# Could A 185# Man Sit On A Xerox Machine Without Breaking The Glass? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 15, 2003, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387 "2003-08-15T14:48:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Surreal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@Surreal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surreal)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387/1 "2003-08-15T14:48:21Z")
How heavy of a person could a Xerox copier safely support without the glass shattering, assuming he were to sit down on the glass very slowly, not just plop down on it? I’m not certain whether or not these machines have been designed to withstand this type of loading. Thanks. ---
**Author:** ![moriah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b2d939/32.png) [@moriah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moriah)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387/2 "2003-08-15T21:14:04Z")
Funny how this question comes up at the same time as: **Will Transparent Metal ever be feasible?** With transparant metal, any old lardass can drop trou and photocopy his ass without worrying about shards of glass in his bum. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387/3 "2003-08-15T21:41:31Z")
Well, push comes to shove and a heavy person can certainly just take a picture of their butt with a digital camera and make a full color printout. Doesn’t have that same drunk-at-the-company-christmas-party feel to it, but it’s a logical substitute. ---
**Author:** ![alimarx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e274bd/32.png) [@alimarx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alimarx)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2003, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387/4 "2003-08-15T21:41:59Z")
Either way, be sure to hit “Start” or “Print”… ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387/5 "2003-08-16T00:21:43Z")
A 240 pound male was able to lay stomach down on a Xerox copier without damaging the copier or his package. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387/6 "2003-08-16T03:35:56Z")
it depends on the machine, colour or black and white. i had a designer put a 12x12 slab of granite 1" thick on the colour copier. the healer (service tech) nearly had a cow. he claimed that the granite could break though. i figure the granite weighted about 20-25 pounds. the glass in a copier is resting on very little support, if the glass shifts a bit off one of the metal bits holding it, it could very well break. the weight of the large guy isn’t all concentrated on the glass. if he is that big he is spreading out to other parts of the copier. if it is a fixed lid he would not be able to completely rest on the glass. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387/7 "2003-08-16T04:09:10Z")
Actually, I’ve seen it done, with a person about 200 pounds. Copier makers know that people do these stunts, and the glass is decently strong. However, I would guess you are near the limit at that weight, and would definitely not recommend doing it. ---
**Author:** ![hammerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@hammerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammerbach)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387/8 "2003-08-16T13:39:49Z")
I hate going to use the copier and finding butt prints on it \. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387/9 "2003-08-16T20:19:27Z")
I used to work for a copier company. The glass on any copier is single strength thats thinner than window glass. Our techs would have to replace at least one glass a week. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but having an ER doc pull glass outa yo’ butt is about $2000.00. Not to mention the cost of replacing the glass. ---
**Author:** ![Mops](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mops/32/16494_2.png) [@Mops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mops)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387/10 "2003-08-16T20:41:58Z")
whether the person in question wants to use the manual method or the automatic document feeder. ---
**Author:** ![Ringo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/779978/32.png) [@Ringo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ringo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2003, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387/11 "2003-08-16T20:58:25Z")
Couldn’t you suppport your weight with your hands on the sides of the copier? ---
**Author:** ![GusNSpot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gusnspot/32/436_2.png) [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387/12 "2003-08-17T06:44:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ringo \* > \*\*Couldn’t you suppport your weight with your hands on the sides of the copier? \*\* Well, I wonder why no one has said, “Trapeze ?” ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387/13 "2003-08-17T07:36:47Z")
When I worked at an amusement arcade a 120 pound girl sat on the glass of a pinball machine. She didn’t break it but she caught he\*\* from me. ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [August 17, 2003, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/could-a-185-man-sit-on-a-xerox-machine-without-breaking-the-glass/195387/14 "2003-08-17T07:38:41Z")
Oh, and I should say that her butt wasn’t nekkid.