Tuesday, May 22, 2018

Almond Bread

All this talk about food and microwaves got me hungry. But being me I branched out on another idea.

A couple of years ago a friend gave me a microwave oven that she thought was broken. It wasn't but so it goes. I buried it in a mound in the backyard as a decoy for anyone using metal detectors to find my buried treasure (editor's note - there is no buried treasure, but no one need know that). Over time the soil eroded and there it was - white goods (as they call appliances at the salvage yard) poking up through the dirt. So I dug it out and dragged it into the tractor shed.

While reading various trade magazines I kept coming across some interesting patterns burned into wood, to wit:


I thought that was kind of cool - has kind of an Asian vibe to it, and it's done with electricity, and one of the preferred sources for power is a used high voltage transformer from a microwave oven. Hmm, I have one of those. 

So I started doing some research and what do you know - now fractal wood burning is being banned by various groups due to people getting electrocuted during the process. That's not good. I mean it's a nice design and all, but is it worth dying for? Not to this old lumberjack.

A wiser approach would be to use software to generate fractals and Mandelbrot sets and Julia sets and all of the other, many variations on that theme.


Anyway, I ended up taking the microwave to the scrap yard, got four cents a pound for it (what's that, a dollar or two?) and decided to stick with tried and true old-time woodworking using my 3D modeling software and my CNC:


The old ways are still the best ways, eh?


4 comments:

AllenS said...

Another beautiful piece of art.

The Dude said...

Thanks.

ricpic said...

"That Smarts!"

"Hey dummkopf...fractal ain't pract'al.
Don't wanna smolder? Go older."



A lame attempt at levity. But I have an excuse! Today I'm out back doing something and I hear the clank of the lawnmower guy's flatbed truck ramp and then the sound of his mower. Seven days! He was here seven days ago. He's trying to get four mows out of me in May. I know his game. But being a timid soul I'm not going to remonstrate with him because what if he says "That's it! Find yourself another guy." Then I'll have to find another mower, start from scratch with another bastid. Who needs the tsuris? So that's my excuse. Should be, "Don't wanna smolder? Go BOLDER!"

Evi L. Bloggerlady said...

That bowl is stunning.