Thread: Guillotine

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I made a nice Guillotine prop and Im looking for a good electrical way to allow it to drop (freely) and then wind the cable back up. I have made some motion sensing powerstrips that I want to use to trigger it, but I cant think of a way to "real" the cable back up but allow it to freefall once triggered. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

I'd love to know this too! I really want to make a guillotine and I wanna know how to real the head back on.

I would think that a cheap tow wench from Walmart would do the trick nicely....

I think what you need is an electric clutch. Attached to the right speed motor you could lift the blade by applying current to the clutch (engaging it) which would lift the blade. A limit switch would be needed at the top to turn off the motor but not the clutch thus stopping the lifting but still holding the blade. To drop the blade turn of the electric clutch and it should drop. Electric clutches are used on some riding lawn mowers perhaps other applications too but that's the one I know of. Just an idea and would still need a lot of details worked out for it to operate.

The clutch that will allow it to free drop is where I am having problems with. I have no problem realing the cable/blade back up, I just dont know how to initiate a free fall. I looked at the double servo method of creating a Drop bat but that doesnt look like it would work in this instance.