Guest guest Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 >Has anyone here built their own solar oven? If so, what plan/blueprint >did you decide on, and how did it work out. I hear they can get up to >300 or 400 degrees using the well-made ones. I was surprised to hear >that a solar oven can get up to about 200F in cooler weather. > >Darrell > I can't help you, Darrell, but I would love to build a solar oven. Please share what you find out about them, should you build one or not. Deanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 21, 2005 Report Share Posted February 21, 2005 >> Has anyone here built their own solar oven? If so, what plan/blueprint > I can't help you, Darrell, but I would love to build a solar oven. > Please share what you find out about them, should you build one or not. > Deanna Will do. Darrell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 >>>Has anyone here built their own solar oven? If so, what plan/blueprint >>> >>> >>I can't help you, Darrell, but I would love to build a solar oven. >>Please share what you find out about them, should you build one or not. >>Deanna >> >> > >Will do. > >Darrell > Hi Darrell, I found some designs on solar cookers. I really like the Tracking Box Cooker from this site: http://solarcooking.org/plans.htm#box-style Have you decided on any design? We are going to build something for our spring science project. I'd like something that is an oven and pretty involved to construct. It would be fun to make some of the simple designs too for side by side comparison. Deanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 >http://solarcooking.org/plans.htm#box-style > >Have you decided on any design? We are going to build something for our >spring science project. I'd like something that is an oven and pretty >involved to construct. It would be fun to make some of the simple >designs too for side by side comparison. > >Deanna Nice site! I'm interested in learning about them too, esp. a solar dehydrator. The dehydrator takes so LONG ... a " sun box " would be a lot better. However, for cooking ... one thing I had that I would love to build again (and would make a great project) is a " straw box " . They were popular in the 1800's. You boil your soup or whatever, then set it in a box insulated with straw. It stays hot for hours ... and keeps cooking. Great for those long simmered bone broths! Also, one we had, based on that principle, used a piece of soapstone in the bottom for heat. You can reheat the stone as needed (like, in your fire, in the old days) but one " heating " would cook for 4 hours. Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 >Nice site! I'm interested in learning about them too, esp. a solar dehydrator. >The dehydrator takes so LONG ... a " sun box " would be a lot better. > > Maybe where YOU live it takes long, but here in TX, we can dehydrate lickity split in summer. In fact, perhaps I'll try to dehydrate with my Excalibur set on the concrete table this summer, unless for some reason the hard plastic in the sun is a no no. Maybe I could work around it? Materials might be a concern with food left out in the elements, but I'm sure nontoxic stuff is around. >However, for cooking ... one thing I had that I would love to >build again (and would make a great project) is a " straw box " . >They were popular in the 1800's. You boil your soup or >whatever, then set it in a box insulated with straw. It stays >hot for hours ... and keeps cooking. Great for those long >simmered bone broths! Also, one we had, based on that principle, >used a piece of soapstone in the bottom for heat. You can >reheat the stone as needed (like, in your fire, in the old days) but >one " heating " would cook for 4 hours. > > >Heidi Jean > How totally groovy! I would love to learn more. Do I picture another Heidi file coming to fruition? You betcha. :-) And speaking of bone broths (of the poultry persuasion), we are going to raise layers. Wish me luck, I'll need it. An aside: Do you have a wood stove? Deanna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 2, 2005 Report Share Posted March 2, 2005 >Maybe where YOU live it takes long, but here in TX, we can dehydrate >lickity split in summer. In fact, perhaps I'll try to dehydrate with my >Excalibur set on the concrete table this summer, unless for some reason >the hard plastic in the sun is a no no. Maybe I could work around it? >Materials might be a concern with food left out in the elements, but I'm >sure nontoxic stuff is around. The problem with drying outside, besides the rain (here) is flies. I got one of those little plastic greenhouses, and on a sunny but fairly cold day, it got so hot it dried and fried the plants in it!!!! So I think it would do great as a dehydrator. But then you need a box with screens to keep the flies out. I did see one for biltong ... mirrored bottom and a piece of glass on the top. You just hang the meat in it, set it outside. Then if it rains, no problem! And no flies. The idea they had on the site though, using the sun to create the draft of dry hot air, was pretty nifty. > > >How totally groovy! I would love to learn more. Do I picture another >Heidi file coming to fruition? You betcha. :-) Since I'm working on Dunkers, it gave me the idea of making a big porceline thingie that could be heated in the stove, with a metal insert so one could " hook " it to take it out. Then one could build a " straw box " ... put in the heated stone ... add your hot broth ... and let it cook all day. Actually if you combined it with solar ... hmmm ... yeah, it could be a file, if I could get it working. I really don't like spending a whole day's worth of electricity to get bone broth. >And speaking of bone broths (of the poultry persuasion), we are going to >raise layers. Wish me luck, I'll need it. Eh, I'll wish you luck but I don't think you'll need it. Just get your heat lamp and chick area done BEFORE you buy the chicks (that's my usual mistake!). Our best area to date ... we laid a piece of plastic down on the floor, covered it with horse stall pellets (they don't smell, even with all the chooks!). Put the chick waterer's up a little so the sawdust doesn't get in, and put marbles in the water to help keep it clean (so they don't scratch in it). For sides we used the wall of the building (an old contractors shed) and 2 bales of straw. No lid, the cats can't get in that building. Hung the light from the ceiling, so we could raise it as needed. The hard part comes at about 3 weeks, when they are too big for the enclosure but still " cat food " size. We had to convert an old dog kennel, putting a roof on it (old tarp) to keep the cats out. Once the birds reach full size, they can fend for themselves well enough. It would probably be easier to start with the " old dog kennel " , using the light to keep the chicks warm for that first few weeks, and putting them in a big box or something for that period. BTW chicks love kefir and cooked cereal. Also hard boiled eggs. >An aside: Do you have a wood stove? No, we can't. Our house is super-insulated, and we have to open windows even in winter to cool it down. If we added heat we would ROAST ... But we do like wood stoves, so we put one outside in the garage, and I got one of those portable " outdoor fire grill " thingies that we can fire up on the porch. > Heidi Jean Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 5, 2005 Report Share Posted March 5, 2005 Deanna- >In fact, perhaps I'll try to dehydrate with my >Excalibur set on the concrete table this summer, unless for some reason >the hard plastic in the sun is a no no. The sun would almost certainly cause the plastic to outgas (and age) more, but the mere fact that most of the dehydrator is plastic is already a problem. (And I have the same brand, so I'm in much the same boat.) - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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