Destroying a CD - microwave it?

According to an article in CNET, "The best way to destroy CD-Rs is to
microwave them on high for five seconds."

Has anyone tried this? Does it work? Any unpleasant side effects?

http://news.com.com/Who+says+safe+co...3-5482340.html

"Steve" wrote in message
...

According to an article in CNET, "The best way to destroy CD-Rs is to
microwave them on high for five seconds."

Has anyone tried this? Does it work? Any unpleasant side effects?


http://news.com.com/Who+says+safe+co...+dream/2010-10
71_3-5482340.html

Deeply scratching the TOP side will render them useless. As long as you see
shiny bits of foil coming up, it's done.

Steve wrote:
According to an article in CNET, "The best way to destroy CD-Rs is to
microwave them on high for five seconds."

Has anyone tried this? Does it work? Any unpleasant side effects?

I made some Christmas ornaments that way once. Smelled funny, but didn't seem
to do any damage to the micro. YMMV, of course.

"Dr. Rastis Fafoofnik" wrote:
Deeply scratching the TOP side will render them useless. As long as you see
shiny bits of foil coming up, it's done.

I've never quite understood this - you mean the side with the label?
Isn't the recording done on the bottom (blank) side?

Steve wrote:
"Dr. Rastis Fafoofnik" wrote:
Deeply scratching the TOP side will render them useless. As long as you see
shiny bits of foil coming up, it's done.

I've never quite understood this - you mean the side with the label?
Isn't the recording done on the bottom (blank) side?

On CD-Rs, the dye layer (the part that gets "recorded") is embedded in the CD,
but is actually much closer to the label side than to the substrate (the
underneath side). If you can score down through the thin protective layer (the
very "top" of the CD) down to the reflective layer (the "foil" Rastis refers
to), you'll do a pretty good job of trashing the CD. Good enough to stop
your typical dumpster diver from grabbing anything off the CD, anywho.

Steve wrote:

I've never quite understood this - you mean the side with the label?
Isn't the recording done on the bottom (blank) side?

No - that's just a clear plastic disk. For CDROMs, the dye is immediately under
the top label.

DVDs sandwich the dye layer between two plastic discs, so they are a bit more
resistant to damage.

On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 08:08:05 -0800, Steve wrote:

}According to an article in CNET, "The best way to destroy CD-Rs is to
}microwave them on high for five seconds."

I thought microwaves work on the moisture content of the food you are
cooking? Maybe the dye is liquid enough to create heat...

A good pair of heavy scissors works. I cut my old discs into pieces...

Later,
Dave

Steve ) writes:
"Dr. Rastis Fafoofnik" wrote:
Deeply scratching the TOP side will render them useless. As long as you see
shiny bits of foil coming up, it's done.

I've never quite understood this - you mean the side with the label?
Isn't the recording done on the bottom (blank) side?

The foil is closer to the surface on the label side. It's easier to
actually damage the foil by going at it from the label side.

Micahel

In article , balcy24
@charter.net says...
On Mon, 03 Jan 2005 08:08:05 -0800, Steve wrote:

}According to an article in CNET, "The best way to destroy CD-Rs is to
}microwave them on high for five seconds."

I thought microwaves work on the moisture content of the food you are
cooking? Maybe the dye is liquid enough to create heat...

The microwaves cause electric arcs between microscopic gaps in the
aluminum reflective layer. It's really pretty while it's zapping. 5
seconds may even be too much. Usually just 2-3 seconds and you get a
pretty ornament.

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Andy Hill wrote:
On CD-Rs, the dye layer (the part that gets "recorded") is embedded in the CD,
but is actually much closer to the label side than to the substrate (the
underneath side). If you can score down through the thin protective layer (the
very "top" of the CD) down to the reflective layer (the "foil" Rastis refers
to), you'll do a pretty good job of trashing the CD. Good enough to stop
your typical dumpster diver from grabbing anything off the CD, anywho.

Ok, thanks. I've been mostly snapping them in half if I wanna destroy
them...