When Jim Fry is not spending time working hard building packaging machinery at his place of business, George Fry Co. Inc., he puts his tools to use creating an army of giant ants to take over the community.

It's true, although the way in which the ants, as well as his many other artistic creations, are taking over the community is through the hearts of the denizens of East Second Street, Mineola who are constantly amazed at Fry's ingenious creations out of of old propane tanks.

"I call it tank art, but its junk art," explained Fry, "It's kind of fun. I certainly don't make any money doing it. It keeps me busy and out of trouble."

Last year, as work slowed, Fry became restless and out of desperation searched for something to do. With a surplus of propane tanks from numerous barbecues held at his Suffolk County home and a fertile imagination, Fry went about transforming an old propane tank into a little yellow bird that doubled as a flower pot.

A year earlier Fry had dabbled in this art form when he made a mouse that to this day sits in his garden. The creation of the little yellow bird heralded the beginning of a bountiful time for tank art creations. After the bird, a biplane followed.

Soon after a challenge was issued to Fry and from that challenge came a ladybug, then several more ladybugs, one of which now acts as a magazine stand for a fan of his work.

The scope got bigger for his next project, though it followed in the insect motif, when Fry made his first giant ant measuring over four feet in length and weighing in between 50 and 75 lbs. This was by far the biggest of his works and admittedly the most fun to make.

In choosing his projects and into what the propane tank will be transformed, Fry explained with a smile and half-jokingly, "It has to speak to me."

The primary material that "speaks" to Fry is propane tanks, though through the donation of fellow East Second Street business Gebhardt Inc., old fire extinguisher tanks have been utilized as well.

Because Fry uses an oxyacetylene torch on these propane tanks, beforehand he makes sure there is no leftover gas by purging all the propane tanks at his home. Propane, being a heavy gas, sits on the bottom of the tank. When the tank is filled with water the gas is displaced and the tank is clean.

After the tanks have been shaped and molded with the tools he has at work and combined with additional pieces of steel, for instance the ants' antennae are made from bed springs, the tank art is painted the appropriate color with the appropriate paint, something sturdy for these often outdoor ornaments.

As far as he knows, Fry is the only artist dabbling in tank art on Long Island, if anywhere. What makes him a devotee?

"Over the years I have run through certain phases," explained Fry, phases that included photography and the construction of interior lamps out of materials like ship pulleys and well pumps, not to mention his current gardening hobby growing azaleas and chrysanthemums.

His tank art such as the recently completed pink piggy bank and the soon to be completed train are just extensions of his creative side invented out of necessity to combat boredom.

Many of his creations are on display in front of his place of business, and some have found homes elsewhere. Though for the most part they are given as gifts, occasionally Fry is compensated for his work. The smaller items like the bird or the ladybug go for about $30 each, the biplane goes for about $50 and the ants go for over $100 each.

Does the thought ever cross his mind to switch gears and create a business out of the art work he loves?

Fry responded that right now he makes whatever he likes whenever he likes, to put deadlines on himself and mass produce pieces of work would be decidedly less enjoyable, but the thought has crossed his mind.

"It would be nice to say I started a new business at 53 and became a millionaire, but that will never happen. It happens to other people it doesn't happen to me," stated Fry.

One never knows, with an army of ants, birds, biplanes and whatever else springs forth from his fertile imagination at his disposal who knows what the future holds for the tank art of Jim Fry.