The "Big Island" of Hawaii is in an earthquake zone, and seismic motion is generated from shifts of the earth's crustal plates as well as from molten lava moving locally underground. Mild jiggles and an occasional jolt may occur several times a year. Ever since my insulator collection began to grow onto shelves I have been concerned that some reasonable precautions should be taken against damage from earthquakes.

The insulators are displayed on (1) wall shelves, (2) window shelves, and (3) on representative styles of crossarms. The collection is now creeping out of our hobby alcove and around into the utility area. On open wall shelves I drove a 6-penny common nail every 3 1/2 inches so an insulator can be placed over each nail. This spacing is satisfactory for the general run of sizes that fit on a 1 x 4 shelf. The large flat head of the nail tends to catch the threads of the insulator, so the common nail is probably better than a finish nail. My 4 x 9 display window has an outside grill made from 3-inch gratings out of a rock crusher, no glass, and ordinary fly screen on the inside. Shelves are set between the iron grill and plastic screen. Insulators display very well this way, and it is not a burden to remove the screen frame to work on them. The crossarms are variously screwed or bracketed to the wall or mounted on an old square-sawed redwood pole.

The fairly severe earthquake (6.2 Richter) that rocked Hawaii on April 26, 1973 provided a test case and even some statistical results on my attempts at protecting the collection. The epicenter of the quake is 27 miles down the coast from us, so we were fairly close in. We have a frame house (single-wall vertical t&g), and the floor is concrete in the hobby-utility area. To generalize, pony type or other tall sorts of insulators are more likely to tumble than are signals or others with a broad skirt; insulators near the ceiling are dislodged easier than those near the floor; a concrete floor is a real hazard to any glass that falls.

The CD 121, 122, 126, 133, 134, 151 series had the worst casualties. Of 96 on three shelves 6 to 7 feet above the floor (with nails), 44 or nearly 46% fell down. There was a remarkable difference with the CD 145, 162, 164 series at the same level. Of 154 on nails, only 13 (8.4%) fell. A row of CD 154, 155's on a sill a foot above the floor, without nails, (a calculated risk) stood pretty well, and only 5 out of 39 fell, with only a minor bruise or two. Among the CD 102, 106, 112 series within 3 feet of the floor and on nails, 4 out of 60 (6.7%) dropped. My best pieces are kept in the display window where the shelves have no nails, or firmly on crossarm pins. In spite of considerable sliding around in the windows, there was no damage there, and those on pins also rode out the quake perfectly. The work table and chairs, and appliances in the utility area, no doubt prevented some direct falls on the concrete and saved several prized insulators. Of the total of 136 that fell, 31 were unscathed, 22 had minor damage, and 83 were demolished. I may be able to piece some of them back together. Anyone want a genuine earthquake damaged insulator?

Possibly other collectors will profit from this report of my recent experience, and it should suggest ideas for improvement and perhaps some innovation. Earthquakes are a reality. Larger nails, possibly 10 or even 16 penny, could be tried. Taller insulators can be placed nearer to the floor, and a carpeted wood floor would certainly improve survival of insulators that do fall. If you are anticipating something stronger than a 6.2, you might store a few gems under your pillow.