Thinking about a new Microwave...

[Bob Borzelleri]

The thought of using the built in in the kitchen is wrought with so many visions of smokey and smelly disaster that I can't bring myself to risk the possibility of getting "that look" from my wife. So, I think I'll score a M/W for the shop and inoculate myself from that risk.

That decision got me to thinking about size. The biggest M/W oven I have seen lately is about 2.2 cf; obviously, the bigger the oven, the bigger the blank. So, I'm wondering what's the practical blank size limit with "average" sized M/W ovens?

What's the biggest blank you have dried with your oven and how big is the oven? Thanks.

...Bob

[Doug Wolf]

Bob,
I picked up an old Amana Radar range microwave oven a couple years ago for $2 at a yard sale. Since then I've seen several in the $5 to $10 range. I have dried 14" bowls and smaller. The neighbor just gave me his old GE so now I have another with a turntable in it. The turntable doesn't seem to make a difference in drying the wood because I only heat it for 1 minute on high then remove it from the oven to evaporate. Then put it back in for another minute.

[Rich Stewart]

Buy the wife a new one and you take the old one.

[Bob Borzelleri]

Bob,
I picked up an old Amana Radar range microwave oven a couple years ago for $2 at a yard sale. Since then I've seen several in the $5 to $10 range. I have dried 14" bowls and smaller. The neighbor just gave me his old GE so now I have another with a turntable in it. The turntable doesn't seem to make a difference in drying the wood because I only heat it for 1 minute on high then remove it from the oven to evaporate. Then put it back in for another minute.

Thanks Doug. Nice to know that you can get up to 14". I'll start looking around Craig's List. I used to have one of the first Radar ranges.


Buy the wife a new one and you take the old one.

Rich...
Given her relationship with the built in, if I suggested swapping it out, drying bowls would be the least of my worries.;)