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#2
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes
to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? |
#3
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
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#4
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Don't make this into a project, unless you are bored. Simply heat a knife over your stove and then slice the bar. |
#6
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
wrote in message oups.com... Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? I think the wire idea is not too good as a thick slab of chocolate does not lend itself to being severed by a blunt wire. The hot wire would be messy and stinky as well as potentially a shock hazard. I would suggest buying a saw to use for chocolate. You can get a thin bladed saw, and just wash it after severing the chocolate. You will get some chocolate dust, but that can just be tossed in a coup of coffee. -- Roger Shoaf About the time I had mastered getting the toothpaste back in the tube, then they come up with this striped stuff. |
#7
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Mon, 2 Apr 2007 17:05:23 -0400, "Charles Schuler"
wrote: Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Don't make this into a project, unless you are bored. Simply heat a knife over your stove and then slice the bar. I say chill it, break it and give the small pieces to the kids. -- Oren "If things get any worse, I'll have to ask you to stop helping me." |
#8
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
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#9
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Apr 2, 4:05 pm, "Charles Schuler"
wrote: Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making achocolate cutterout of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the bigcheesecutters they use at thecheesestore that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Don't make this into a project, unless you are bored. Simply heat a knife over your stove and then slice the bar. Tried that. The chocolate is about 2" thick. The knife appears to give up virtually all of its heat after about 1/8". |
#10
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Apr 2, 4:48 pm, Oren wrote:
On Mon, 2 Apr 2007 17:05:23 -0400, "Charles Schuler" wrote: Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making achocolate cutterout of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the bigcheesecutters they use at thecheesestore that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Don't make this into a project, unless you are bored. Simply heat a knife over your stove and then slice the bar. I say chill it, break it and give the small pieces to the kids. Too thick. It breaks into big chunks. Too big to eat. |
#11
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Apr 2, 4:17 pm, mm wrote:
On 2 Apr 2007 13:45:07 -0700, wrote: Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar ofchocolatefor Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am forchocolate, but that's another story). Maybe give them something else instead. Or a one pound bar? The chocolate is actually for ME. The kids are just an excuse to buy the big bar. ;-) My mother was too thin as a child/teenagere, so my grandmother would give her a nickel to go buy a milkshake, another nickel to have them put an egg in it, and another nickel to get my mother to drink it. Later, she had learned to love milkshakes and sweets, and it made it much more difficult for her to keep weight off. Too late. I'm already addicted. Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making achocolate cutterout of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the bigcheesecutters they use at thecheesestore that I frequent. If I They used to have, and maybe still do, the same wirecheesecutterin consumer size. I have two of them, and I would give you one, maybe, but they are from my mother and grandmother. I've made those from guitar strings. Cheese can simply be cut. Chocolate needs the heat to do it well. Thanks for thinking about giving one to me, but I couldn't take it. could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? I was going to suggest 110 volts through a lightbulb and the wire, but after reading Grandpa, I realized that wouldn't work either. It wouldn't blow a fuse, but because there is so little resistance in the wire you mention, it wouldn't make any heat either. I don't think 110V is a good idea. |
#12
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Apr 2, 3:45 pm, wrote:
Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Chainsaw? |
#13
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Apr 2, 4:21 pm, "Roger Shoaf" wrote:
wrote in message oups.com... Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar ofchocolatefor Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am forchocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making achocolate cutterout of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the bigcheesecutters they use at thecheesestore that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? I think the wire idea is not too good as a thick slab ofchocolatedoes not lend itself to being severed by a blunt wire. The hot wire would be messy and stinky as well as potentially a shock hazard. That's why I'm looking for a 'safe' way to do it. How do the pros deal with this problem? I assume there are some who cut chocolate bars. I would suggest buying a saw to use forchocolate. You can get a thin bladed saw, and just wash it after severing thechocolate. You will get somechocolatedust, but that can just be tossed in a coup of coffee. This is really, really good chocolate. The kind that turns into something that resembles stale chewing gum when the temp gets much above 98.6. So the coffee idea wouldn't work. |
