Well living in California keeps me thinking of ways to protect my gear. Since my racks are 5 1/2' tall with the receivers sitting on top, a good quake could send them crashing down.

I have the racks chained to a stud in the wall behind them, so the quake would have to bring down the wall in order for the rack to fall. But what to do with the receivers sitting on top. Well I thought about strapping them, but the vintage receiver (SX-1080) has a wood case and it would come apart under the pressure of the strap. The other receiver is metal and is a go for strapping.

The SX-1080 had me getting creative. I drilled two holes from the bottom side of the top shelf and stopped after going all the way through and marking the metal plate on the bottom of the receiver with the tip of the drill bit. I then took the receiver down, removed the bottom metal plate and drilled the holes where I left the marks from drilling up though the shelf. I then put two 1 1/2" x 1/8" bolts through the holes and put a nut on the ends to make sure the wouldn't move around or move up inside and short something out. I then put the plate back on the receiver and placed the receiver back on the top shelf making sure the bolts went through the holes in the shelf. I then placed washers over the ends of the bolts and then the nuts. Now this receiver is securely attached to the rack.

I've attached two pictures of the results. I wish I had thought about taking pictures during the process to make it more clear. In the first picture you can see the nut holding it from the bottom. The second picture is pretty dark, but it's the space between the shelf and the bottom of the receiver. If you look closely you can see the bolt and nut coming out of the bottom of the receiver.

Hopefully my work will never be tested.

Damn well would prevent a robbery, too!

get two sets of these for under the corners... PS they also fit a camaro or a transam

Damn well would prevent a robbery, too!

That's a good point!

I didn't have any decent gear when I lived in California. We did have one decent quake though. 4.0 and epicenter about a mile from the house. Very short, but scared us a lot. Didn't really hurt anything.

But I digress...

Not criticizing here, there are 4 holes in the sheet metal for the feet, and the screws could go through the shelf, and the feet without being seen. Keep the old screws and afterwards it is undetectable.

Additionally there are all the screw holes to mount the bottom plate, and if you don't want to go through the shelf, you can use some heavy ring terminals and cable between the screw and the chassis and a screw on a secure mount on the wall stud or whatever, and is easily removed - invisibly again.

A bonus would be to find a screw driven into a heavy chassis point and use it.

The big question is how secure the shelf is inside of the unit.


And I LIKE the anti-theft aspect....

As for measuring the holes, use a sheet of newspaper across the bottom, and punch through the paper at the holes - voila - instant accuracy, just drill straight...

get two sets of these for under the corners... PS they also fit a camaro or a transam

If they're as hard to install on my rack as they were on my T/A, I think I'll pass. Damn A-arms! :D

Not criticizing here, there are 4 holes in the sheet metal for the feet, and the screws could go through the shelf, and the feet without being seen. Keep the old screws and afterwards it is undetectable.

Additionally there are all the screw holes to mount the bottom plate, and if you don't want to go through the shelf, you can use some heavy ring terminals and cable between the screw and the chassis and a screw on a secure mount on the wall stud or whatever, and is easily removed - invisibly again.

A bonus would be to find a screw driven into a heavy chassis point and use it.

The big question is how secure the shelf is inside of the unit.


And I LIKE the anti-theft aspect....

As for measuring the holes, use a sheet of newspaper across the bottom, and punch through the paper at the holes - voila - instant accuracy, just drill straight...

I get what you're saying, but it had to be attached to the shelf so that if there were an earthquake, it wouldn't be able to move like it would if it were held by cables. Cables would allow too much movement unless I used multiple cables. This sure wouldn't look good. As it is, you'd have to get up close and look under the receiver to see the bolts.

I thought about using an existing screw hole, but the receiver's bottom plate is stronger (having over 12 screws attaching it) than the couple of chassis points I could have used.

The shelf it's attached to is 3/4" birch plywood attached to 3" x 1" clear pine uprights and #8 wood screws. The shelf will hold.

Damn well would prevent a robbery, too!

Sad thing is they'd probably break it trying to steal it. :tears: Let's hope it never gets tested for an earthquake or theft. :yes:

Looks good and strong. Let's hope there isn't a strong enough quake to test it. Remember the 1994 Northridge quake? My apt. building was on rollers and about 10-12 miles from the epicenter - minor damage. The store I worked at was less than 3 miles from the epicenter. It was also built on rollers - only the structure was spared - everything inside the four walls was destroyed - except the safe.

All the preparation in the world won't save you from something like that......and that wasn't the BIG ONE.

Rob

Looks good and strong. Let's hope there isn't a strong enough quake to test it. Remember the 1994 Northridge quake? My apt. building was on rollers and about 10-12 miles from the epicenter - minor damage. The store I worked at was less than 3 miles from the epicenter. It was also built on rollers - only the structure was spared - everything inside the four walls was destroyed - except the safe.

