dcarch

That charred connector looks like to me connects to the heater, not to the pump. The pump looks to me is above that connection and is a very low power shaded pole motor. If that's the case, you might have run low in water at one point and the heater overheated the rubber on the connector. Or, water/moisture condensation got inside the connection and rusting started. Not much you can do. May be coat that spot with high temperature silicone and keep running the unit until it dies. I don't think it can start a fire, may be blow a fuse. dcarch

Depends on the mandoline, the first slice may stick, the second one will push the first one forward away from the blade and falls off. If you hold the mandoline sideways, if the slice is thin, friction and weak water surface tension will hold it in place. If it is thick, gravity will pull it down. If you try to pull it off the blade vertically, then the laws of force and motion will need 14 lb /sq in to overcome (assuming the potato slice is not leaking air). Second statement is very correct. Not only Air pressure pushes on all sides, same pressure also pushes from inside out. That's why an open soda can is not crushed by pressure, and you don't feel any pressure on your body. dcarch

Thank you for being polite. dcarch

Spherification with cubic shaped "spheres" is finally possible. dcarch

Not really. If you read what I have pointed out several times, and if you read Physics 101, slicing is horizontal work, it take no horizontal force to work against vertical force (atmospheric pressure). I am more than happy to keep explaining. dcarch

Kinkos and Staples have print centers. Someday, they can get themselves 3-D printers and you can go there and get a surf & turf dinner printed out for you. dcarch

Possum pizza recipe here. http://redlandrambles.com/2009/11/20/make-your-own-possum-pizza/ dcarch

I don't have that kind of knife. But I think that design can make cutting certain food better, but others worst. In any case, in the world of tools for cooking, there are plenty of products which make use of some scientific concepts to sell unscientific goods to the public. For instance, the same advertisement, "Each Glestain knife comes with a balanced, handle ". How do you have the same handle balanced for different length blades? dcarch

Another possible way is to use sintering technology. You can make porous steel knife blades to avoid the buildup of atmospheric pressure. Already, VG10, S30V, S90V steel are sintered powders for making quality knives. If only you can make porous metal sanitary. dcarch

No mysteries. It is called "vacuum" in a space that has no air. dcarch

Yes, it is possible that you need to change the way you cut potatoes, your being able to get air in between the potato and blade where there is no space for air. dcarch

So I can print out a realistic looking fish that tastes exactly like strawberries? Very nice. dcarch

I came up with this idea for an experiment which you may be able to do, which will show you clearly the science of atmospheric pressure between two closely attached surface: 1. Find a 5" x 5" ( or any shape with about the same surface area) piece of flat plastic disk with a handle or metal disk that is flat with a handle. 2. get a thin plastic grocery bag and Scotch tape over the the entire plastic on a flat table, making sure there are no leaks. 3. Use a straw to suck all the air out under the plastic and tape over the hole where you insert the straw. 4. It will be impossible for you to lift the disk without using over 350 lbs of force without breaking the plastic. There is no water or potato starch between the surfaces to provide for adhesion. dcarch

Very true, and was mentioned up thread by Scubado. If you watch carefully, the video I linked shows how the food peels away from the blade with a single-bevel knife. dcarch

Am I wrong? 1. Master sauce is not the same as master stock. 2. Home-made master stock can taste like leftover stock, because restaurant master stock, even 100 years old, large quantity gets used up from it everyday, and new ingredients are added everyday, so it is never too old. dcarch

I have no interest in reading "the best pizza". It can be a lot of fun to read "the worst pizza". dcarch

Atmospheric pressure is universal. There is 50,000 lbs of pressure on you all the time. Your body also has 50,000 lbs of pressure to counter act the pressure. Until you are in an airplane, if the plane is not pressurized, you will be in trouble because your 50,000 lbs will push out everywhere. You will die instantly in outer space if you are not in a pressurized suite. It is so easy for everyone to understand suction cup works because of atmospheric pressure, but apparently it is difficult for everyone to accept that as long as you have two flat surfaces in close contact it is unavoidable that you have a suction cup situation. Suction cups can be made with any material, including potatoes. Potatoes do not make very good suction cups because of the texture is not very good, however a little water will help to seal leaking air into the “cup”. Still I will not try to walk up a skyscraper using potato suction cups. Now, wait just a minute, why is that if I wet the potato slice more, it comes off the blade much easier? Well, that is because you are talking about something entirely different. As I explained, thicker water is a very good lubricant, as with skiing or skating, which is entirely on water, not on ice. Also sliding sideways is entirely different than pulling out vertical, as defined by the law of physics, it take no work to move horizontally against a vertical force. The best thing of course is to utilize the sticking to your advantage. dcarch

Yes, it is funny how knife makers can profit millions $$$ from selling useless anti-stick knives to the public. dcarch

Believe it or not, those are very important and legitimate questions. 14 lbs/in sq (rounded off) is universal, everywhere, it will not do anything until you try to work against it. As I said, there is 50,000 lbs of pressure on you body all the time, however, in the science of fluid dynamics, the pressure is also in you body to equalize the outside pressure. (you will literally explode if you are in outer space) When the food is sticking on your knife, the pressure on the food is the same as the pressure inside the food pushing out, until you try to pull the food away then you will be creating a vacuum between the blade and food and you will have to overcome the 14 lbs/sq in pressure. dcarch

Absolutely. If you take a piece of wet tissue, it will stick on a flat surface without falling. That is the weak force of surface tension of water acting to keep the wet tissue sticking. It takes not much force to peel the tissue off, however. Now try the same size suction cup, you will be peeling against atmospheric pressure. dcarch

"-----Would you be able to easily pull those two smooth pieces of glass w a little water ( special water, that would not 'boil' in a vaccum ) in outer space ?----" You should be able to. Imagine, suction cups cannot possibly work in outer space. If you have access to a vacuum machine, get a suction cup to attach to a glass firmly, then draw a vacuum, the suction cup will fall right off. dcarch

That too is a very interesting question, often asked by many when atmospheric pressure is discussed. The answer is the same as you, a human being, not crushed to nothing, when you are at all times subjected to around 50,000 lbs of air pressure on your skin. dcarch

You are absolutely correct about the 104 lbs force requires. I happened to have tried with two flat glass disks with various liquids. Again, there is no mystery about atmospheric pressure, two flat surface with a little liquid inside creates a vacuum when you try to pull them apart. Air pressure demonstrations, without the use of potatoes or even water: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8aud79vS_Jw https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5tG1Zrz1mbI dcarch

There are many forces in nature, as I said, gravitational force is one of them for all matters, then there is electrostatic, and ferromagnetic, etc., but atmospheric is the strongest in the case of flat surfaces. Surface tension is a force, but not that strong a force compared to 14 lbs/sq of atmospheric pressure. If you add detergent to water which will supposedly destroy water surface tension, and use that in between two plates of glass, you still will not be able to pull the glass apart. Water surface tension is strong enough to form a bead. If that is so strong, it will try to form a sphere in between the glass and push the plates apart, not pulling them together. Which may be interesting to try using mercury, which is 9 to 10 times stronger in surface tension. Try using alcohol, which has much lower surface tension, between the glass plates, you will experience the same difficulty in pulling them apart. It is really very simple, think suction cups and cutting food with a shine knife surface. dcarch

"---Slice it, and some residue will adhere to your knife, and this residue dries very quickly.---" If you are a dare devil, I would advise walking up a skyscraper with air pressure generated by suction cups, not with two half sliced potatoes. :-) Atmospheric pressure acting on two flat plates, such as with a flat knife blade and flat slice of potato, or any non-starchy food, is a well known phenomenon. dcarch