1/4 in dowel strength? Monitor Stand Project

[Luis Reyes]

Good evening everyone!

I should've thought this before I started the project but here we are! I'm making my dad a monitor stand out of Sapele and was planning on using 1/4 dowels for the joinery but now I'm worried it won't be strong enough.

The top of the stand is 10.5 in wide and 23 in long. It'll be supported by 2 "legs" also made out of sapele 6 in tall (same width). All boards are 5/8 in (I had a 1.5 in board that I resawed in half). I'll have a shelf about half way down the stand as well.

Since the boards are only 5/8 in wide I'm thinking I can only use 1/4 in dowels. I'm planning on using 4 dowels per joint. In terms of how heavy monitors are these days I'm assuming it won't be more than 20 lbs?

Long way of asking if the 1/4 in dowels will be strong enough to support!

Thanks

Luis

EDIT: I'm not thinking straight. The top board will be on top of the legs so the strength will come from the legs. Is there a way I can delete this thread?

[Jamie Buxton]

In your design, strength isn’t so much the issue as resistance against sideways wracking. I’d add a back, or some triangulation at the rear, between the the top and the sides

[Mel Fulks]

In your design, strength isn’t so much the issue as resistance against sideways wracking. I’d add a back, or some triangulation at the rear, between the the top and the sides

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Some of the dowels in hardware bins , have grain running way off of straight. You can easily break them in bare hands . Watch Out !

[Luis Reyes]

In your design, strength isn’t so much the issue as resistance against sideways wracking. I’d add a back, or some triangulation at the rear, between the the top and the sides

I hadn't thought of this. Good idea!