Laser on TV

**Joe Pelonio** · 08-20-2007, 8:49 AM

Anyone catch "Iron Chef America" last night?

The challenger, Homaro Cantu, was introduced as being a chef that uses high tech gadgets including a class 4 laser, so I watched it. I thought maybe he'd be engraving food like some of us have tried. Turned out it was not a CNC laser like ours, just a simple laser (with glass tube) that he used to carmelize and drill holes in food by holding it in the beam. probably could have done the same with a small torch and an ice pick, but he's definitely into odd cooking methods, he also used an inkjet that prints edible ink on edible paper, and nitrogen, both gas and liquid.

**Carol VanArnam** · 08-20-2007, 9:45 PM

You have to much free time if you are watching laser food techniques. Stick to plastic, wood, rock.... food brings ants. Ants and laser beams add up to a BBQ smell.

**Leigh Costello** · 08-23-2007, 1:25 AM

Joe and Carol,
Here is a good one for you. Put your beverage down first. I have a story.

Last weekend, 8-11, I felt a little bug coming on. By Monday, full blown stomach bug. Lasted way too long. Finally felt well enough to go back to lasering on 8-20. Apparantly, 9 days is plenty of time for creepy crawly things to get lost in the laser.

My basement is relatively air tight, but I do have a teenager who has friends who like to swim in the backyard pool. These same little angels also don't mind leaving doors open.

So, after several minutes of checking things out and prepping a job for the laser, I tried to run the job. Hmmm...not exactly what I wanted. Re-check settings, re-send, re-run. Still a tad off. Must be the lens. Clean the lens. It was clean. Went to look closer (eyes are not as good as they used to be) at the mirror with a flashlight and magnifying glass.

Just about knocked myself out jumping backwards. A dang spider had set up a lovely home on the plunger and all nearby parts. I had lasered said home into a rather odd collection of spider guts and web. The legs that were sort of gripping the air assist were intact and seemed to be moving!

I just thought the flashy bursts were the pine I was lasering.

My laser is now spider-free and doing a fantastic job engraving. And there is a nice sign on the door threatening bodily harm to those who leave it open.