Hey, I think this is a great discussion. I'm sure a lot of people are learning from looking at the number of views. One thing I'd like to finally do is get some empirical real-world data to corroborate or dispel the common misconceptions out there.
If you happen to have a digital diet scale handy place it vertically under the wall end of the beam and watch how the compressive forces in the beam build up when you tip the thread from vertical. A padding of something like two or three layers of duct tape stuck to the face of the scale pan should produce a non skid surface for the T to sit against for this.
Howzzat?
Yeah, I was thinking of that scale idea. Was going to suspend the horizontal beam with some ropes so it can have a free swing in towards the scale. I'm wondering whether I should just round off the outer end of the beam or if I should install a pulley. I think a pulley would eliminate any friction at that point that may throw off the readings. And using two in-line tension-scales on the two sections of rope will allow us to take readings at two spots simultaneously.