Series-parallel motors, again.

[ArtieD2]

Hi all. I hope it's appropriate for me to post in this forum. I'm a retired avionics tech, and my interest in fluid dynamics is purely on a hobby, DIY level. I have a small "hobby" grade band saw, and now that I have the time, I'd like to try my hand at building a larger model. I'd like to use dual hydraulic motors to direct-drive the wheels. Even the smallest "surplus" motors I find seem to have more than enough torque and speed to meet the needs of this project. (Even industrial grade band saws don't seem to exceed 5 HP.) My question is simply if a series or parallel configuration would be best in this project. Both motors will have virtually no-load on startup. (Just the radial load of the blade tension.) Both motors will be mechanically linked by virtue of the blade.

I'm doing this equally as much for the satisfaction of completing the project as the end result.

Thanks all for any advice you can offer. (And I realize that I could greatly simplify things by using only one motor.)

Artie

 

[hydtools]

Use only one motor to drive one wheel. The second wheel is an idler. Using two motors may relax the required blade tension on the cutting side of the blade.

Ted

 

[ArtieD2]

Thanks Ted, but as the motor pulls tension on one side, doesn't it release tension on the other side? Ergo, a zero-sum game? I would think that blade tension would be independent of the number of motors used. I think.

Edit: I think I just answered my own question. Clearly, there's no point to the 2nd motor.