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microwaves and bamboo

updated wed 9 feb 00

 

Mary Ella Yamashita on tue 1 feb 00

A friend of mine recently microwaved a teapot with a bamboo/metal handle;
the metal melted, and she is planning to replace the old handle with one
that has no metal. I am wondering if it is safe to microwave bamboo or
other types of woody handles in the first place, even those with no metal
components? Could there be a fire hazard? Does anyone have experience in
this area or care to speculate? Thanks for any insight--Mary Ella

Alice Chittenden on wed 2 feb 00

Hi, Mary Ella.

I have not microwaved bamboo but I will share a related experience which
might help you. When my children were younger they talked me into buying
popcorn that supposedly pops while still on the cob. The directions said
to put the cob of corn into a brown paper lunch bag and crimp the
opening. This was to be placed in the microwave and cooked on high(I
think-don't remember- but I followed their instructions) for a specified
number of minutes. Well, nothing happened, so I gave it a few more
minutes. Then a couple more. When I opened up the microwave to check I
saw smoke pouring out of the bag. No flames luckily, but I had to put
the bag in the sink and fill it with water to stop the smoking. If your
friend is trying to heat a teapot full of water she will probably have
the pot in the microwave for several minutes. You might want to suggest
she purchase a tea kettle for the stovetop and use her teapot only for
steeping the tea.

Regards, Alice Chittenden

Jennifer Howard on wed 2 feb 00

Mary Ella,

When we have a big pit fire out at Finch's Pottery we love throwing green
bamboo into the fire. The bamboo explodes like firecrackers. My guess is if
there are uncut joints could blow in a microwave oven as well. Just my
guess.......Jennifer
At 02:27 PM 2/1/00 EST, you wrote:
>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>A friend of mine recently microwaved a teapot with a bamboo/metal handle;
>the metal melted, and she is planning to replace the old handle with one
>that has no metal. I am wondering if it is safe to microwave bamboo or
>other types of woody handles in the first place, even those with no metal
>components? Could there be a fire hazard? Does anyone have experience in
>this area or care to speculate? Thanks for any insight--Mary Ella
>

Debby Grant on wed 2 feb 00

Anything made of wood that is put into a microwave would probably dry
out and become very brittle. I don't think there would be any danger of
fire but it would act like any other kind of vegetable matter that is
micro-waved
without the addition of water.

Debby Grant in NH

Anita Rickenberg on wed 2 feb 00

This is speculation. Since microwaves heat by causing the movement of water
molecules, a bamboo handle should not be affected as long as it is dry. I
often heat bread in a wicker basket with no problem, but it's heated for
only a short time. Personally, I would try out the handle material in a
microwave while I was closely watching it to make sure. Be sure to include
a cup of water or some other liquid to simulate the actual heating of a
teapot. It should be cool to the touch when the heating cycle is complete.

Anita
----- Original Message -----
From: Mary Ella Yamashita
To:
Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2000 2:27 PM
Subject: microwaves and bamboo


> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> A friend of mine recently microwaved a teapot with a bamboo/metal handle;
> the metal melted, and she is planning to replace the old handle with one
> that has no metal. I am wondering if it is safe to microwave bamboo or
> other types of woody handles in the first place, even those with no metal
> components? Could there be a fire hazard? Does anyone have experience in
> this area or care to speculate? Thanks for any insight--Mary Ella

Cindy Strnad on thu 3 feb 00

Regarding the suggestion for testing microwavability of bamboo.

According to the instructions that came with my new microwave (yes, some
poor folk actually do read the instructions ), you should never run
the microwave without something in it to absorb the microwave energy. The
something has to contain liquid (a microwave won't melt wax, for example).
They said that running the oven empty might damage it.

Second, I did once try to warm a blanket in a microwave (okay, go ahead and
laugh, everybody--at least I can provide you with some amusement), and got a
hole burned in it. I stopped the microwave as soon as I realized what was
happening, but not before the smell of smoke filled the air.

