Question in probably the wrong forum, but...

[fleebell]

If you have 10 pounds of force on each arm continious pushing in the same direction you have 40 pounds of torque on the shaft. The output of the shaft depends on the speed that it's turning. 
A real simple formula that will give you a rough ball park figure is:
     foot pounds torque X rpm / 5252 = max possible horsepower   

This does not take in to account system friction or any other losses that would have to be subtracted from the total.

[beedees]

you have 0 foot pounds of torque , because you have balance . If you have one 12" lever with 10 pounds at the end ,you have  10 foot pounds of torque.

Why do wind turbines, etc. have more than one  blade, then...or two at most? What I didn't put in first post is that all the force is applied in the same dirction like a turbine .

Never mind, IronHead, being the stubborn a** I am,.....went to the shop and built a simple jig The other 3 are redundant . Net torque increase =zip, zero,,,nada. I can pretty well understand things in the concrete....just have trouble with the abstract. Still just have the orig.10 pounds.
     

#2 No, the torque applied is a set value.

[Low-Q]

If I have a shaft with 4 arms attached to it at 90 degree spacing each 1 foot long and a force of 10 pounds is applied to the end of each arm, how much force is being applied to the shaft? 10 pounds, 40 0r somewhere in between? I'm thinking 10.

Torque is in relationship with the distance to the shafts center. If the shaft is 1 inch in diameter, the torque at the shafts surface will be approx 12inch (1 foot) times 10 pounds times 4 = 480 pounds. There is limitless torque in the very center of the shaft.

Br.

Vidar

[beedees]

Be very nice if you and fleebell were right, but I don't think so.

[fleebell]

four arms with 10 lbs each or 1 arm with 40lb on a 1 ft arm  still equals 40 ft lbs on the shaft.  that is a static figure.... once they start moving it will be a different ballgame altogether.

Lee B
www.packratworkshop.com