That’s a shame, and as you realize completely preventable.
I was photographing some equipment, some to show, some to sell.
3 Extension leaves in the dining room table, heavy stuff hither and thither.
Left End I picked up my fairly heavy McIntosh tube tuner/preamp, and, the heavier Cayin Amp was on the right end of the table.
Like a good lever/seesaw is supposed to do, it started to go down on the right, Cayin Amp sliding toward disaster. Still holding the Preamp, I move right, put the McIntosh Preamp on the table, but too far right at this point, and grabbed for the Cayin Amp.
Bang, Bang, they both crashed off the table. Luckily, the table was tilted, right end nearer the floor, so the drop height was reduced.
That Cayin can take a shot, corner of thick faceplate hit floor, zero damage, a big memorable dent in the wood floor, and one EL-34 tube flew out and shattered, that’s it.
Glass face of McIntosh preamp cracked, that’s it’s only mishap. I drew up a template (I’m an architect, have cad software), had the glass with two holes made locally, and painted the backside with black paint, looks like factory. Whew.
Idiototic, luckily limited damage. I switched the power tubes to KT88’s, prefer them.