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Video: Laser Popcorn! - Yes! It Can Be Done at Home! :-D

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Netscott

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After having read this thread about popping popcorn with lasers I decided to track down what that was about. I had never watched the 80s film "Real Genius" before and so I was not familiar with the laser popping popcorn scene. Nor was I aware that the Mythbusters had confirmed that it was possible to do this. Wanting to see how hard it would be to do something like that on my home work bench I decided to experiment a bit and came up with this:



HD version and Twitter/Facebook/Blogs/Forums/Email/Etc. Share Link: http://d.ro/laserpopcorn

Prior to endeavoring to make popcorn with lasers and finishing this video I did not know that there was a bit of a history of trying to do this here on LPF:
1: http://laserpointerforums.com/f42/popcorn-popping-27601.html with SenKat
2: http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/cook-popcorn-29113.html
3: http://laserpointerforums.com/f44/mythbusters-popping-corn-laser-41309.html Tech_Junkie mentioning Mythbusters' episode about it.

I found with 2 slightly unfocused 1 watt blue lasers and a turning kernel it is possible!

Hope you folks enjoy!

-Scott
 

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Trevor

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I need to do this with my labby. Thanks for sharing. :beer:

-Trevor
 
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twhite828 said:
I need to do this with my labby. Thanks for sharing. :beer:

-Trevor
Click to expand...

You're welcome ;) :beer:

I found that it was possible to pop a kernel of corn with one laser but that it required more patience as heat-transfer to the kernel needs to happen slower if occurring at one position.
Please keep us updated on what you manage to come up with! ;)

-Scott
 
comradmax

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Very cool, I like how you handled making the heat spread evenly! Oh, and may I suggest the song by Kraftwerk to add as soundtrack to your video?:)
 
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Don't Laze Me Bro said:
Thanks, cool video.
Click to expand...

comradmax said:
Very cool, I like how you handled making the heat spread evenly! Oh, and may I suggest the song by Kraftwerk to add as soundtrack to your video?:)
Click to expand...

Thanks fellas, if either of you (or anyone else following these threads for that matter) has a YouTube account I encourage you to drop a comment there! It brings me a big smile when I get YT comments and I respond to nearly all of them. :beer:

comradmax, I would love to drop some music on my videos but I know that YouTube has an occasionally enforced policy of disabling entire soundtracks when unauthorized music is used in a video. I don't use music with copyright on my videos for this reason. ;) Kraftwerk's rendition of 'Popcorn' would be perfect here for sure!

Cheers,

-Scott
 
AstroLaser

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Neat, maybe not too practical if you're really hungry for popcorn in a hurry, but looks fun anyhow !

......now, how long would it take to cook a frozen pizza ? :)
 
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AstroLaser said:
Neat, maybe not too practical if you're really hungry for popcorn in a hurry, but looks fun anyhow !

......now, how long would it take to cook a frozen pizza ? :)
Click to expand...

Thanks! For me it was just the challenge of making a kernel of popcorn pop. It requires a bit of a balance between too hot and not hot enough.

Frozen pizza? That would require a massive laser to do in a reasonable amount of time! :D

-Scott
 
blackspirit

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Lol, nice video, have to try it.

Too bad you had to hot glue it on, could of ate it afterwards, mmmmmm.
 
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blackspirit said:
Lol, nice video, have to try it.

Too bad you had to hot glue it on, could of ate it afterwards, mmmmmm.
Click to expand...

Thanks!

You could probably hot melt glue a small plate of material onto the spindle and then just place the kernel on the plate. The advantage I found with hot melt gluing the kernel directly is that it can be positioned vertically where all of the light falls on the sides of the kernel. I don't know how critical it is to do that but I'm sure the amount of heat energy absorbed is more uniform in a vertically positioned target.

-Scott
 
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AstroLaser

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Netscott said:
Thanks! For me it was just the challenge of making a kernel of popcorn pop. It requires a bit of a balance between too hot and not hot enough.

Frozen pizza? That would require a massive laser to do in a reasonable amount of time! :D

-Scott
Click to expand...

So perhaps we might see the development of a "laser oven" to give some competition to the "microwave oven" ? :D
 
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AstroLaser said:
So perhaps we might see the development of a "laser oven" to give some competition to the "microwave oven" ? :D
Click to expand...

I think we'll see the development of something akin to the Back to the Future food rehydrator before a laser oven though!
Imagining a laser oven makes me imagine hacking it open for the laser! LOL!

-Scott
 
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Benm

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You could glue it on with some carmel or something edible, but its still the slowest way to make popcorn ever invented :D
 
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