Jim Watt wrote:
> On Thu, 08 Mar 2007 01:44:38 GMT, dr@him.com wrote:
>
>> Microwave is just plain stupid.
>
> Why?
> --
> Jim Watt
> http://www.gibnet.com

I couldn't resist this.

The idea looks good to me so I just tried it. It works and is quick and
easy.

I put the CD on a wire microwave pie rack to lift it off the metal base
plate and prevent screening. I put in a cup of water to protect the
microwave from over-voltage and to limit the power density.

After about 15 seconds at 1kW the CD was hot, bowed, crazed and smoking
a bit.

Effectiveness looks roughly equivalent to shredding into 5mm fragments.
Destruction is clearly visible. See http://www.tim-jackson.co.uk/cd.JPG

It's harmless to the microwave as long as there is something there, or
enough CDs, to absorb any excess power, and as long as you don't make
too much smoke and fume. The CD absorbs a lot of power, so I guess with
half a dozen you'd have no risk of over-voltage or excessively rapid
temperature rise and can omit the water.

You'd need some sort of (dielectric or wire) frame to support the CDs
far enough apart to expose them roughly equally, for doing quantity.

So I can definitively state that the idea is not stupid. It may not be
the best solution, maybe relatively labour intensive compared to
chemistry, but it certainly is a contender: cheap, produces minimal
pollution and uses readily available equipment.


Tim Jackson