Manufactured solar cooker can cost in the hundreds of dollars , but you’re able to build one yourself and adjust it to become your want for around $ 75 ( or less ) . Designed with the urban farmer in mind , the “ Uniquely Urquhart ” solar oven uses minimum major power dick and can be make in an flat or on a patio or balcony .
Several additions to the oven are optional , and if you ’re thrifty with recycled materials , consider using composition board boxes or else of plywood for a lighter model . Once you get the hang of cooking with the sun , you may never want to go back to conventional oven !
Photo by Kristina Mercedes Urquhart
It does n’t take a great deal of tool and material to build your own solar oven .
What You’ll Need:
Tools needed include:
Oven Instructions
Step 1 : Cut two of your 24×24 - inch spell of plywood into four pieces , as key out in diagram A : front , back and two sides . grit any scratchy or rough edges with sandpaper . The third while of plywood will serve as the base . ( tap diagram A for a larger view . )
whole step 2 : Using your plyboard pieces as templates , cut play off pieces of reflective insularism for each section .
tone 3 : Assemble plyboard front , back , sides and base to form oven loge . The front and back art object should repose on top of the stand , and the sides should stay on the edge of the base so the front and back are slightly higher than the face . ( This will avail hold your glass in place . )
It doesn’t take a lot of tools and materials to build your own solar oven.
Step 4 : expend a mogul drill to predrill holes through the sides , front and back into the nucleotide of the oven . Predrilling will help prevent splitting .
whole tone 5 : Attach the sides , front and back to the base of the oven with Sir Henry Wood screws to forge the oven box . The introductory oven box is now assembled .
gradation 6 : Glue burn pieces of pondering insulation to the inside of the oven box .
Step 7 ( Optional):Lay slate tiles on oven base . key tiles black .
Reflector Instructions
Step 1 : Using a boxful pinnace , make out down the seams of the cardboard box seat to make four 36 - inch - long small-arm . pare 6 inches off two musical composition to make four matching 18×36 - in cardboard panels .
Step 2 : Using one dialog box as a template , cut four 18×36 - inch sections of meditative detachment . Glue broody insulation to cardboard gore .
Step 3 : Cut 6×11 - in tabs into the front and back board and 9×1/2 - inch slots into the two side panels ( see diagram B ) . For the back panel , tabs should be in the centre ( 4 1/2 inch from each sharpness ) and for the front panel , tab should be on the bottom ( 9 column inch from the border ) . For the side , the top one-armed bandit should be at or so 45 grade from the outer edge ; the bottom expansion slot approximately 20 degrees from the out edge . ( snap on the image to see a larger version of diagram B. )
Step 4 : One at a clock time , arrange one 4 - in , heavy shoulder strap flexible joint centrally on the top of front , back and side sections of the oven box ( plywood ) , then use a pencil to mark through the cakehole in the hinge as a pathfinder for drilling . Note : Be trusted to leave enough headroom so there is no contact between the hinges and chicken feed top .
Step 5 : Predrill holes into plyboard front , back and sides , not puncture the inner stratum of the oven box insularism , if potential . Attach flexible joint with 1/4 - inch-20×1/2 - column inch bolt .
Step 6 : Hold each reflective board above the installed flexible joint ( one at a prison term ) , and make guide mark with a pencil through the fix in the hinge . Leave enough clearance so reflective control panel can swing freely .
tone 7 : Predrill hole out through reflector panels , including insulation .
whole step 8 : For rest of meeting place , take away hinges from oven box and attach one hinge to each reflector panel ( or have someone serve you while panel is attached to box ) . To attach , place a washer between the hinge and the back of the panel , then pass a dash through the flexible joint , washer and gore . Tightly insure the bolt with a nut in the front of the gore .
Step 9 : Attach all four panels to box . Fit panel into one another with lozenge and slots , and adjust reflectors as call for ( calculate on your location , time of class and available sun ) .
Step 10 : Place cookware in the oven , fit field glass in place , nesting it inside the raise front and back panels . Now you ’re ready to cook !
