Physics dep't.

[Dave Bagwill]

Or maybe engineering.
In any case, here's my hypothetical:

Given a bar 24" long, 2" wide, 1/4" thick piece of very rigid material - let's say for argument's sake that it won't bend with anything less than 1000 lbs.

Given a 2" long rod that weighs, say, 25 lbs, set upon the bar, at the middle of the bar.

If it were possible, and scales could be put at both ends of the bar, and at the middle, would they read the same?

[ken cierp]

12.50/12.50

[John Parchem]

yes the load would be divided across all of the supports.

[Dave Bagwill]

Thanks guys, that's what I wanted to know. It's counter-intuitive, at least to me; but 'it is what it is' :-)
What brings this up is that I am rebuilding my deflection fixture, and wanted to make sure that the weight I use as a bias is constant across the grain and also along the grain. I'm confident now that it will work.

[Tim Benware]

Is that what you're cutting your 1" rod for?

[Dave Bagwill]

No. Maybe. Well actually, yes. :-)