How do I calculate how much load can be carried by a table?

[vaishnavsm]

How do I find the amount of load my table/stool will carry before it breaks?
I am totally new to woodworking, so please dont use technical terms :U

Thanks

BTW, the force req. to break the table would be enough too, as I'm quite good with
physics :)

[burraboy]

You make two and test one of them empirically. You finish up with one table and the required load data.

[Ball Peen]

An ordinary, well made, 4 leg table is very strong under normal use. What is your goal ? Ultra light ? Any drawings ?

[Sam]

What Burraboy said

[vaishnavsm]

I just want to place a car battery on it... around 30 - 40 Kilograms

[NZStu]

Ideally, you spend 4 years at university getting a degree in mechanical engineering (or civil if you really must). It'll be easy then :D (or at least it would be if you don't spend 11 years working in a different field and forget how to do basic stress calculations :- )

The equations for a selection of simple beam calculations can be found at Beam Formulas (http://structsource.com/analysis/types/beam.htm), but I'm afraid you're not going to get away from technical terms...

The good news is that 30-40 kg is not much at all, so you'll probably end up over-engineering it whatever you do.

[AlexS]

The good news is that 30-40 kg is not much at all, so you'll probably end up over-engineering it whatever you do....just like a civil engineer.:D

[Wongo]

I just want to place a car battery on it... around 30 - 40 Kilograms
F=ma, e=mc2, V=IR and v2-u2=2as. .. calculating...... hmmmm 40kg should be OK.

Go ahead. Don't worry nothing will happen. :cool:


:D

[NZStu]

...just like a civil engineer.:D

A civil engineer would make it out of concrete. That's all the poor wee poppets know how to use :wink:

[Master Splinter]

Do it the easy way - use the Sagulator (http://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator.htm)

It's designed for shelves, but really that's close enough to a table for most purposes.

[rustynail]

The depth of rail would determin table strength. Load the rails and observe deflection. Even an engineer couldnt stuff that up.

[bosox]

Use strong wood that won’t easily break down for a long time. Put braces between the table legs – this will strengthen the table and increase it’s load capacity. Do not make the table legs too high for stronger legs. Make sure that the table is stable enough to minimize movement - this will maximize the table’s life. Locate the stronger parts of the table where you can put more load. When putting load on the table, make sure the loads are distributed evenly to avoid concentration of the weight in one area. Apply simple physics, there is no need to study 4 years of engineering.

[dr4g0nfly]

A car Battery at 30 - 40 Kilograms, just what car uses a battery of that size.

I work with Armoured fighting vehicles with 100Ah batteries that are not that heavy!

[Wongo]

Makes you think doesn't it?

[burraboy]

Makes you think doesn't it?

Why would you put the battery on a table? Would 2x1m insulated wires be a possible solution that bypasses the need for it?
There's a couple of thoughts for starters!

[NZStu]

A car Battery at 30 - 40 Kilograms, just what car uses a battery of that size.

I work with Armoured fighting vehicles with 100Ah batteries that are not that heavy!

Possibly the motive power battery (or part thereof) for something like a Reva G-Wiz.

But why the need to put it on a table?

[Wongo]

This thread has gone a bit flat. :D

[NZStu]

Yes, we need the OP to take charge and spark up some more discussion.

[Wongo]

Oh dear thats a shocker.

[NZStu]

Stop being so negative!





(I promise that's the last one :wink:)

[rwbuild]

I think the current topic is becoming revolting and negative, but I positively deny having ample time for watt its worth...........

[JPA]

I think the current topic is becoming revolting and negative, but I positively deny having ample time for watt its worth...........


I had to read that at least 3 times to pick up all the puns, therefore I must congratulate you!

Now to the question:

What kind of table are we talking? Do you have any plans? It's difficult to give an answer without much info! Depending on your table dimensions, joints, timber chosen the load will vary. There's a lot of ways a table can break too - the top might split, the legs can fail in compression, your joints can snap etc etc.

Having said all that, I think I'd be concerned if a basic table couldn't hold 30-40 kilo!

[bosox]

Another question.
Is it necessary to place the battery on a table and not on the floor or anything else?

[Wongo]

Any table can take 40 kilo even the ones from IKEA :B

[Robson Valley]

Vaish did say "car battery."
Batteries are the heart and soul of any photovoltaic power system. Plate area matters for storing those precious amps. I use 6VDC batteries in series because the plate area is far greater than in a single 12VDC battery. Or so it was in that day and time. They all sit on a table because the floor is too freakin' cold in the winter at -20C and cold batteries do not want to spew out the amps.
Now the company has come out with a 12VDC battery which is no more than 2 x 6 in one case. DUH! I can't lift the sucker. It really must weigh 40kg. So, I'll buy 2 more 6VDC, put them in series and that unit in parallel with the other pair. I need more capacity.

If you live with a reliable and consistent electrical grid power system, you are indeed fortunate. I don't. I heat my house with a Harman P38+ compressed wood pellet stove
that sucks about 500 watts in the three motors (auger, exhaust and exchanger).

[Wongo]

One of my neighbours has a Ferrari. He loves his beast and takes it out for a run every weekend. He starts the engine and let it warms up for a good 5 minutes in the garage. The engine is pretty noisy and sometimes it can be quite a shock to others. Babies wake up, babies cry, people spill their coffee and cats go hiding in ovens, etc…. Now you think if they can make a car runs fast then they should be able to make a engine run quietly. Well apparently not.:rolleyes:

Now where were we? Oh yes car batteries. A neighbour once told me that he had to give the Ferrari a jump start. How funnys that.:D It has got to be one of the funniest things I’ve heard. "Excuse me Bob, my Ferrair won't start. Can you help?" :D :D

The question to Robson is, does a Ferrari use a 6VDC or 12VDC battery?

[Robson Valley]

Ah, Wongo, that is the question.
Cubic inches means cubic feet of exhaust volume. You just can't choke that off, kind of constipating. I heard it coming = your average rag-top Ferrari with the top down. Dang good thing it did start as it was delivering my soon-to-be- SIL to the Egton Cathedral (Egton Bridge, N. Yorks.). I would have been sorely disappointed for the wedding if he didn't show up almost exactly 365 day ago, to be precise.

I would have enjoyed a race. My ride would have been my blueprinted 327 ragtop FI '63 Vette. 375Hp in a plastic car with no boot. Now I have a 4x4, 454 (7.6l) GMC Suburban, factory loaded. Kaka happens.

Too funny = I typed kaka happened. Yessir, it did. 1995
"Yubba - dubba-dooo, the King is gone and so are you.."
(It's a George Jones thing)

[Wongo]

You know I have been thinking what kind of car batteries weight over 40kg :think: suddenly :o Yes gotcha its got to be a toyota hybrid. The hybird has a massive battery. Sadly big battery means small boot. Now I have 3 kids, 3 beautiful girls actually, so how do you expect us to go on a holiday in such a tiny little car. Great idea but it is probably not for us right now. Rating 3 stars. :2tsup: :2tsup: :2tsup: