Slant faced solar oven, better view of it

[carr869]

I haven't had a chance to make the new oven yet. I'm going to get some tiles like you did in yours. My foil and cardboard box oven diidn't get as hot as I wanted. Mabe the new one will. Gotta finish the new work bench before I start another project.

[solarcookingnut]

@carr869 Hi, as long as the oven got near or at 200 you can cook. Cardboard ovens with one reflector are more slow cookers. They do a great job, just takes longer.

[carr869]

Thats pretty cool, or should I say hot. I came across some long mirrors so I thought I try to use that. They were only $3.00 and change. Thanks for the ideas. (Tom)

[ReelLibrarian]

@carr869 how have the mirrors worked?



[WarblesOnALot]

@solarcookingnut G'day, great stuff. I note it's a while since you had comments & replies... Hope ya get this.

I like your low budget approach to Solar. Similar to my own project. For a giggle, search 'solar thermal ramjet' & see NASA riding backseat to a Hillbilly. For the backstory search 'sunfoil', & the "Short-Talk (Update)" clip is best entry-point for the interlocking suite of clips.... Open Source. Enjoy. Ciao !

[CardboardFurniture]

I just made one of these yesterday, hope it will cook quickly. I found some chopping boards made of glass for $5, and some free tiles. I also came across using the solar oven with briquettes, which reached 350 deg F. I'm surpised the plastic didn't melt! I found it at foodstorageandbeyond com called feature friday apple box oven

[solarcookingnut]

@CardboardFurniture GREAT! I use some glass chopping boards for lids on several of my square black enameled pans.  Hope you make a video of the oven at work! CONGRATS!

[exitre]

very impressive and innovative, but is that thing a carton?

[solarcookingnut]

@exitre Hi, its a big cardboard box my husband brought home from work. I was able to cut it in half, then resize the second 2 inches smaller to make the oven inside. One can get some nice boxes from appliance stores too. Most of all my ovens are built simply from cardboard. Anyone, even homeless people can build this for less than 5-10 bucks. well worth the effort.

[catdoc541]

Very nice oven!  I think building one of these will be in my future!

[killerbobhaha]

you should insulate it better. like wood.

[solarcookingnut]

@killerbobhaha This is portable, wood would be to heavy. Theres no reason to insulate it better, it cooks fine. What makes you think it needs insulated better? Do you solar cook?

[killerbobhaha]

@solarcookingnut yes i do, right now i have over 15 different solar designs to myself. and wood can make it more insulated, and keep heat better and it will last longer. but its ok if u don't and nice solar cooker. : ) mine are larger than that and can get up to 400 degrees and i am only 10!

[solarcookingnut]

@killerbobhaha COOL!!! I am hoping to get a more permanent wooden one built one day. I like the lower temps because the lower the temps, the better the food tastes and keeps more nutrients in. I have quite a collection myself, lol. why don't you put up some videos of all your solar cookers, WOULD LOVE TO SEE THEM!

[killerbobhaha]

@solarcookingnut well check in a few weeks and i will post some of my designs.

[solarcookingnut]

@killerbobhaha  Looking forward to it! Will keep checking!

[solarcookingnut]

@killerbobhaha if one puts more reflectors on the oven, it increases the heat inside without adding more insulation. I have had more reflectors on it and reached 375. Reflectors are what increase the temps by concentrating more of the suns rays inside. the more surface area of the reflectors, temps increase more.

Though insulation is important, reflectors are what really make the temps jump up.

[214jcf]

I have four weeks off from school, lost my job, and am as bored as humanly possible. I already made 2 solar heaters and going to try making an oven. I'm afraid of using the Fresnel lens so can you tell me the best way to make one for the highest temperature. I want to bake homemade bread. Thanks! (love the accent)

[NancyToday]

What is the top of your oven made of? It looks like stretched plastic wrap.

[qualqui]

Thanx solarcookingnut,.....this'd be great here on the central plateau, we only have a rainy season from june to mid-september and the rest of the months are sky blue with lotsa sunshine,....be checkin' some of your others out,....this is truly VERY INTERESTIN'!!!! Thumbs up to ya and keep up the POSITIVE VIBRATIONS!!! = D

[HelpsYouPoop]

Thanks for the info, I used your video to inspire my own creations. Have been making ovens for a couple of years now.

[hippytreehugger4ever]

I wonder if it would work to line the black part with plastic instead of painting? It just seems like the black paint might give off some toxic fumes after that much heat exposure.

[solarcookingnut]

Plastic would DEFINITELY give off far more toxic fumes! And would not hold up to the temps. Would melt down, and pretty well ruin your oven. Black plastic is a very poor choice and should NEVER be used in any kind of cooking device.

I use NON toxic paints, especially acrylic craft paints you brush on. Once you paint your oven inside, you put it out in the sun, partially opened to let it fume out of any odors before cooking.

[sillygirl722]

This looks great and I want to make one. Where did you find the design to make it? Do you have a video somewhere that shows step by step directions on how to make/cut this?

