Here's one for the structural engineers on the Wreck:
In the fall I'll be taking an intermediate/advanced woodworking class at the community college. I've been sketching ideas for a chest of drawers for our master bedroom. Actually, it's two mirror imaged, interlocking pieces (think of the Chinese yin-yang symbol), but for our purposes here think of a casework 84" long by 24" deep by 32" high.
I had been having trouble coming up with a base/foot/leg design that worked with the rest of the piece. Then it occurred to me: why not "float" it on the wall, hanging it off a pair of French cleats, leaving a comfortable 3-4" toekick space underneath?
Here's my structural question: How much does a 7 foot long chest made of hardwood and full of clothes weigh? And if I have a pair of 3/4" hardwood cleats screwed to the studs in the wall will that hold it? What size screws? How much stress is being put on the casework itself since it's not being supported from beneath? And, most importantly, what sort of design considerations do I need to take when I build it to withstand those stresses?
Any thoughts will be appreciated.
Ian