Advice for someone living in a region with earthquakes? (3 Viewers)

[mort-aux-rois]

Does anyone here live in a region prone to earthquakes? I have my figures lined up along my desk, and I'm worried that the next earthquake will send them all flying. Does anyone have any advice about the easiest/best way to secure them? I tried double-sided tape, but it didn't work very well. Thanks

 

[spartan71]

...the way that your doing it might be the best way of doing it. I did the same way, only difference might be is I put my figures in a plastic case that is for 1/12th figures mirrored in the bottom. Just in case any thing falls on it it has an added protection.. And it is in a book case..
.. Of course if there is a major earthquake. the last thing on my mind is. Hoping that none of of my miniatures gets damaged...

 

[Vezzolf]

Agree Spartan, The last thing I would worry about are military miniatures during a severe earthquake {eek3} {sm4}:salute::.....Maybe worry about getting out alive with your family and not losing your home.:wink2:.....Consider moving if you live on or very near a geographical fault line

 

[jazzeum]

I suggest moving. I read an article a few months ago that the upper northwest is long overdue for a massive earthquake of cataclysmic proportions that will disrupt the global economy. This was not pie in the sky but based on strong evidence. Undoubtedly, it will affect San Francisco where you live.

See https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/07/20/the-really-big-one

 

[Phantom Warrior]

I don't think it is possible to protect toy soldiers in a major earthquake. In a small trembler, some of the figures will fall over and probably not be damaged. The greatest risk to your figures will be if they fall a long distance like to the floor. So think of protecting them from falling to the floor. The edge of a desk or the edge of a bookcase shelf are probably the most dangerous places.

Terry

 

[theBaron]

Yeah, in the end, geology will win. But if you want an alternative to double-sided tape, just to keep things from falling over if you bump them, try poster tack putty. I use 3M putty, which I got in the stationery aisle at a local pharmacy, but there are all kinds of brands available. A little piece under the base will provide a little security against a figure toppling due to a bump to your desk, or in the bookcase.

I like Brad's advice. You could move here, the East Coast. We're in the middle of a plate, so there are no earthquakes from plates sliding past each other. We do get an occasional shock as things settle, but that's very infrequent. Twice in my lifetime, that I know of (I'm 53) and only one of those was noticeable. It's a geologically dull place, which is perfect.

Prost!
Brad

 

[mort-aux-rois]

Move?!? Just because of a little ol' earthquake??? Haha, no, we get earthquakes constantly here, little 4.0's barely get my heart racing... until I started ruminating that my First Legions were gonna slide off my desk and on to the floor! I'll experiment with the putty, thank you for the suggestion. I'm also gonna try some adhesive magnets... That would allow me to slide my soldiers around without the hassle of re-taping them every time I decided to redeploy my troops. But I'm not really sure how well the magnets would keep a hold of the soldiers if things started really shaking. Maybe I'm just gonna have to hope that the San Andreas fault line doesn't have any big 8.0's in its future...

 

[Arnhemjim]

Helo mort-aux-rois,
Lived in Southern California (earthquake prone) for several decades. Personal solution was lawyer's bookcases (hinged wood framed glass front doors) pinned by single long screws from case into lower part of the frame of each door on both sides. Heavy green felt covering each shelf. Entire bookcase fastened by long wood screws into studs of house framing. Obviously not easiest/cheap, or the best for viewing the figures, but everything survived several major earthquakes (>5.0 - 7.0 on Richter scale). Some with epicenters of relatively close proximity (<25 mi.). Figures knocked over, but contained in bookcase undamaged. Moved to Arizona (relatively earthquake-free) in retirement. Much better now with semi-custom teak cabinets, full glass hinged doors, reasonable illumination and storage for boxes in cabinets below. See; http://arnhemjim.blogspot.com/2011/06/less-we-forget-past-glories-remembrance.html .

Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory

 

[joesgis]

I suggest moving. I read an article a few months ago that the upper northwest is long overdue for a massive earthquake of cataclysmic proportions that will disrupt the global economy. This was not pie in the sky but based on strong evidence. Undoubtedly, it will affect San Francisco where you live.

See https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/07/20/the-really-big-one

Brad,
Thank you for the article.

Joe

 

[zblang]

Ask mike T. Didn’t he have earthquake/soldier issues???

 

[Rudi Starnberg]

Helo mort-aux-rois,
Lived in Southern California (earthquake prone) for several decades. Personal solution was lawyer's bookcases (hinged wood framed glass front doors) pinned by single long screws from case into lower part of the frame of each door on both sides. Heavy green felt covering each shelf. Entire bookcase fastened by long wood screws into studs of house framing. Obviously not easiest/cheap, or the best for viewing the figures, but everything survived several major earthquakes (>5.0 - 7.0 on Richter scale). Some with epicenters of relatively close proximity (<25 mi.). Figures knocked over, but contained in bookcase undamaged. Moved to Arizona (relatively earthquake-free) in retirement. Much better now with semi-custom teak cabinets, full glass hinged doors, reasonable illumination and storage for boxes in cabinets below. See; http://arnhemjim.blogspot.com/2011/06/less-we-forget-past-glories-remembrance.html .

Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory

Lovely collection Jim, enjoyed seeing that...I regret not picking up those K&C Iraq Royal Marines .

 

[spartan71]

Move?!? Just because of a little ol' earthquake??? Haha, no, we get earthquakes constantly here, little 4.0's barely get my heart racing... until I started ruminating that my First Legions were gonna slide off my desk and on to the floor! I'll experiment with the putty, thank you for the suggestion. I'm also gonna try some adhesive magnets... That would allow me to slide my soldiers around without the hassle of re-taping them every time I decided to redeploy my troops. But I'm not really sure how well the magnets would keep a hold of the soldiers if things started really shaking. Maybe I'm just gonna have to hope that the San Andreas fault line doesn't have any big 8.0's in its future...

Guess you were not here in 1989... I believe it was a 7.1. The next big one will be greater from what the experts are predicting...

 

[BHogan]

Helo mort-aux-rois,
Lived in Southern California (earthquake prone) for several decades. Personal solution was lawyer's bookcases (hinged wood framed glass front doors) pinned by single long screws from case into lower part of the frame of each door on both sides. Heavy green felt covering each shelf. Entire bookcase fastened by long wood screws into studs of house framing. Obviously not easiest/cheap, or the best for viewing the figures, but everything survived several major earthquakes (>5.0 - 7.0 on Richter scale). Some with epicenters of relatively close proximity (<25 mi.). Figures knocked over, but contained in bookcase undamaged. Moved to Arizona (relatively earthquake-free) in retirement. Much better now with semi-custom teak cabinets, full glass hinged doors, reasonable illumination and storage for boxes in cabinets below. See; http://arnhemjim.blogspot.com/2011/06/less-we-forget-past-glories-remembrance.html .

Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory

Completey unrelated to the thread topic, but lovely collection Jim. Your blog is quite the resource.

Cheers,

Brendan

 

[NZGary]

Ah we have our shaky times in New Zealand. As most say it would be the last thing on my mind if and probably when the BIG ONE hits the Wellington region. As for the small shakes the little men have survived with little damage. Local shop has a bit of blue tack on the bottom of each figure in the display cases.

 

[spartan71]

Helo mort-aux-rois,
Lived in Southern California (earthquake prone) for several decades. Personal solution was lawyer's bookcases (hinged wood framed glass front doors) pinned by single long screws from case into lower part of the frame of each door on both sides. Heavy green felt covering each shelf. Entire bookcase fastened by long wood screws into studs of house framing. Obviously not easiest/cheap, or the best for viewing the figures, but everything survived several major earthquakes (>5.0 - 7.0 on Richter scale). Some with epicenters of relatively close proximity (<25 mi.). Figures knocked over, but contained in bookcase undamaged. Moved to Arizona (relatively earthquake-free) in retirement. Much better now with semi-custom teak cabinets, full glass hinged doors, reasonable illumination and storage for boxes in cabinets below. See; http://arnhemjim.blogspot.com/2011/06/less-we-forget-past-glories-remembrance.html .

Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory

Very impressive collection!! All the wants and mush haves of most collections...

 

[mort-aux-rois]

Guess you were not here in 1989... I believe it was a 7.1. The next big one will be greater from what the experts are predicting...

I was in California, but not in San Francisco. Can you say what happened to your figures during the 7.1? I'd love to know. Did they all go sailing off the shelf? Did they get knocked over? From what I understand, the San Andreas is a strike-slip/horizontal fault line, and isn't prone to the massively destructive 8's that you see along subduction faultlines like in Chile or Japan. The kinds of motion that the earth makes during the quake are different as well. I'd love to hear what happened to your collection during the 7.1.

 

[theBaron]

San Francisco, or Wellington, you're all in the Ring of Fire, all along the boundaries where plates grind against one another. I'd rather be in the middle of an ancient, ancient plate.

Prost!
Brad

 

[katana]

I live in the Seattle area and our last big quake was 7.2. None of my figures fell over or suffered any damage. I live in a wood frame house which flexes under stress and absorbs the worst shocks. My figures are displayed on open wood shelves. My Japanese Cloisonne collection was also undamaged and it is far more fragile than the figures.

Museum Wax can be used to stick the base of a figure to the shelf and it will not harm the base or the shelf. A raised edge at the front of a shelf will keep figures from walking off a shelf from vibration during a quake. A quake can have either a vertical or a rolling motion. Deep quakes come from subduction zone plate slippage and usually impart vertical motion. Shallow quakes are usually from local fault slippage and can last longer and cause more damage due to the rolling motion imparted. No matter where you live in the USA you are subject to some form of natural disasters i.e. Earthquakes, Hurricanes, Tornados, Wildfires or Floods. I prefer quakes as they are fewer and further between IMO.

 

[Ghostrider]

Helo mort-aux-rois,
Lived in Southern California (earthquake prone) for several decades. Personal solution was lawyer's bookcases (hinged wood framed glass front doors) pinned by single long screws from case into lower part of the frame of each door on both sides. Heavy green felt covering each shelf. Entire bookcase fastened by long wood screws into studs of house framing. Obviously not easiest/cheap, or the best for viewing the figures, but everything survived several major earthquakes (>5.0 - 7.0 on Richter scale). Some with epicenters of relatively close proximity (<25 mi.). Figures knocked over, but contained in bookcase undamaged. Moved to Arizona (relatively earthquake-free) in retirement. Much better now with semi-custom teak cabinets, full glass hinged doors, reasonable illumination and storage for boxes in cabinets below. See; http://arnhemjim.blogspot.com/2011/06/less-we-forget-past-glories-remembrance.html .

Arnhem Jim
Arizona Territory

Jim, that's a very handsome collection you have. I've been one to do dioramas, but I'm becoming impressed by the beauty of just lining soldiers up on shelves in well defined order. My compliments.

Joe

 

[Ghostrider]

I suggest moving. I read an article a few months ago that the upper northwest is long overdue for a massive earthquake of cataclysmic proportions that will disrupt the global economy. This was not pie in the sky but based on strong evidence. Undoubtedly, it will affect San Francisco where you live.

See https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2015/07/20/the-really-big-one

Now isn't that a Wonderful bunch of comforting happy news Jazz..............LOL. However, I read a news blurb recently about a super volcanic cluster under Yellowstone National Park, that if erupted would threaten the earth in the same way the suggested meteor millions of years ago wiped out the dinosaurs. Are we now coming to the time of Eat, Drink, and be Merry, for tomorrow..............?

Joe