All the preparation in the world won't save you from something like that......and that wasn't the BIG ONE.

Rob

That's the quake that got me thinking about how to protect my receivers. One is an SX-1080 and the other is a Denon 5803. The Denon is almost 70 lbs and 5 1/2' above the ground. I heard that during the Northridge quake, the initial jolt sent TVs and microwave ovens across the room at up to 30 mph! If either of my recievers were to come off the top of the racks and hit the ground, they'd be destroyed.

Now when the big one hits, we'll be far enough away that it won't do as much damage as the Northridge (or so they say). Of course there's that new fault found under Puente Hill and Downtown (including under Dodger Stadium) that will do more damage than the San Andrea fault. Might be time to borrow the control room suspension design used in NORAD. :thmbsp:

... Might be time to borrow the control room suspension design used in NORAD. :thmbsp:


Or time to think about moving... ;)

That's the quake that got me thinking about how to protect my receivers. One is an SX-1080 and the other is a Denon 5803. The Denon is almost 70 lbs and 5 1/2' above the ground. I heard that during the Northridge quake, the initial jolt sent TVs and microwave ovens across the room at up to 30 mph! If either of my recievers were to come off the top of the racks and hit the ground, they'd be destroyed.

Now when the big one hits, we'll be far enough away that it won't do as much damage as the Northridge (or so they say). Of course there's that new fault found under Puente Hill and Downtown (including under Dodger Stadium) that will do more damage than the San Andrea fault. Might be time to borrow the control room suspension design used in NORAD. :thmbsp:

If you can bolt them to a stud that is in a load bearing wall to completely remove the entertainment center from the equation, I would think it would survive a very strong quake. The energy and inertia from the jolts may wreck the shelving unit no matter how strong it is...

I live in Hollywood on the south facing slope of the Puente Hills (?) / Downtown fault that runs under the Santa Monica Mtn range. So if that one ever lets loose, I'm toast.....my current apt. building is not on rollers.:thumbsdn:

Rob

If you can bolt them to a stud that is in a load bearing wall to completely remove the entertainment center from the equation, I would think it would survive a very strong quake. The energy and inertia from the jolts may wreck the shelving unit no matter how strong it is...

I live in Hollywood on the south facing slope of the Puente Hills (?) / Downtown fault that runs under the Santa Monica Mtn range. So if that one ever lets loose, I'm toast.....my current apt. building is not on rollers.:thumbsdn:

Rob

True, but if the rack goes and the receivers are attached to a stud in the wall, they're toast anyway. If the rack drops out from under them, they will swing around hitting the wall and such.

I live in a building from the mid '30s. It's survived so far, but I'm in the same boat as you if the fault under downtown goes.

I've finished strapping my Denon down. I've attached a couple of pics. I used a strap on this one as the case is metal and can take the pressure of the strap. The Pioneer unit's wood case would come apart with a tight strap on it.

I know it's not the best solution, but it's better than watching them freefall from not doing anything at all. So now the racks are chained to studs in the outer wall of the building, the Pioneer is bolted to the rack and the Denon is strapped to the rack. :thmbsp:

True, but if the rack goes and the receivers are attached to a stud in the wall, they're toast anyway. If the rack drops out from under them, they will swing around hitting the wall and such.

I live in a building from the mid '30s. It's survived so far, but I'm in the same boat as you if the fault under downtown goes.

I've finished strapping my Denon down. I've attached a couple of pics. I used a strap on this one as the case is metal and can take the pressure of the strap. The Pioneer unit's wood case would come apart with a tight strap on it.

I know it's not the best solution, but it's better than watching them freefall from not doing anything at all. So now the racks are chained to studs in the outer wall of the building, the Pioneer is bolted to the rack and the Denon is strapped to the rack. :thmbsp:

That looks like a GREAT job - should provide a lot of protection. This gets me thinking what I need to do to mine now.

My building was built very quickly in the late 50's - early 60's - a (balsa wood?) two story up on supports with the garage underneath. That scares me, but not as much as when the floor above me comes down and pancakes me.:no:

Rob

That looks like a GREAT job - should provide a lot of protection. This gets me thinking what I need to do to mine now.

My building was built very quickly in the late 50's - early 60's - a (balsa wood?) two story up on supports with the garage underneath. That scares me, but not as much as when the floor above me comes down and pancakes me.:no:

Rob

I never liked the carports (car fires, flooding, someone crashing into supports, etc.). In the northridge quake, most damage seemd to be done to buildings with underground garages and carports. They explained that the earthquake lifted the buidings and then dropped them. Most carports are poorly supported and underground garages only had a small number of support columns.

One thing I know is that my building was made with real 2x4s! :thmbsp: Not this 1 1/2 x 3 1/2 crap from trees cut down too early. :thumbsdn:

I never liked the carports (car fires, flooding, someone crashing into supports, etc.). In the northridge quake, most damage seemd to be done to buildings with underground garages and carports. They explained that the earthquake lifted the buidings and then dropped them. Most carports are poorly supported and underground garages only had a small number of support columns.

One thing I know is that my building was made with real 2x4s! :thmbsp: Not this 1 1/2 x 3 1/2 crap from trees cut down too early. :thumbsdn:

Yes, the quake was a violent thrusting one (not the fun rolling ones :D), and lifted up and dropped (moved) everything by exactly 12". I remember in my store big heavy things all moved 12" to the east. Some East and West facing facades on taller buildings simply fell off, leaving offices and such exposed. It picked me up and threw me out of bed - I won't forget that anytime soon. Or the rush to evacuate the building - leaving everyone outside in their pajamas watching all the power lines arcing like crazy.

Definitely an "E" Ticket Ride :banana:

Rob

Definitely an "E" Ticket Ride :banana:

Rob

Just dated yourself. :D I have a book of those around somewhere.

Just dated yourself. :D I have a book of those around somewhere.

Yep - I have a book of those with only one ticket left in it. I keep my book in the same box as my filled S&H Greenstamps books.....ok, those were my mom's :D

Rob

One of the retrofits that Hewlett-Packard did at their corporate headquarters was to suspend the racks of tapes (think 12" LPs only thicker) in their data center libraries from the ceiling. The racks then had guides in the floor that allowed them to swing rather than teeter-totter and fall over. It was a graduate student summer project in 1988. Only about 10 tapes actually fell out in the 1989 Loma Prieta quake.

I hadn't thought about it but that would be a cool way to handle gear like we're dealing with.....

Cheers,

David

Thanks for the report and the pictures - I've been thinking about prep / protection for my furniture and gear, and this is useful stuff. :thmbsp:

I've always been careful to avoid stacking any heavy equipment or furniture in the bedrooms although ...avoiding injury from falling equipment is the top priority, and it will still be dicey if there is alot of force and I need to get some straps in place.

The Nisqually quake up here in 2001 really shook things, but not nearly as violent as the Northridge quake. I'm pretty sure that a couple of my racks and record shelves, and their contents, would be history in a quake. There was a webcam rolling in a lab when the Nisqually quake hit - shows PCs in a rack and gives an idea of the side to side force in that quake. My living room rack and shelves, without protection, would probably be toast. :tears::tears::tears:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7boO_wTzS4

One of the retrofits that Hewlett-Packard did at their corporate headquarters was to suspend the racks of tapes (think 12" LPs only thicker) in their data center libraries from the ceiling. The racks then had guides in the floor that allowed them to swing rather than teeter-totter and fall over. It was a graduate student summer project in 1988. Only about 10 tapes actually fell out in the 1989 Loma Prieta quake.

I hadn't thought about it but that would be a cool way to handle gear like we're dealing with.....

Cheers,

David

The data center where I used to work had racks that were on limited movement casters. During an earthquake, it was supposed to allow the ground to move under the racks. Kind of like pulling a table cloth out from under the place settings on a dinner table. Not sure how it worked out as there was never an earthquake close enough to fully test.

My approach of getting up and holding onto my expensive equipment no longer works. I have too much for one person to hang onto. :D

Thanks for the report and the pictures - I've been thinking about prep / protection for my furniture and gear, and this is useful stuff. :thmbsp:

I've always been careful to avoid stacking any heavy equipment or furniture in the bedrooms although ...avoiding injury from falling equipment is the top priority, and it will still be dicey if there is alot of force and I need to get some straps in place.

The Nisqually quake up here in 2001 really shook things, but not nearly as violent as the Northridge quake. I'm pretty sure that a couple of my racks and record shelves, and their contents, would be history in a quake. There was a webcam rolling in a lab when the Nisqually quake hit - shows PCs in a rack and gives an idea of the side to side force in that quake. My living room rack and shelves, without protection, would probably be toast. :tears::tears::tears:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q7boO_wTzS4

It's not much fun living right on the ring of fire, but hopefully we'll dodge a major quake in our lifetime. I believe an 8 or more is possible just off the coast of WA (like the one in Alaska back in the 30s).

I've taken care of the injury causing danger and am now focusing on saving my equipment. Earthquake insurance is outrageously expensive! :thumbsdn: I have thousands of dollars worth of equipment as well as vintage.