#14
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Apr 2, 2:21 pm, "Roger Shoaf" wrote:
wrote in message oups.com... Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? I think the wire idea is not too good as a thick slab of chocolate does not lend itself to being severed by a blunt wire. The hot wire would be messy and stinky as well as potentially a shock hazard. Would the chocolate re-fuse itself as it cools fast? (Like cutting plexiglass with a sabersaw) |
#16
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
You may have a problem with the phenomenon of regelation. It's like a block
of ice. You can sit it on a wire, and the block of ice will eventually go around the wire, but it refreezes once the wire passes. Chocolate may do the same thing if it is a thick piece. Let us know how this idea works. Or not. Steve |
#17
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
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#18
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
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#19
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
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#20
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
wrote in message oups.com... Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Get a Weller gun-type soldering iron and remove the tip. Insert bare 16 or 18 gauge solid wire in a loop as big as you need, but not too big (probably 6" long with 1" between the wires would be good). Re-secure the ends. (This would make sense if you were looking at one). Pull the trigger, wait a bit for it to heat up & burn stuff off the wire, and cut. Pull the gun slowly, let the heat melt the chocolate before you move the gun. Works great for styrofoam and other similar things. |
#21
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
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#22
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
"Oren" wrote in message ... On Mon, 2 Apr 2007 17:05:23 -0400, "Charles Schuler" wrote: Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Don't make this into a project, unless you are bored. Simply heat a knife over your stove and then slice the bar. I say chill it, break it and give the small pieces to the kids. Best answer yet. Whenever I used to see that type of chunk chocolate in the stores, it was in broken chunks- obviously just wrapped in cheesecloth, and slammed on the chopping table real hard, and then unwrapped and repackaged. I bet it would break pretty cleanly over a fulcrum like a table edge. aem sends... |
#23
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
wrote:
Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Use a froe and mallet. http://thelibrary.springfield.missou...et/9i1p24a.jpg Material is relatively brittle, edge is relatively sharp - impact manageable chunks. Stuff would scoot about, but that's just containment and not a major issue. R |
#24
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
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#25
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Mon, 2 Apr 2007 19:55:43 -0400, "badgolferman"
wrote: , 4/2/2007,4:45:07 PM, wrote: Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Have you tried a long serrated knife cutting at an angle on a cutting board? You will have to keep turning the hunk of chocolate over and over to cut at an angle so there will be less area to cut through. Have you tried Kinjo Karate? |
#26
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
wrote in message ps.com... On Apr 2, 4:21 pm, "Roger Shoaf" wrote: wrote in message oups.com... Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar ofchocolatefor Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am forchocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making achocolate cutterout of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the bigcheesecutters they use at thecheesestore that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? I think the wire idea is not too good as a thick slab ofchocolatedoes not lend itself to being severed by a blunt wire. The hot wire would be messy and stinky as well as potentially a shock hazard. That's why I'm looking for a 'safe' way to do it. How do the pros deal with this problem? I assume there are some who cut chocolate bars. I would suggest buying a saw to use forchocolate. You can get a thin bladed saw, and just wash it after severing thechocolate. You will get somechocolatedust, but that can just be tossed in a coup of coffee. This is really, really good chocolate. The kind that turns into something that resembles stale chewing gum when the temp gets much above 98.6. So the coffee idea wouldn't work. Sure the chocolate dust in the coffee would work. It would impart chocolate into the coffee. Heck if you think about what chocolate is, cocoa butter, cocoa butter, sugar and cocoa liquor and perhaps some vanilla, all of that would be tasty in a cup of coffee. I had assumed that it was good chocolate that is why I was not suggesting that you waste any even the little bits that come shaving off the blade. I would bet that it melts at less than body temperature as the good stuff melts in your hand and your mouth. From a culinary perspective a hot wire would probably have negative effects on the chocolate just as it does if you were to overheat chocolate when melting it in a double boiler. If you set the heat of the wire lower to prevent the chocolate from becoming overheated, then the large thermal mass of the block would cool the chocolate right behind the point you just melted it. The saw would take a minimal amount away from the block, and you probably would not have to cut more than 1/3 of the way before you could snap it, but it would give you a reasonably defined chunk. Of course another solution to your dilemma would be to just buy two 10 pound bars. -- Roger Shoaf About the time I had mastered getting the toothpaste back in the tube, then they come up with this striped stuff. |
