Engineers how do you calculate max load

[Minusorange]

If a table leg has a max load of 50kg does it mean it's always 50kg whether I use 1 leg or multiple legs or is there a calculation to work out the increased load bearing efficiency when more legs are added ?

 

[Minusorange]

So if a table has max load of 50kg and the legs are rated at 13Kg I'm assuming 4 legs is good for the full 50kg right ?

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/desks/table-tops-legs/olov-leg-adjustable-white-art-10264302/

Trying to decide how to hack ikeas solutions to make me a nice desk

 

[Minusorange]

Is there any way to figure the max load for a worktop ?

https://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products...ies/ekbacken-worktop-ash-effect-art-50337617/

 

[Minusorange]

Legs I can change, there's some at Ikea that don't actually have a listed max load so I presume they're pretty strong enough to support most weights within reason

I need something that will bear the weight of

a 27" monitor
a 24" monitor which uses a clamp (it's why I'm thinking worktop is better as I've read the actual cheap linnmon desks don't fair too well when it comes to clamps)
a midi keyboard
a normal keyboard
my mouse
my desktop (although this will be on the end directly over whatever I choose for supports)
and random junk you generally find on desks

I was thinking of having a raised portion of desk on top the main desk to put my monitor like this

And then another desk at the side for doing some electronics (soldering, tinkering)

 

[Minusorange]

just over engineer it....don't want a desk that you'll be leaning on for mouse/keyboard etc wobbling about

it needs some kind of design tho...you can't just screw 4 legs to a worktop and expect it to be stable. they'll need some kind of brace like in your pic of the monitor shelf
most of the cheap (or expensive!) flat pack stuff gets it strength from the panels

if you want to build it for the fun or can't find hat you want... fair enough but as I say best off copying a design...or just buying it from somewhere

Well I was thinking of 5 or 6 legs along the back portion and using some drawers as supports at the sides maybe a leg in the perfect centre of the desk too or is that over engineering ?

I don't mind experimenting I just don't fancy £800 worth of monitors crashing down to the floor

 

[Minusorange]

5/6legs and one in the middle would be too much yes as i say just look at what's already available and copy

this is 400kg's! https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B06Y3QT...t=&hvlocphy=1007366&hvtargid=pla-481704313567

That looks so boring and bland though

I think I'm going to source some solid Oak boards (cut offs from a kitchen job) off gumtree, go to Ikea get some legs and some drawers that are the same height, get a shelf with decent max load and something suitable for little legs and bodge something together that resembles a desk that is functional and looks semi decent

4 corner legs maybe 2 brace legs at the rear (1 would do though surely in middle at rear ?) should spread the load enough with 4 little legs for top shelf that's just going to have 2 monitors on it

 

[Minusorange]

you can reinforce the top easily enough, i'm typing this on a pair of ikea desks that have been joined together by the very technical means of a couple of angle iron sections bolted between them.

as for those big chipboard tops they work great, i have a couple of bases (i'd link but i can't find them on the site, but it's a self-contained unit with 4 telescopic legs at an angle) with a chipboard breakfast bar on it. that took 3 monitors, a printer, and tower and even sitting on it.

I've been lucky in managing to find off Gumtree 2 solid oak kitchen top cutoffs which are perfect size for boshing together a computer desk and solder desk which should do the job perfectly

interesting

see here http://srjcstaff.santarosa.edu/~yataiiya/E45/PROJECTS/Bend Test of wood.pdf

So it seems Oak is the best of all woods, I wonder how Bamboo would fair, I'd imagine it would be close to Oak

 

[Minusorange]

Got 5 adils legs
An Alex drawer
A Lack shelf and bunch of Capita brackets to support the shelf to go on a fresh piece of solid oak which just need a whack of varnish
And some Trestle legs for my solder bench which is another slab of solid oak

The 2 oak boards were £50 and £100 spent on the rest, I just hope I have good craftsman skills to make it look as nice as it looks in my mind

 

[Minusorange]

the adils legs are plenty strong, although because of the mounting they can have a tendancy to wobble side to side a bit under load, i'd reccommend screwing them down tight as you can, preferably into metal.

Yeah I was surprised considering they're only £2.50 a leg

But..... **** Ikea it's like a black hole were time no longer exists, I entered at 3pm and didn't get out until 6

 

[Minusorange]

y'see this is why you need to go in prepared, and just skip the whole showroom and go straight to the bottom.

fortunately it's a copy/paste architecture, you've been to one ikea you've been to them all.

Haha ironically, skipping through the showroom actually resulted in me having to run back around the whole ******* building to get the little legs I missed which despite being for holding up shelves was tucked away in the corner of the kitchen area

I also didn't pay attention to the map on the first run through or the run back and it was only after I'd gone back to the start did I see the map showed shortcuts

Next time I'm just ordering online instead of walking through Swedens idea of an airport terminal for furniture

 

[Minusorange]

All day working on this desk it's starting to look like a desk

The majority of the day was spent sanding the main desk and varnishing it

 

[Minusorange]

looks good...much better than I imagined when you were talking of having 9 legs

That was when I was going to use the particle board for the desk, this solid oak should fair much better when I'm finished with only 4 or 5 legs

 

[Minusorange]

nice piece of oak
... but what's the shelf for then .. and why does it need 6 legs ... is it stable enough to put a monitor on ?

Shelf is for Monitor and if I got my measurements right my Midi keyboard should be able to sleep underneath so it's utilizing space

It was either 5 or 6 legs, decided to go with 6 just for extra stability and I had to buy in pack of 4 so I'd rather be left with 2 unused than 3, I'm hoping to drill some recessed holes for the legs to sit in comfortably so there's no chance of it sliding it around if I happen to knock the desk

 

[Minusorange]

It's complete and actually looks half decent

 

[Minusorange]

Take the PC off the desk and it would look better.

It gets real dusty down on the floor though

 

[Minusorange]

Looks great minusorange...neat and tidy job. Its good to have a space for things like the midi keyboard...pita taking them.out a drawer or whatever when you want to use them

Cheers, yeah it's much better for easy access although that bench is going to be a solder/tinker bench as well, for a weekend project though it has been more fun than I was expecting