, of course).  The plains of Colorado this winter are as dry as a popcorn fart...
 
   -Bruce D.

--- In newmellotrongroup@yahoogroups.com, djacques@... wrote:
>
> You are lucky you are still alive. Two words... "Move South"

Indeed. Follow the example of this fellow:


A SOUTHERNER MOVES UP NORTH

Dec. 8 1:00pm – It's Starting to snow. The first of the season, and the first one we've seen in years. The wife and I took our hot buttered rums and sat by the picture window watching the soft flakes drift down clinging to the trees and covering the ground. It was beautiful.

Dec. 9	We awoke to a lovely blanket of crystal white snow covering the landscape. What a fantastic sight. Every tree and shrub covered with a beautiful white mantle. I shoveled snow for the first time in years and loved it. I did both our driveway and our sidewalk. Later a city snowplow came along and accidentally covered up our driveway with compacted snow from the street. The driver smiled and waved. I waved back and shoveled it again.

Dec. 10 It snowed an additional 8 inches last night and the temperature had dropped to around 11. Several limbs on the trees and shrubs snapped due to the weight of snow. I shoveled our driveway again. Shortly afterwards the snowplow came by and did his trick again. Much of the snow is now brownish gray.

Dec. 11	 Warmed up enough during the day to create slush, which soon became ice when the temperature dropped again. Bought snow tires for both cars. Fell on my ass in the driveway. $146 to a chiropractor but nothing broken. More snow and ice expected.

Dec. 12	 Still cold. Sold the wife's car and bought a 4X4 in order to get her to work. Slid into a guardrail anyway and did a considerable amount of damage to the right rear quarterpanel. Had another 8 inches of the white shit last night. Both vehicles covered in salt and crud. More shoveling in store for me today. That goddam snowplow came by twice today.

Dec. 13	 2 degrees outside. More fuckin' snow. Not a tree or shrub on our property that hasn't been damaged. Power was off most of the night. Tried to keep from freezing to death with candles and kerosene heater which tipped over and nearly burned the house down. I managed to put the flames out, but suffered 2nd degree burns on my hands and lost my eyelashes and eyebrows. Car slid on ice on the way to the emergency room and was totaled.

Dec. 14	 Goddam motherfuckin' white shit keeps on coming down. Have to put on all the clothes we own just to get to the fuckin' mailbox. If I ever catch that son-of-a-bitch that drives the snowplow I'll chew open his chest and rip out his heart. I think he hides around the corner and waits for me to finish shoveling and then he comes down the street about 100 MPH  and buries our driveway again! Power still off, toilet froze, and part of the roof has started to cave in.

Dec. 16	 6 goddam more fuckin' inches of fuckin' snow and fuckin' sleet and fuckin' ice and god knows what other kinds of white fuckin' shit fell last night. I wounded the fuckin' snowplow asshole with an iceaxe, but he got away. Wife left me. Car won't start. I think I'm going snowblind. I can't move my toes. Haven't seen the sun in weeks. More snow predicted. Wind chill -15 degrees. I'm moving back to North Carolina!!!

Jim Bailey