#27
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
Get some nichrome wire from a hobby shop. that's what we use to cut
styrofoam wing cores for model airplanes. Hook a 6 or 9v power to it. 12v if you're in a hurry. -- Steve Barker YOU should be the one controlling YOUR car. Check out: www.lightsout.org wrote in message oups.com... Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? |
#28
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Apr 2, 4:45 pm, wrote:
Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Fine wire with an overhand knot about every half inch or so will work just fine as a saw with no electricity involved. |
#29
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
"Steve Barker" wrote in message ... Get some nichrome wire from a hobby shop. that's what we use to cut styrofoam wing cores for model airplanes. Hook a 6 or 9v power to it. 12v if you're in a hurry. This is not going to work so well on a block of chocolate. Chocolate being a blend of solids, fat and sugar and can have 6 different kinds of fat crystals in the mix. Each one of the crystal structures has a different melting point and great lengths are gone to by chocolate makers to see that the one that forms is the crystal that melts just below body temperature. The hot wire works good on foam as it melts the shell of the cells that make up the foam and the melted bits recede from the heat. The chocolate would flow back and melt together. The melted part may also suffer from a loss of its desired crystalline structure if overheated. Better to score and snap it. -- Roger Shoaf About the time I had mastered getting the toothpaste back in the tube, then they come up with this striped stuff. |
#31
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Apr 2, 10:21 pm, "RicodJour" wrote:
wrote: Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Use a froe and mallet.http://thelibrary.springfield.missou...odicals/bitter... Material is relatively brittle, edge is relatively sharp - impact manageable chunks. Stuff would scoot about, but that's just containment and not a major issue. That's essentially what I've been doing for years. I use a nice, sharp French knife and smack the back of the blade with a mallet. The resulting mess is what I'm trying to avoid. After I'm done with a ten lb bar, I have about one lb of crumbs on the board, and maybe another 1/2 lb on the floor. A few have suggested a 'score and snap' method, kind of like cutting glass or wallboard. Depending on how deeply I would need to score it, this sounds like it has a good potential to solve, or at least reduce my problem. That sounds like my next likely approach. |
#32
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Apr 2, 5:09 am, Jeff Wisnia wrote:
Grandpa wrote: wrote: Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Clever idea, but piano wire or a guitar string won't have enough resistance to heat up when you apply a current. You want something like nichrome wire which is used in styrofoam cutters. Check eBay. There are some which will run on 2 "D" batteries. Or spring for one of the first item pictured on this page. It comes with several knife blade tips which should make short work of your job. (Click on the small picture to enlarge and see what the blades look like.) Jeff -- Jeffry Wisnia (W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE) The speed of light is 1.8*10^12 furlongs per fortnight.- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - Jeff, How many fathoms per fortnight would that be? Joe G |
#33
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On 3 Apr 2007 09:10:30 -0700, wrote:
On Apr 2, 10:21 pm, "RicodJour" wrote: wrote: Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Use a froe and mallet.http://thelibrary.springfield.missou...odicals/bitter... Material is relatively brittle, edge is relatively sharp - impact manageable chunks. Stuff would scoot about, but that's just containment and not a major issue. That's essentially what I've been doing for years. I use a nice, sharp French knife and smack the back of the blade with a mallet. The resulting mess is what I'm trying to avoid. After I'm done with a ten lb bar, I have about one lb of crumbs on the board, and maybe another 1/2 lb on the floor. A few have suggested a 'score and snap' method, kind of like cutting glass or wallboard. Depending on how deeply I would need to score it, this sounds like it has a good potential to solve, or at least reduce my problem. That sounds like my next likely approach. If a break a snickers bar in half, it crumbles some. If I freeze it first, it snaps clean at the break. Score one block, and try chilling it and then break the score. -- Oren "If things get any worse, I'll have to ask you to stop helping me." |
#34
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
Perhaps a chainsaw. WTF?
