this post was submitted on 05 Oct 2025
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No Stupid Questions

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I see all the memes about guillotines for the rich, funny in spirit, but actually building one in the town square is not practical. They take a ton of materials, they are huge, and they do not even work reliably. Would it not make more sense to build one from metal with hydraulic pistons or something? I am not a machinist, but a more mobile unit you could wheel into a square to decapitate a few effigies seems about as effective for sending a message, and easier to remove or relocate if needed.

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[–] swordgeek@lemmy.ca 78 points 4 days ago (36 children)

If it's about sending a message, then the item itself is the conveyor of the message, not an unrecognizable but more efficient substitute. The guillotine is a recognisable symbol of people rising up and seizing power from the criminal ruling class. It is a warning and a threat.

If you plan on actually executing people, then sure - optimize all you want, or just go with a bullet to the brain.

But as a symbol, the guillotine is powerful.

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[–] agamemnonymous@sh.itjust.works 22 points 4 days ago (1 children)

Guillotines are too tame for modern audiences. Wood chippers are fresh and exciting.

[–] StopSpazzing@lemmy.world 4 points 4 days ago

Ohhh that's great!

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 19 points 4 days ago

Ton of materials?

It's just a large frame to hold a big knife dropped by letting go of a rope. The hardest thing to get would be the blade, and the whole thing could be constructed in under 2 hours.

[–] Mubelotix@jlai.lu 25 points 4 days ago (3 children)

Ugh? Guillotines are very reliable actually. And it's not that expensive, everything is wood except the large blade. Also, you can't fake an execution, the crowd will be satisfied when they see the head

[–] Witchfire@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago

not that expensive, everything is wood

Oh how times have changed

[–] Bishma@discuss.tchncs.de 3 points 4 days ago

Don't fix what's not broken

[–] 6nk06@sh.itjust.works 14 points 4 days ago (1 children)
[–] GrayBackgroundMusic@lemmy.zip 7 points 4 days ago

Honestly, some people don't. Assuming op isn't trolling, one of my kids is like this.

[–] njm1314@lemmy.world 10 points 4 days ago

Who is joking?

[–] AllNewTypeFace@leminal.space 10 points 4 days ago (2 children)

You can make them modular, with telescoping rails, for portability. The blade needs to be weighted, but the weight can consist of a stack of weights, like on gym equipment. In fact, you could probably repurpose a bench press machine into a guillotine with a few minor modifications.

[–] Uruanna@lemmy.world 6 points 4 days ago (1 children)

You can also add jets to make it shoot down faster.

[–] TheCriticalMember@aussie.zone 5 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I love where your head is at! 🤣

[–] Gumus@lemmy.world 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)
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[–] Lushed_Lungfish@lemmy.ca 5 points 4 days ago

It's called a Smith Machine.

Really smooth action.

[–] Akasazh@lemmy.world 4 points 3 days ago

Same reason people have crosses on them. It's a symbol.

[–] Lumidaub@feddit.org 10 points 4 days ago

Same reason we still "hang up" the phone.

[–] mrgoosmoos@lemmy.ca 6 points 4 days ago

I like your approach here of making a clearly wrong statement just to get more activity on this important topic

I will add yet another comment that guillotines are neither complicated nor require much material. you could make a sturdy one with less than a dozen 2x4s, some screws, a scrap piece of rope, and whatever junk metal you have lying around that's around 24x8 (which you need regardless of how fancy the frame itself is)

that said, mobile ones seem like they would also have a purpose

[–] Nemo@slrpnk.net 7 points 4 days ago

Because if we talk about guns and bombs we end up on a list.

[–] Typotyper@sh.itjust.works 5 points 4 days ago (6 children)

Use a log splitter with a different blade, higher capacity valance and an accumulator for faster action. Strengthen the frame and maybe add a dampener for the end of stroke so things last longer. Reloading ca be controlled by smaller hoses.

[–] bizarroland@lemmy.world 5 points 4 days ago (5 children)

Don't log splitters work incredibly slow?

That's not really gonna chop people's heads off, rather it would inexorably pinch their necks until their head falls off.

That's pretty fucking gruesome.

[–] Typotyper@sh.itjust.works 2 points 4 days ago

Most wood splinters do move slow but that one (Large valve and accumulator) would make it faster.

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[–] Diddlydee@feddit.uk 5 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Nobody is wanting to build a guillotine. it's simply a symbolic reference to the French Revolution.

[–] GrayBackgroundMusic@lemmy.zip 15 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Exactly. It's like when people joke "eat the rich". Zero desire for cannibalism, but 100% desire for the rich to be removed from the earth.

[–] TheButtonJustSpins@infosec.pub 10 points 4 days ago (3 children)
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[–] Ryanmiller70@lemmy.zip 3 points 4 days ago (1 children)

I have a desire for cannibalism. I've heard human meat can be pretty tasty when cooked and seasoned just right.

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[–] BurgerBaron@piefed.social 5 points 4 days ago

Building is a lot of work. Using one is another story.

[–] nutsack@lemmy.dbzer0.com 4 points 4 days ago (2 children)

if it were up to me, i would use a chainsaw

[–] TheCriticalMember@aussie.zone 3 points 4 days ago (2 children)

Are you the type that loves bathing in gore? Because that's what will happen immediately if you start chainsawing people up. They throw everything directly back at the user.

[–] Kolanaki@pawb.social 2 points 4 days ago

Treat it like a Gallagher show and give the first 3 rows rain ponchos.

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