Help on DIY vert light mover

Title says it all. I have a newer blender I took apart, and an older microwave I can use for parts. Any ideas?! I'm no gear expert, but I was thinking just take the blender motor, slow down with a potentiometer, add a wheel(s), and rig her up somehow. Any mechanical and safety advice will be much appreciated!

So this is a pic of the blender motor...just thinking out load. Going to find an equation for a potentiometer to drop this down a hair. I couldn't imagine a bulb flipping around the world yo yo style. Also going to look into gear ratios and belts. Can you tell I'm not a gear head?

What movement are you hoping to make? :S

Like a light going up and down vertically? I dont understand how this could be done with a blender motor and wheels but this is a really cool idea

Even at the lowest speed settings, blenders turn at very high rpms. Using a potentiometer might work but would likely still require some nifty engineering with pulleys(some potentially very large)to get the speed down. Then there's the question of how much torque required to move the weight of the reflector(s). I'm also not sure how the microwave would be put to good use but not a electrician here by any stretch.

This is a very complex project for someone who is not a "gearhead". I was planning on using a horizontal "light rail" mover to operate two vertical lights. My plan was to attach small ropes to the trolley. Run them to pulleys which would convert the horizontal movement to vertical movement.

You could adjust the light movement via the trolley "stops" Also you would have to put enough weight hanging from the trolley hook so that the wheels would maintain traction. That would solve the stopping and turnaround adjustments...plus you could use it for two vertical grows. Lights bobbing up and down at each end.

I've purchased light rails on ebay used for just over $100.
JD

Yeah after much mind boggling research...blender motors are just too much. A slower motor like a microwave, rotisserie, or one of those mobiles for cribs would be much easier. I've seen the horizontal light movers used with a pulled to drop vertical bulb, but what's the fun in that. I'll bump if I figure something cheap and worthwhile to build.

Not all, but some kitchen ranges have potentiometers to control the electric elements. You could possibly use one of these to control heavy amperage applications. I use power transistors and small potentiometer to control voltage etc.

how about using the movement of an oscilating fan and some pullys?