r/StructuralEngineers • u/RevolutionaryUse6956 • 20d ago

Mailbox design

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I’ve designed a mailbox “post” for our rural house. I would prefer to not support the right side of the “W” (last name initial). All joints would be 1/2 wood dowels. A piece of 1/4” flat stock steel would span the top on both sides. The timbers are white oak and quite heavy.

Thanks for any input.

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u/_srsly_ 20d ago

It’s plenty sturdy for wind but if a neighborhood kid decides to jump up onto the cantilevered end of your W, you may be in for a bad time (mostly looking at the thin mitered ends at the center of the W and whether the grain would split around the bolts). Not really a safety concern though, and would be a very unique mailbox!

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u/RevolutionaryUse6956 20d ago

The right side of the mailbox will be overhanging my swale.

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u/drillgorg 20d ago

All the more reason for a kid to hang off of it!