About the Oven

This oven is a more cold climate version of a Solar Oven found here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzoL-Rjjg6A

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Most of the oven is the same as what is found in the video, except for the insulation space is increased, there is an added layer of glass to make two layers of glass, and there are also a few design additions like reflectors that can be adjusted, and a piece of wood the bottom glass can sit on.  Even with these additions, for the most part, this version can still be built the same way, so watching the video first will help in understanding how to build this version, as well as what kinds of things are used in building this oven.

For the performance of the oven, we are at about latitude 40, and on the shortest days in winter, the sun only gets about 20 degrees high in the sky during the afternoon, and during summer, only about 70 degrees. So most of the year, the sun is very low in the sky, and even with the extra modifications, the best temperatures we have gotten so far are about 185 degrees during winter when it was only about 30 degrees outside, I believe. Then in the summer, it has gotten up to about 285 degrees. For comparison, the person in the video who lives in a desert climate, probably at a much lower latitude than we are, was able to get his oven to 350 degrees. So in the end, this oven works very well if you are in a latitude lower than 40 degrees, and if you are in a farther north latitude like we are, it does still work, but only really well in the summer. You also can still cook things at 185 degrees during the winter, but it will take all day to cook it and you may not want to cook meat in it.

Instructions and measurements for building this modified version can be found below.  It should be mostly possible to follow along step by step, but there are still some areas that can be a little tricky to build still.  Being sure to drill first before screwing or nailing will help a lot to keep some of the wood from splitting, especially the 1/2" dowels.  Using a piece of Masonite also works well to protect the glass while hammering in the dowels.  If you get silicone on the glass, which is very easy to do, WD40 or lemon oil with a micro-fiber cloth works well for getting the residue off. You can also find tips here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g8v2S19_wPs

Something else to note is that, after building it, I modified the design and instructions for the second layer of glass, and the 1x2 piece of wood the glass rests on at the bottom.  So the images of the final build will be a little bit different than the instructions in that area. I was also experimenting with adding oven plastic on the outside of the oven when I took some of the pictures. So that part looks a bit messy because it's not actually on there very well, but you can see the idea of it. The result of the test seemed to be that it didn't make any difference for how hot the oven gets.  I think because, while it adds another barrier for heat to have to escape out of, it also reflects some light trying to shine into the oven.  Although, it does still work as a way to protect the glass from rain if the oven is really hot and it starts to rain with cold rain, thereby making it possible that the glass could break.  I haven't ever had that happen, but it is a possibility.  I haven't been able to try it yet, but the oven plastic also may help in cold weather when it's really windy.

Lastly, as with all the things I build, I just want to give credit to God for all the amazing ideas He gives during the designing and building of these things, because it is so much because of Him that they even work as well as they do :).  He really is an amazing person, and it is always such a fun thing and a treasure to get to build these things with Him.  The truth is, I never could do it without Him, whether it be through direct ideas He gives, as He talks about doing in Exodus 31:1-6, when He gave people the wisdom and understanding to create the things He wanted them to create:

"Then the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:  “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah.  And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship.

  And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you:"

or it's just because of His ability to make me in a way that I could create these things, it is always because of Him in the end that they exist, and not because of my own amazingness to do them.  With each of us, when we are born and given life, we don't know why or how we are able to do the things we do, or why we are just naturally better at some things versus other things.  While it is true that throughout life we can learn new things and become good at things, even this ability to learn and grow is something that none of us know how we do.  We just are who we are, and we don't have an explanation for it.  But if none of us actually know how we are able to do what we do, how can we then take credit for it?  It is only because of God's amazingness to create us in a way to do these things, that we can then do them.  So is it not God, the one who made us able to do the things we do, the one who should have the glory for what we do?  And in this way, even when He doesn't give ideas for things directly, it is still only because of Him that I can create these things. 

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The story of Nebuchadnezzar being turned into an animal in Daniel 4 really shows this as well, that without God's ability to make us understand life and how to create things, we never would be able to.  Our understanding of things and ability to reason is only as much as what He gives us.  I'll just quote a little bit of the chapter here:

"All this came upon King Nebuchadnezzar.  At the end of the twelve months he was walking about the royal palace of Babylon.  The king spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”  While the word was still in the king’s mouth, a voice fell from heaven: “King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is spoken: the kingdom has departed from you!  And they shall drive you from men, and your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field. They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven times shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses.”  That very hour the word was fulfilled concerning Nebuchadnezzar; he was driven from men and ate grass like oxen; his body was wet with the dew of heaven till his hair had grown like eagles’ feathers and his nails like birds’ claws.  And at the end of the time I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my understanding returned to me; and I blessed the Most High and praised and honored Him who lives forever:

For His dominion is an everlasting dominion,
And His kingdom is from generation to generation.
 All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing;
He does according to His will in the army of heaven
And among the inhabitants of the earth.
No one can restrain His hand
Or say to Him, “What have You done?”

 At the same time my reason returned to me, and for the glory of my kingdom, my honor and splendor returned to me...Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, all of whose works are truth, and His ways justice. And those who walk in pride He is able to put down."

So I really do give Him the glory for what He has done, whether it's giving direct ideas, or creating me in a way that makes it possible to think through these things, and I just hope that my expression of Him will be a blessing in your life that shines with the incredible love and goodness that is in His heart.  Because this is the real and amazing purpose of why He does give these things.  They aren't just for our own use, but to love others with them.  This was really what John the Baptist was trying to say in Luke 3:7-14 when he talked about giving your extra things to others that don't have what you have:

"Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?...And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”  So the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?”  He answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”  Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”  And he said to them, “Collect no more than what is appointed for you.”  Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, “And what shall we do? So he said to them, “Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.”

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As though to say, "Use the things of this earth to bear good fruit and love others with it, because it's all going to be destroyed anyway.  Put a purpose to it and do something good with it.  Use the things in this life as a tool to store up treasure in heaven instead of here on earth."  As Yeshua (Original Hebrew name of Jesus) also says in Matthew 5:16, let your light shine so that others may see your good works, and glorify God, and come to know God, because of them:

"You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. "

So it is in that love He has given these things, for as He says in Matthew 6, He knows the things that we need in life, and as such a loving Father, is so glad to help, and it is also in that love and in His love that I give them as well, hoping that what He gives out of that love will be a help to you as it has been to us.