[NHCOLL-L:5345] RE: ento collections

[Jean-Marc Gagnon]

Kelly,

 

>From my experience with anchoring entomology cabinets, there are two
areas of attachment to consider: at the base and at the top in between
cabinets (if they are next to each other or one behind the other).

 

While not ideal to have to drill into existing cabinets, depending on
their design, you may not have an option. But my preferred approach
would be to see if metal brackets cannot be "wrapped" around the
cabinets and anchored to the concrete floor (I assume you do not have
compactor bases). Top brackets can hold cabinets together without having
to drill attachments into the cabinets. Those "top plate" are then
secured to vertical bars that are bolted to the concrete floor.

 

As James Bryant just suggested, it may also be appropriate to run metal
bars from the top of the cabinets (attached to top brackets) to adjacent
walls or ceiling to control swaying of the row in the event of an
earthquake.

 

Whether the attachments are between brackets, from the brackets to the
cabinets or from the brackets to the floor, it is important to keep
easy, rapid access to these attachment points so that if you need to
move one or few cabinets, you don't have to untie and/or move
everything.

 

In the eventuality that you have no choice but to drill into your
cabinets to secure then to brackets, there are a number of specialty
nuts that can be used: for instance Well-nuts
<http://www.spaenaur.com/pdf/sectionC/C147.pdf>  and Jack-nuts
<http://www.spaenaur.com/pdf/sectionC/C146.pdf> . Ideally, get the
industrial sizes that are much sturdier. Which ever you select, you will
most likely have to empty the content of the cabinets to prevent risks
of damage to specimens. You will also want to add a gasket ring of some
kind to avoid pest infiltration through the drilled holes if these are
not fully blocked by the attachment.

 

If you have specific cabinet designs and arrangement on the floor, I may
be able to provide more specific suggestions. 

 

Jean-Marc 

 

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu
[mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Sendall, Kelly
RBCM:EX
Sent: 29 mars 2011 12:35
To: NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu
Subject: [NHCOLL-L:5343] ento collections

 

I am interested to know how other entomology collections have dealt with
a rather topical concern of late. We have about a hundred or so standard
BioQuip entomology cabinets holding our pinned ento collections that sit
on the floor unanchored. These are the full height cabinets
(~50x60x220cm). Our institution's Safety Committee has decided we need
to anchor all the cabinets to the floor by drilling through each cabinet
floor and bolting to the concrete floor. We are in an earthquake zone
over here on the right side of the 'ring of fire' and concern for
earthquake preparedness has moved up in the Committee's collective
consciousness lately. Any advice or comments are appreciated.

 

Thanks,

 

Kelly

________________________________________________________________________
______________________

Kelly Sendall      Manager, Natural History  |  Collections, Research
and Access Services      
 
675 Belleville Street, Victoria, BC Canada V8W 9W2
T 250 387-3544    |   F 250 387-0534
KSENDALL at royalbcmuseum.bc.ca   |   www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca   |   
www.bcarchives.bc.ca

P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail

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