What an awesome start to my day!

[boxofrocks]

Found this at 6 AM. I never heard it, since I had ear plugs in last night due to trouble sleeping lately. My wife didn't hear it; she literally slept through a tornado one time (really).

Stupid cheap Wal-mart Chinese tree stand failed, and down it came. Worst part is my wife is one of those women that collects ornaments, and some that broke were either irreplaceable or very expensive (some of the broken ones were Christopher Radko ornaments. Fancy, $pendy stuff).


I just bought the stand this week--3 guesses what Wal-Mart's gonna tell me?

(Just so I'm clear, it's one of the adjustable ones--you tighten the screws, then straighten the tree and then clamp down the ajustable swivel-ly base. The clamp that holds it straight gave way.)

[TXhummer2]

Ouch!

[CaptainTom]

Ouch !! That's gonna leave a mark.

Sorry about your misfortune. Just don't eat any of the Chinese stand. Probably loaded with lead paint.

[rott]

Three guesses, eh?

1. Call China
2. We care passionately for the welfare of our customers, and deeply regret that a product of impeccable quality such as this product hand-made-not-by-a-twelve-year-old would fail. Let us know how much you lost, and we will gladly pay for any damage that occurred.
3. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

I'm gonna go with a variant of #3, probably when your back is turned.

That sucks man. Sorry this happened.

I had a kid in Target give me deer in the headlight look when I asked if they had caulk. "Uhhh, cook?" "No, CAULK." He made me spell it and tell him what it was used for, and still had to radio to someone else to see what it was. He had no idea what it was.

[CaptainTom]

Originally Posted by rott

Three guesses, eh?

1. Call China
2. We care passionately for the welfare of our customers, and deeply regret that a product of impeccable quality such as this product hand-made-not-by-a-twelve-year-old would fail. Let us know how much you lost, and we will gladly pay for any damage that occurred.
3. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!

I'm gonna go with a variant of #3, probably when your back is turned.

That sucks man. Sorry this happened.

I had a kid in Target give me deer in the headlight look when I asked if they had caulk. "Uhhh, cook?" "No, CAULK." He made me spell it and tell him what it was used for, and still had to radio to someone else to see what it was. He had no idea what it was.

I hope you didn't tell him it was the stuff you fill cracks with. He would have directed you to the underwear display...

[DeLeon]

Dude...as a husband to the same kind of wonderful lady... I - AM - SO - SORRY.

[L Stegall]

As a fellow collector of ornaments (both when we travel and one special crystal one every year since we started dating 20 years ago - Lalique, Baccarat, etc.), AND as someone who has had this happen before, I truly feel your pain. Lesson I learned - that type of stand with that darn swivel thingy DOES NOT work on a big tree (guess you know this now as well). We had about a 12 footer come down one night about midnight and, while I once slept through my parents house being robbed (hey, I was in college and I'd been out late), I DID hear that loud crash as it hit the hardwood floors (no rug to soften the blow). Looked like a glass bomb had exploded all over the room. Other lesson I learned - I try to put the most delicate and expensive ornaments higher up and not on the ends of the branches. Most of our really valuable ones were saved because the tree was so big around that the top branches never hit the floor and those ornaments stayed on the tree.

Good luck starting your new collection.

[Breezy]

I am so sorry to hear this.
I hope some of the ornaments were spared.

[darktiger]

So let me get this straight. You have expensive ornaments, but you rely on a cheap XMas tree stand..... I would of bought some high end stand if your ornaments were irreplaceable or cost a lot. I guess we all live and learn......

[boxofrocks]

So let me get this straight. Something goes horribly wrong, and your first instinct is to chastise and tell me what you would have done? Thanks, Stanford. Those kind words really helped. I'll be sure to share them with my wife. I'm sure your wife Jenny must appreciate those helpful pointers when you doll them out.

I had no reason to believe it was going to do that, but perhaps I don't have your clever sense of premonition.

I'll be getting another stand today. Perhaps you'd like to come over and approve it? I'd hate to disappoint you again.

[Duffy Pratt]

I'll bet Walmart is willing to give you a refund on the stand, and nothing more.

When you bought the stand were you thinking, gee I bet this "Stupid cheap Wal-mart Chinese tree stand" will do a great job? And there are times when the stand doesn't make much difference, if the tree is top heavy enough. We had a tree fall over on Xmas eve once. Nothing was particularly wrong, except everything was somehow out of balance just enough.

Sorry about the ornaments. We've got a bunch of those, and its always tragic when one breaks. Even more so to lose a bunch at once. (When my brother was 5, he and a friend found my mom's antique ornaments in the basement and decided that throwing them like balls was a great game.)

I've seen similar threads on photo sites where people show the wreck of a camera and telephoto lens because of a collapsed tripod. The advice usually is: get a tripod strong good enough to support the camera/lens combo you are going to use. What's the difference?

[rott]

Awww, we were having so much fun. Tom, Stanford doesn't really exist. Stanford, Tom doesn't really exist. It's the internet!

[boxofrocks]

[carrbowl]

Well Tom, thanks for reminding me why I buy the cheapest availble ornaments...and of course they all have to be "cars" since our last name is Carr......yes it is a lesson, but getting slammed just makes it worse!! Maybe you could get one small true to put the expensive ones on...and use the big tree for the others....if the wife will approve!!!! (good luck!!!)

[Wil_Bloodworth]

Wow Tom... that really is unfortunate! Sorry for your and your wife's loss!

Taking this over the photography side of things... this is where a good tripod makes all the difference in protecting your gear. And in NO way am I chastizing Tom for this unfortunate accident!

- Wil