To make matters worse, I did this in the hospital nursery, where I was
working alone on midnights, had a cold baby, and no one to run to the warmer
for a warm blanket. I naturally buried the blanket deep in a trash can. I
snuggled the baby to warm it until my co-worker came back from break. Not
long afterward, the night head nurse dropped by to see how we were doing. Of
course, she smelled the blanket and I had to tell her the whole story.
Everyone had a real good laugh at me, so you guys may as well, too.

The moral of the story is . . . don't put the bamboo in the microwave
without the suggested cup of water, and watch it closely in any case.

I don't think microwaving the bamboo is going to be good for it. I expect it
will dry out and become brittle and finally break up. Maybe it would work
better to make a small pitcher, heat the water in that, and pour it into the
warmed teapot.

Cindy Strnad
earthenv@gwtc.net
Earthen Vessels Pottery
RR 1, Box 51
Custer, SD 57730

John K Dellow on fri 4 feb 00

Its nice to speculate about what the bamboo will do in a
microwave oven, BUT ! why in heavens sake
put a tea pot into a microwave oven ? .

Anita Rickenberg wrote:
>
> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> This is speculation. Since microwaves heat by causing the movement of water
> molecules, a bamboo handle should not be affected as long as it is dry. I
> often heat bread in a wicker basket with no problem, but it's heated for
> only a short time. Personally, I would try out the handle material in a
> microwave while I was closely watching it to make sure. Be sure to include
> a cup of water or some other liquid to simulate the actual heating of a
> teapot. It should be cool to the touch when the heating cycle is complete.
>
> Anita
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Mary Ella Yamashita
> To:
> Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2000 2:27 PM
> Subject: microwaves and bamboo
>
> > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> > A friend of mine recently microwaved a teapot with a bamboo/metal handle;
> > the metal melted, and she is planning to replace the old handle with one
> > that has no metal. I am wondering if it is safe to microwave bamboo or
> > other types of woody handles in the first place, even those with no metal
> > components? Could there be a fire hazard? Does anyone have experience in
> > this area or care to speculate? Thanks for any insight--Mary Ella

--

John Dellow "the flower pot man"
Home Page http://www.welcome.to/jkdellow
http://digitalfire.com/education/people/dellow/

Mary Day Wollheim on tue 8 feb 00

Because its the best way of heating a teapot (doesn't get wet inside) - and
the bamboo is perfectly fine for the 1 minute it takes for the teapot to
get hot!
Mary-Day in London
----------
>From: John K Dellow
>To: CLAYART@LSV.UKY.EDU
>Subject: Re: microwaves and bamboo
>Date: Fri, 4 Feb, 2000, 10:40 pm
>

>----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>Its nice to speculate about what the bamboo will do in a
>microwave oven, BUT ! why in heavens sake
>put a tea pot into a microwave oven ? .
>
>Anita Rickenberg wrote:
>>
>> ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> This is speculation. Since microwaves heat by causing the movement of water
>> molecules, a bamboo handle should not be affected as long as it is dry. I
>> often heat bread in a wicker basket with no problem, but it's heated for
>> only a short time. Personally, I would try out the handle material in a
>> microwave while I was closely watching it to make sure. Be sure to include
>> a cup of water or some other liquid to simulate the actual heating of a
>> teapot. It should be cool to the touch when the heating cycle is complete.
>>
>> Anita
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: Mary Ella Yamashita
>> To:
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 01, 2000 2:27 PM
>> Subject: microwaves and bamboo
>>
>> > ----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>> > A friend of mine recently microwaved a teapot with a bamboo/metal handle;
>> > the metal melted, and she is planning to replace the old handle with one
>> > that has no metal. I am wondering if it is safe to microwave bamboo or
>> > other types of woody handles in the first place, even those with no metal
>> > components? Could there be a fire hazard? Does anyone have experience in
>> > this area or care to speculate? Thanks for any insight--Mary Ella
>
>--
>
> John Dellow "the flower pot man"
>Home Page http://www.welcome.to/jkdellow
>http://digitalfire.com/education/people/dellow/