Distributing weight of four legs evenly over surface

  • Context: High School 
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenge of distributing the weight of a stepper exercise machine, which stands on four legs, evenly over a canvas shelf to prevent tearing. Participants explore potential solutions and considerations related to weight distribution and pressure on the shelf material.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that distributing the weight evenly over the canvas shelf is not feasible.
  • Another participant explains that the pressure on the shelf can be calculated based on the weight and the area of the feet, indicating that increasing the contact area with a board could reduce pressure.
  • A later reply raises concerns about the structural integrity of the wardrobe and proposes using a block to alleviate weight from the canvas shelf.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the feasibility of distributing weight evenly, with some suggesting practical solutions while others remain skeptical about the effectiveness of those solutions.

Contextual Notes

There are unresolved assumptions regarding the weight of the exercise machine, the strength of the canvas material, and the specific dimensions of the feet and shelf area.

Tan88
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I have a stepper exercise machine that stands on four legs and I would like to place this machine on a shelf made of canvas cloth ( the whole wardrobe is made of canvas ). The problem is I think the shelf would tear where the four legs are. So I would like to ask if there is any way I could distribute the weight of the four legs evenly over the whole floor of the canvas shelf?
Thanks.
 
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Tan88 said:
I have a stepper exercise machine that stands on four legs and I would like to place this machine on a shelf made of canvas cloth ( the whole wardrobe is made of canvas ). The problem is I think the shelf would tear where the four legs are. So I would like to ask if there is any way I could distribute the weight of the four legs evenly over the whole floor of the canvas shelf?
Thanks.
The pressure on the feet (if the weigh is evenly distributed) will be Weight/(Total area of feet). If the weight is very uneven, the pressure could be Weight/ (Area of one foot). The only way to reduce the pressure significantly is to use a board between the machine and the canvas. This will instantly reduce the pressure by increasing the contact area but you would need to round off the edges of the board or pad them or the board will still cut through the canvas because of the high pressure around the edges.
 
Some of those wardrobes are pretty flimsy and stepper exercise machines can be heavy.

How about putting a block of something under the wardrobe to take the weight off the canvas?
 

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