So you want to build a solar oven. Pt 1

So you want to build a solar oven? Good Luck!

There are kits you can buy, or you can buy more heavy duty materials to make it last longer. Well I'm broke as balls; you know "welfare budget" and all, so I wanted to figure out how to do it with found objects, things I had around the house, and minimal purchase, but from things only found at the local dollar store. Information about the benefits and blah dee blah of solar ovens will come in a different post.

Pictures will come as I make it happen, and so I'll write this sort of like a diary...

Day 1: 10/7/2012

Dear Diary,
   Today I want to build a solar oven. I've seen examples and web pages and want to see about building one of my own.

I have a lot of cardboard boxes around here, let's see what i can come up with.

I made from parts of 1 box, a 15" x 15" with 6" sides. I taped it with duct tape, just to hold it together, so i could have my hands free.

The great thing with this is that I can always build the sides up by gluing and taping more cardboard. Perfection and beauty not required.

I want to essentially paper mache the cardboard to make it more durable. So I made home made Mod Podge like this:

1 Pint Mason Jar
1 Bottle All-Purpose White Glue (Like Elmer's, but a generic brand will be just fine. It needs to be non-toxic. This type of glue does not release under heat.)

Into the jar, I poured the bottle of glue, which a typical bottle will be just a little less than half of the jar. I filled the rest with water, put on the lid, shook, a voila; home made mod podge for a fraction of the price. I think I paid 37 cents for mine from the clearance shelf at Walmart.

I used brown paper shopping & lunch bags, because that's what I have at the moment, and pasted on a layer on the box and I'm letting that dry tonight.

I also am using a cooling rack with a piece of cardboard cut to the size of the top, duct taped it in place, and have the bottom pasted with brown paper too. I'm letting that dry tonight as well. That will be the base of the "cooking" part of the oven, where I'll be pasting aluminum foil.

The Outside box is larger than the inside box. I'll be crumpling newspapers to put in between the two. The air between them as well as the newspaper will insulate allowing the cooker to be more efficient with less heat loss.

That's all I've done for tonight. I'll check back tomorrow.

*Disclaimer* There are fantastic free plans, and kits out there available over the internet. This is not the ONLY right method. This is an experiment. If it works, great. If it doesn't, well, we'll try something else.

Three Key Valuable Honey Properties

From the Benefits of Honey website. For more information, click their banner above:

Be pleasantly surprised by these amazing honey properties -- antimicrobial, antioxidant, and hygroscopic which all make honey a popular food as well as a medicine.

1. Honey is Hygroscopic

Honey has a hygroscopic nature, which means when exposed to air, it naturally absorbs moisture in from the air. In treating open wounds, honey is useful as it could help prevent scarring by keeping the skin moist, encourage the growth of new tissues, and allow easy removal of any dressing by preventing dressing from becoming stuck to the skin. Honey's hygroscopic properties also make it an ideal ingredient in a lot of cosmetics as it helps keep skin hydrated and fresh and prevents drying. Thus, some people call honey a natural "humectant" as it attracts and retains moisture. When used in skin and hair treatments, honey trap and seal in the moisture leaving skin soft and supple, and hair glossy and healthy. 

2. Honey is Antibacterial

Researchers began to document the healing properties of honey in the early part of the 20th century. This ceased with the development of antibiotics but recently the development of resistance to antibiotics has led to a resurgence of interest into the healing properties of honey. The effectiveantimicrobial agent in honey prohibits the growth of certain bacteria. It contains an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide which is believed to be the main reason for the antimicrobial activity of honey. As such, honey is a useful treatment for wounds and scalds. Cuts, abrasions and scalds can be covered in honey to prevent bacteria from entering the wound and promote healing.

Honey can help treat minor acne by attacking the bacteria that cause the outbreaks while moisturizing the skin to aid rejuvenation. Types of honey differ greatly in their antimicrobial potency, varying as much as a hundred fold. Honey derived from the Manuka bush, found in abundance in New Zealand, claims the highest potency of such antimicrobial properties.

Read more in: Honey the Tastiest Antibiotic.

3. Honey is a Source of Antioxidants

Honey contains natural antioxidant properties that can destroy biologically destructive chemical agents which have been linked to many diseases such as cancer. Studies also found that dark-color honeys such as Buckwheat seem to possess more antioxidants than light-color varieties. Not only could honey's antioxidants help to eliminate free radicals in the body, they are also part of the nutrient supply for growth of new tissue. These precious honey properties help protect the skin under the sun and help the skin to rejuvenate and stay young-looking. As such, there have been an increasing number of manufacturers of honey skincare products such as sunscreens and facial cleansing products for treating damaged or dry skin.

Read more in: Sweetest Dose of Antioxidant.

End of "Three Key Valuable Honey Properties". Back to "Quick Honey Facts".

Learn much more about the Benefits of Antioxidants .