What uses would a microwave have in the shop? I have seen info about this before but cannot remember any uses. Does anyone use one in their shop and what do you use it for? Thanks for any suggestions guys.
Rusty snipped-for-privacy@aol.com
I use mine to warm up my coffee and once and a while my lunch.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Keep the whole world singing . . . . DanG (remove the sevens) snipped-for-privacy@7cox.net
Keeping your coffee warm... Duh! :-)
Seriously, though, some turners use microwaves to dry thick turning blanks. Do a Google groups search for microwave on the group rec.crafts.woodturning and you'll see some ideas.
I may be imagining this, but I seem to recall a post here not too long ago about using a microwave to heat/soften wood for bending. Google again...
-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)
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Yes, I've also seen some reports on bending. Yet another use: softening glue. Most glues will soften with heat. White glue or yellow PVA that's recent will turn plastic. For older PVA, add a little water to the joint before heating. Do not use popcorn setting, however.
--Gerry
Warming heat pads to ease my back, reheating coffee and food, oh and drying smalll wooden objects....
It will chase bugs out of small pieces of wood.
Great for destroying CDs/DVDs if you have any sensitive data on them. Cover them with a paper towel and cook em on high for 10-30 seconds with the shiny side up. Oh, don't breathe the fumes either.
Oops, wrong hobby.
I've used a microwave for straightening out the lid of a small carved mahogany(ish) box,which had warped badly. Wrapped it in wet rags, and put it on defrost for a while. Once it was really hot (too hot to handle with bare hands) I clamped it down flat and left it in clamps for around 24hrs. There was a slight amount of spring-back, which I was able to take out with a block plane. A couple of years later, it's still ok.
I've also used it for drying wedges, an up-to-date version of the old boy's trick of putting their wedges for whatever job in an oven and baking them. Once they're bone dry, they will never shrink any further, and the only effect that changes in humidity will have is to further tighten them.
Cheers
Mythbusters spun them on a router until they came apart. Great fun in slow motion.
Thanks Frank. I gotta remember this one - the old "wedgie" trick ;-)
-Doug
If you use a biscuit joiner, a microwave is good for drying the biscuits so they fit nicely in the slots. 30 seconds on high repeated once or twice with a minute inbetween for cooling will take care of a handful or two.
Burritos? Popcorn? Defrosting meat for the grill?
You won't get cat parts all over the kitchen - the wife is sure to love that.
Making push sticks.
Twinkie experiments! Try this one too.... Cut a grape in half and space them about 1/8" apart cut side down and microwave on high for about a minute...
Haven't seen anyone mention shrinking oversized biscuits yet.
The most fun you can have with a microwave:
Open microwave. Insert AOL CD. (If you don't have an AOL CD, one by Enya or Kenny G. will do.) Turn off room lights. Select 5 seconds on timer, hit "Start". Enjoy the show. Sparklies, cracklies; fun for the whole family.
Michael (Should I post this on the "All-ages" newsgroup?) Baglio
I don't know about the grapes, but I do know that an egg in the microwave will explode in exactly 1 min 15 seconds.... cooked for 1 min and 15 seconds later when I open the microwave door ;-)
Marshmallows are fun to watch, too. A fresh one will swell up to about the size of a tennis ball. And if your microwave has variable power levels (usually implemented by cycling on and off), it's even more fun: the marshmallow will grow and shrink, grow and shrink as the power cycles.
You can toast marshmallows in the microwave, too. They remain white on the outside, but get brown and toasted on the inside.
-- Regards, Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)
Get a copy of my NEW AND IMPROVED TrollFilter for NewsProxy/Nfilter by sending email to autoresponder at filterinfo-at-milmac-dot-com You must use your REAL email address to get a response.
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