I'm sure most of you know we had a strong earthquake last week in the Seattle area. My first fear after my heart stopped racing was I wonder how things are at home - particularly my four curio cabinets filled with my Harbour Lights collection. So I called home and after inquiring about whether my wife was alright or not (she was fine), I asked about other things in the house. She said we had many things on the floor out of shelves and cabinets and off of tables and counters. Then I asked about my HL's, almost dreading the answer. To my surprise, she said the looked to be fine.

When I arrived home, I looked carefully at the lighthouses and with one exception none of them had even moved. The friction between the felt on the bottom and the glass shelves was enough to hold them all in place. The only one that moved was my fresnel lens which had tipped over off of the stand and fell onto the glass shelf. Fortunatly, neither the lens or the shelf was damaged. I had feared that if it ever fell over, it might break the shelf and since it was on the top shelf --- well you can imagine what I thought.

The point of this post is first to let you know that the felt and glass friction seems to be adequate to keep them in place even in some pretty severe side to side motion. Secondly, I have my curios all attached to the wall at the top and I strongly recommend that anyone do this if you have any chance of an earthquake. Finally, I (and probably many of you) need to find a way to display my fresnel lens somehow so it is more stable. Has anyone found a solution? Do you think a rubber or wood disc between the lens and the base would help? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Larry

Great news Larry! So glad you and your wife faired well and that your HLs were okay. Here in FL we don't have too much to worry with earthquakes but I have had some fears during hurricane season and then there is the always possible tornado. We live on a very wooded lot and even tho' we have a very good roof with trusses, anything is possible. All those things makes my insurance policy on the HLs a necessity.

Derith



[This message has been edited by Nana (edited 03-05-2001).]

Always a wise move asking the wife if she's o.k. BEFORE asking if the Harbour Lights are o.k., that is is you ever want to buy another lighthouse again!

Hi Larry,

I have made it through a 7.1 without damage, but my collection was much smaller then. My wife found some rubberized matting for dish shelves. I just cut it to put a small piece under each lighthouse. Works great and doesn't cause the damage that eartquake tape and putty do when you try to get it off.

As for the Fresnel Lens. Mine will never fall over in an earthquake. That's because I'll only display it on special occasions. It's the only HL box in my living room (right next to one of the curios). It always provokes people to ask, what's in that box, and I get to show them and explain it. I saw the same fall that you discussed coming and decided not to chance it.

Let me know if you come up with a solution.

Rich

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The Fresnel Lens is top heavy, I would move it to the bottom shelf so if it happens again at least you don't run the risk of it breaking the shelf if it falls over again.
Or if you have something you can run a fishing line around above it on a shelf above or the top of the case you might try that possibly a small eye hook in the top of the case if it's wood with a piece of clear fishing line run thru the brass to keep it in place.