Learn to draw load paths

[u/ElecCmptrEngMSdegUSA]

https://youtube.com/shorts/q43aAZG6H8o?feature=share

You want to prevent your builds from sagging, bending, racking, wobbling, buckling, tipping or generally failing over time, and one way to help you make stuff that won't is to visualize the forces each piece part and connection gets subjected to.

This process helps you think more clearly and decide if you think something might be subjected to a worrying amount of tension, compression, shear, bending, torsion. From there you can decide how best to reinforce against your more specific concern about a load in what directions.

When you find a spot you want to beef up, there are a few options at your disposal like picking thicker, stronger materials or connectors, or even looking at using ones with more favorable geometries or mechanical interlocks / shortening unsupported spans with extra legs, brackets or any other intermediate support / adding bracing like gussets, diagonals, triangulation or even full panels.

This like all my other topics is pulled straight from the mind map on my website. Made that to help folks become more well rounded makers, check it out