The metal casting needs special crucibles made out of exotic ceramics or something like that.
I've got a microwave in the shop, I occasionally use it to heat up water to use as a bath for something else - eg etchant. To be honest a kettle would be better and can still be used to make a cup of tea.
The microwave was intended for curing wood. You turn down green wood and then microwave it a few times to drive out the moisture. The wood also goes a bit plastic so you can mould it. I haven't played with that much but the wood moulding is kinda fun. The drying is a bit tedious as you microwave for a minute or so, let it cool and repeat (many many times) until the wood stops losing weight.
If you're thinking 'hey you could automate that' so is everyone else but no-one ever bothers to get 'roud tuit.
I've got a toaster / pizza oven that's more useful as you can control the temperature. Excellent for getting decals off things; many glues will start to release at around 80 degrees which is under even the melting point for plastics so you can get labels off things without damage and reuse them.
As Stefan mentioned making a spot welder out of it is an idea. Microwave ovens for have lots a salvageable parts (motor, transformer, big-arse magnets, microswitches, thermal cut-out, relays, AC filter etc).
Tony
> I don't think it is terribly useful as a microwave, in the shop.
> Yes there is the occassional heating requirement but typically I don't dare to
> use a microwave because I don't know how these odd materials will behave. If
> you did the same thing regularly you could experiment.
> I think you can even make small metal castings with a microwave oven.
>
> ST
>
>
>
>
> On Sat, Feb 13, 2016 at 8:44 PM, Corey Minion csminion@...
> [Homebrew_PCBs] <Homebrew_PCBs@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
> > I was trying to
> > think of workshop uses, and honestly I can think of none.
> >
> >
> > Whadaya think - Uses?
> >
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> >
> > Corey
> >
>
>
> ------------------------------------
> Posted by: Stefan Trethan <stefan_trethan@...>
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>
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