-- Steve Barker YOU should be the one controlling YOUR car. Check out: www.lightsout.org "Goedjn" wrote in message ... On 2 Apr 2007 15:15:06 -0700, wrote: On Apr 2, 4:05 pm, "Charles Schuler" wrote: Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making achocolate cutterout of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the bigcheesecutters they use at thecheesestore that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Don't make this into a project, unless you are bored. Simply heat a knife over your stove and then slice the bar. Tried that. The chocolate is about 2" thick. The knife appears to give up virtually all of its heat after about 1/8". Cleaver. Hatchet. 8 Pound mallet. |
#35
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Tue, 3 Apr 2007 13:09:11 -0500, "Steve Barker"
wrote: Perhaps a chainsaw. WTF? I was going to suggest a band saw, but you will choc-dust. -- Oren "If things get any worse, I'll have to ask you to stop helping me." |
#36
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Tue, 03 Apr 2007 10:53:49 -0700, Oren wrote:
On 3 Apr 2007 09:10:30 -0700, wrote: On Apr 2, 10:21 pm, "RicodJour" wrote: wrote: Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Use a froe and mallet.http://thelibrary.springfield.missou...odicals/bitter... Material is relatively brittle, edge is relatively sharp - impact manageable chunks. Stuff would scoot about, but that's just containment and not a major issue. That's essentially what I've been doing for years. I use a nice, sharp French knife and smack the back of the blade with a mallet. The resulting mess is what I'm trying to avoid. After I'm done with a ten lb bar, I have about one lb of crumbs on the board, and maybe another 1/2 lb on the floor. A few have suggested a 'score and snap' method, kind of like cutting glass or wallboard. Depending on how deeply I would need to score it, this sounds like it has a good potential to solve, or at least reduce my problem. That sounds like my next likely approach. If a break a snickers bar in half, it crumbles some. If I freeze it first, it snaps clean at the break. Score one block, and try chilling it and then break the score. What you need, is a chicken guillotine. |
#37
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Tue, 03 Apr 2007 15:28:54 -0400, Goedjn wrote:
On Tue, 03 Apr 2007 10:53:49 -0700, Oren wrote: On 3 Apr 2007 09:10:30 -0700, wrote: On Apr 2, 10:21 pm, "RicodJour" wrote: wrote: Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? Use a froe and mallet.http://thelibrary.springfield.missou...odicals/bitter... Material is relatively brittle, edge is relatively sharp - impact manageable chunks. Stuff would scoot about, but that's just containment and not a major issue. That's essentially what I've been doing for years. I use a nice, sharp French knife and smack the back of the blade with a mallet. The resulting mess is what I'm trying to avoid. After I'm done with a ten lb bar, I have about one lb of crumbs on the board, and maybe another 1/2 lb on the floor. A few have suggested a 'score and snap' method, kind of like cutting glass or wallboard. Depending on how deeply I would need to score it, this sounds like it has a good potential to solve, or at least reduce my problem. That sounds like my next likely approach. If a break a snickers bar in half, it crumbles some. If I freeze it first, it snaps clean at the break. Score one block, and try chilling it and then break the score. What you need, is a chicken guillotine. Been along time since I used my axe...g -- Oren "If things get any worse, I'll have to ask you to stop helping me." |
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
wrote in message oups.com... Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? You would need a transformer to drop the voltage and increase the current. For steel wire, the current needed would be high. How about a standard coping saw? Bob |
#39
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
On Tue, 3 Apr 2007 14:09:34 -0700, Bob F wrote:
wrote in message roups.com... Traditionally, I buy a ten lb bar of chocolate for Easter. Half goes to the kids. The other half goes in my desk drawer at work (plus half of what I gave the kids because they're not nearly as passionate as I am for chocolate, but that's another story). Cutting this bar is never fun. I've thought about making a chocolate cutter out of a piano wire or maybe a guitar string - sort of like the big cheese cutters they use at the cheese store that I frequent. If I could heat the wire, it would make the job much easier. Is there a safe way to electrically heat such a wire sufficiently to cut chocolate? What sort of low-voltage circuit could I use for this? Or is this idea completely off the wall? You would need a transformer to drop the voltage and increase the current. For steel wire, the current needed would be high. A soldering gun might work as a cheap power supply. |
#40
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Using piano wire to cut chocolate
"Oren" wrote in message ... On Tue, 3 Apr 2007 13:09:11 -0500, "Steve Barker" wrote: Perhaps a chainsaw. WTF? I was going to suggest a band saw, but you will choc-dust. And choc-dust contributes to global warming ... I know cause Al told me so. |
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