Thanks

[solarcookingnut]

Hi! Unfortunately, I don't have a video of me building it, didn't have a video camera at the time that filmed longer than 1 min. I went online, learned how to build regular box ovens, then applied the same principles in building this one, but had to study up on the angle where others built wooden slantfaced ovens and went from there. If I get the materials, and get the time, will make a smaller one showing the steps. I may show a single wall one being made since its more simple to do.

[solarcookingnut]

Hi,

my focus is on cheap and easily transported solar ovens out of cardboard boxes. while it is true glass mirrors add more reflective qualities, the problem lies in the fact they are easily broken, bulky and heavy. I also address the importance of insulation in other vids.

My goal is to get the basic information out there regarding lightweight and easy to use cardboard solar ovens, especially to low income and the homeless.

Your comments are appreciated though, thank you!

[ivrz]

Thanks a lot scn, its fab, im going to try one in Ireland this summer

[ivrz]

excellent oven. But why do the turkey bag and the cardboard not burn if it gets so hot inside? Im thinking of building one. thanks

[solarcookingnut]

The turkey bag is for oven baking. Cardboard won't begin to burn until it hits 400 degrees, this oven only reaches a max of 250 and the cardboard also has aluminum foil glued to the surface of it, so the foil actually protects the cardboard from heat. The foil acts as a heat barrier.

[dragon54543]

i think that the reason is because the sunlight goes through the turkey bag and hits the food and the cardboard dosnt burn because that needs a flame SPARK to set it alight :)

[solarcookingnut]

with no food in it, it still won't burn, you need 400 degrees to make cardboard begin to burn. I have left my oven out all day with no food in it. the food has nothing to do with keeping the oven from burning. the foil and low temps are the key.

[Pwecko]

Have you ever heard of the book Fahrenheit 451? It's a science fiction story about a future where books are banned and any books found are burnt. Fahrenheit 451 is the temperature at which paper burns. It's worth reading. I like the solar oven. I would love to make one but I probably won't because I'm too lazy.

[centervilletn]

great oven..im in tennessee i noticed your southern accent..where you from

[cubanrefuge7900]

i have to do this for a science project but smaller...WAAAY smaller :P

[infinitychallenger]

wow nice oven I want to make one too

can you tell me how?

[solarcookingnut]

One way I have done is make simple miniature models out of cardstock first. If you practice with that, then once you get all the details lined out on the miniature, you can go ahead with the real one. I forgot to take photos of the process, I got so involved in studying out the box I totally got lost in showing how I done it, LOL. Make a small model first, it will really make things go quicker and less headache later.

[infinitychallenger]

ok thanks I guess it takes more tiem then I expected ^^

[solarcookingnut]

Well, don't let that detour you. Once you have it built, and you take good care of it, it can last for years and years. You can try a panel cooker, you can build one of them in just 20 or so minutes once you have all the materials gathered. A bernard panel cooker is great, but leave the flaps of the box on for more reflection. Don't let it scare you off. the time spent on putting a good one together, will give you years of good cooking.

[solarcookingnut]

I only have about 5 or so dollars invested in this oven, been using it now for 3 years. Best investment of time and money I have done in a long time, except to build other ovens and cookers, some for virtually free with supplies already on hand.

[candy8767]

what did you use for the lid? plain old glass or a magnifying glass?

[solarcookingnut]

I used a simple oven roasting turkey bag. Just lay the bag out over the hole, cut to fit, lay a thin bead of elmers school glue along the inside edge, lay the plastic over the hole and edges over the glue, stretch tight, and let dry. Very easy to repair, and makes the oven alot lighter to handle.

[NOSMOJEFF]

I like to see ideas in action. My hats off to you ;)

[gsaxita]

have you the project of it :)v ?

[solarcookingnut]

What's the best time to cook, 12 noon to 2 pm?

The earlier you get sun & preheat the oven the better! Keeping the oven repositioned each hour will help dramatically. I have been able to have ovens out by 8:30 am, have lunch done by noon when the sun is at its highest. I have between 8:30am - 5 pm to cook two meals a day when no shade trees are in the way. as the season changes, time shortens. so I use several ovens to have lunch/ dinner during shorter hours.

[susanmarie37]

Does it take longer to cook something than a conventional oven? Any comparison? What's the best time to cook, 12 noon to 2 pm? Not any later than that i suppose. Also, if it's cold outside, but very sunny, will this work? thanks, and are you selling this?

[solarcookingnut]

Does it take longer to cook something than a conventional oven? Any comparison?

Hi, it does take longer in a box oven. A box oven reaches between 180-250, depending on how many reflecters. the more reflecters, the higher the temps. this is like crock pot cooking. slow gentle heat.

[solarcookingnut]

"Also, if it's cold outside, but very sunny, will this work? thanks, and are you selling this?"

if the sun is hitting my yard, I can indeed cook in cold weather. I have cooked rice and casseroles in 30 deg. temps outside in a panel cooker. I haven't tried cooking in my box oven because of limited sunshine. I'm going to try to cook in my aluminum roaster cooker and bowl cooker this winter to see what happens, but if you have enough sunlight for at least 4 hrs, you can cook in the winter.

[usmartine]

Need more video's please

[johnlvs2run]

Excellent video. Thanks.