Steel thickness calculator

[jakgop21]

I'm helping someone design a bracket to mount some furniture on the wall . Debating if we can still go with 3/8" thick steel plate or 1/4"

Anybody have an easy to use formula that will help me decide or do we have to do it with a mock up ?

Any advice/ suggestions would be greatly appreciated .


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[tjdux]

Ive looked for steel calcs too and havent had much luck. Interested to see what people come up with.

What are you mounting and how heavy is it?

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[jakgop21]

Ive looked for steel calcs too and havent had much luck. Interested to see what people come up with.

What are you mounting and how heavy is it?

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Decorative modern tv mount table , they vary in sizes and weights . The heaviest one would be 250 lbs as a safe weight , planning on using 2 or 3 brackets .


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[72highboy]

What is it, how big is it and what does it weigh? How far out will the center of mass be from the wall? Methinks the studs in the wall will give before 1/4" steel will.. Depending on your bracket design..

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[fourjeepin]

You might be bumping up against the limits of the structure vs. the bracket with that thick of steel.

 

[nbpt100]

It is more complicated than a simple formula if you really want to optimize it. You need to know the geometry and weights. Make a free body diagram and calculate the moment forces. Calculate the moment of inertial of the feature you are calculating the stress for.....etc.

Just go with the 3/8 and don't worry about it. It will be over designed but that is better than the alternative.

 

[tjdux]

Decorative modern tv mount table , they vary in sizes and weights . The heaviest one would be 250 lbs as a safe weight , planning on using 2 or 3 brackets .


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I agree with other poster that studs will likely fail before 1/4 plate but i supose that may also depend on the bracket design. Kinda curious for some pics and/or a sketch of the bracket to help understand the loads involved.

3/8 plate steel is pretty serious stuff. Heck even .25 is too.

Do these tv mount tables have regular legs that go to the ground or will they float in mid air more like a shelf?



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[jakgop21]

What is it, how big is it and what does it weigh? How far out will the center of mass be from the wall? Methinks the studs in the wall will give before 1/4" steel will.. Depending on your bracket design..

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Tv stand/table /cabinet . They vary In size biggest piece would be 7.5 ft long . 20" bracket depth would be 12" -16" from wall .


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[jakgop21]

I agree with other poster that studs will likely fail before 1/4 plate but i supose that may also depend on the bracket design. Kinda curious for some pics and/or a sketch of the bracket to help understand the loads involved.

3/8 plate steel is pretty serious stuff. Heck even .25 is too.

Do these tv mount tables have regular legs that go to the ground or will they float in mid air more like a shelf?



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Stand will float in the air ,


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[Thumper68]

I would say that 1/4 is heavy enough the trick will be a fastener that will not pull out.

 

[Marctrees]

jakgop- Ya really need to put up a photo or drawing.

There are many different forces possibly involved... NO way to advise you w/o all info.

Even if you had a "formula"... would that really get you to an answer?


Put up the above, and we will be happy to help figure it out.

Could just be a mockup made of cardboard so we can visualize.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

Also the thickness of steel needed will really depend on the bracket design. Marc

 

[jakgop21]

I don't have permission to share sketch , what I can say is plate width is 2" plate sticks out 16" trying to go for 12" with a 3" gusset trying to see if we can go with 2 . Does that help ?


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[jakgop21]

I don't have permission to share sketch , what I can say is plate width is 2" plate sticks out 16" trying to go for 12" with a 3" gusset trying to see if we can go with 2 . Does that help ?


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Base of the plate is 12"


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[Marctrees]

Well, I can understand the not sharing the invention, but how can you expect advice w insufficient info?

Even though you feel you HAVE given info, still WAYYYYY to many unknowns.

If you guys can't figure it out on your own, gonna hafta hire some Engineer type and have him sign a non disclosure.

Marc

 

[Marctrees]

On top of everything above, written explanation is usually misunderstood especially with this type of communication method.

And that's even with it fully explained, let alone bits and pieces and little clues of a puzzle.

Marc

 

[ddawg16]

1/4" Steel?

1/8" Is way more than enough....The studs will fail long before the steel does

 

[Matt Matt]

What is the stud size/material ? What is the screw size do you plan on utilizing? What is the tensile and sheer strength of the fastener? Does, The screw have a grade rating? Next is the load rating and displacement of bracket design, this is where we need a drawing and some specs should be produced.

0.250" cold rolled steel can hold a Mac truck on the wall with just two brackets. It takes 12,500 pounds per square to rip 1/4" mild steel . I have the simple slide rule calculator for it.

 

[Marctrees]

Or just make a full prototype and dynamically test it.

In other words, make yer brackets and mount it how its gonna be mounted and start stacking concrete bags on it and see what happens.

Simple and practical, low cost, low effort, and then you KNOW if it works or not, and no fancy math and engineers needed.

Marc

 

[Thumper68]

Or just make a full prototype and dynamically test it.

In other words, make yer brackets and mount it how its gonna be mounted and start stacking concrete bags on it and see what happens.

Simple and practical, low cost, low effort, and then you KNOW if it works or not, and no fancy math and engineers needed.

Marc

I test a lot of stuff this way, Brute Force Engineering for the win. However I like sand bags much easier to clean up when the fail happens and the stuff is all over the floor.

 

[Marctrees]

Actually keep loading it wayy past how it will normally be used until something fails.

So you'll also see where the weak link is. Marc