Reflector Mock - Up.

Making Reflector Parts & Some Numbers

The total surface area of my glass is 700 sq. in. or 4.86 sq feet. That's 25 X 28 inches.
The reflectors are going to be 6,129 sq in. or 42.56 sq feet .
That's 8.82 to 1

That's 47.42 sq feet of total collecting power going into a box that is 10.89 cu. feet. of space.
This also means that I have enough ReFlectec film left over for 2 more ovens. So the $491.00 bill
divided by 3 equals $163.66 in film for the reflector. I bought 3 more sheets of 26 ga. steel.
That's 6 sheets total , of which 5 and a half will go in the oven. They were $33.00 per sheet.

$163.66 in film for the reflector.
$198.00 in sheet steel.
$80.00 in Prodex foil insulation.
$82.00 in rockboard mineral insulation
$23.00 in hinges.
$90.00 for wheels.
$77.00 for steel for frame and axle.
$60.00 for hardware & bits.
$36.00 for tape.
-----------------------
$809.66
I've sure there's a couple of things I've missed but , that number is where I am right now.

Door Fabrication & Flanges for the Glass/ Reflectors

On to the Door

The "can" is done , not finished, but done. I still have dozens of pop rivets to run.

Boxing the Back & Thinking About Glazing

I ordered the door gasket today , another $45 . I keep saying I'm about to stop spending money .

Rounding the Club House Turn 6-22-09

Lot's of parts coming together now. Ordering the glass tomorrow.

June 21st The Sun Dagger

Well yesterday was the solstice, and all eyes were on Stonehenge. But I was thinking of The Sun Dagger, and Fajada Butte in Chaco Canyon. It was a very good day. Let's go to the clips.

1st Insulation and Axle Install.

Moving on to the Outer Shell

New Wheels & 5 Gimbals.

Finished installing the all the gimbal pins, .... 5 sets. I can cook 8 , 8 quart pots, with plenty of room for more, all at once. This was one of my main goals. Maybe the central one.
Installed the new wheels and axle. Big difference. It looks like my minds eye now.

Kick Stands & Gimaling Racks.

I bought a pair of aluminum crutches for the front "Kick Stands" today, and some scrap wire racks for the gimbal racks.

A Gimbal Moment

Tomorrow is one month since I put up this site. I managed to run 12 days of production on the oven before a break for our monthly Art Market here. But I was back at it today. Not hard at it, but working on it. I was making another set of struts to support the next gimbal pins, and it occurred to me that the pots are what really needs to gimbal.

Pop Rivet Party

Running the pop rivet gun , riveting the inner shell together. Will have another clip up later tonight.



Gimbal mounts go in -

Completing the Frame

Painted the frame with 4 coats of paint . Moving on to making the inner shell. Making the floor supports, & rack gimbals.

The Fundables Site

The fundraiser I set-up will close in 21 hours. The response was more than I hoped for. As of now, we raised $650.00 on the web, of which Fundables gets a 10% commission,
That's $585.00 I will receive in the next few days. In addition, I received another $20.00 in person. That's $605.00 .
I am about to order the glazing for the oven, when that is behind me, I can give an accounting of just what I've spent.

To everyone who stood up and helped with this crazy idea, I will not disappoint you. There is a larger purpose behind the mere building of this oven. It's going to cook a lot of friendships, and we won't release one carbon atom doing it. And this thing will be around awhile, the only moving parts are the wheels.

So to everyone, and many thanks ........

Colorado Bob

Changing Wheels

I bought some new wheels , from the same outfit, Northern Tool. ( Best Price )
I had gotten 16 inch ones for $17 bucks a piece. These new ones are 26 inch ones at $35 bucks a piece. This will raise the height of the oven by 5 inches, it also means getting a new axel. This larger wheel has a 3/4 " bearing.

I did this for several reasons .
The most important being , that it will add to the summer angle of the oven. By raising the rear end of the oven with larger wheels, the oven will tip even farther back. The next one is it will add in the comfort of working the oven. And thirdly , it will just look better.

Update -

Made a new axel carrier, added another 5 inches to the height of the oven frame. Much better setup.



Sorry, my batteries die at the end. 60 or so more seconds.

I'm Buying New Wheels

I knew my wheels were too small when I bought them, now that steel is setting on steel, I have a better idea of just how big they should be. I'm buying new heels. It other news, the shells look look supriseingly like my Sketch-Up Drawings. If you attempt such a project, learn Sketch - Up first. It's worth the effort. It's a free drafting box. And it makes you think of every part before you ever make it.

Oven Graphics

The oven will have a red paint job , another beautiful design from our friend Randy Fisher.

Today's Clips

1 of 5

2 of 5

3 of 5

4 of 5

5 of 5

Never Forget your "Johnson Bar"

We moved the sheet metal brake, and installed it.
Made the first bends in the shell parts.
It's time to Roll N' Roll. This thing will go fast now.
I've never had as much fun in my life, ..... with my clothes on.
Also figuring out the camera set-up so I can have a stills page of all the parts, with easy to see numbers arrows etc.

Billy Thorpe - Children of the Sun

A very nice comment from solarcookingnut

WHAOOOOO, THAT IS GOING TO BE A BIG OVEN! Will be great to cook at family reunions and cookouts! Looking forward to seeing this one cooking! Keep up the videos, can't wait to see this!

He offers more sage advice for me.

I built several large ovens, not as big as this, but still big enough to cook a whole meal in ONE oven. I always tell newbies to BUILD A BIG oven, this way, they won't be disappointed with having to build another one that is larger than the first. In my slantfaced oven, I can cook a meat, casserole, veggies, bread and dessert in ONE oven. i start with the meat first, then add the other pots in the order they will be done by dinner I stack them on top of the other pots using racks.

Good work song -

D-Day Sheet Metal.

My vologging is getting a little better on this ...... I think I have the thread in hand. This oven has 2 parts, the building of it, but as important to me as that is ,
it's the keeping of this diary, that means nearly as much to me. Any sheet metal guy in American can use this site to make one wherever they are.

The Sheet Metal Guys Show Up :

Welding Steel

I have not welded steel in 30 years. And I never have had any time on a wire welder. I learned welding in the shop at O.L. Slaton Jr. High in 1963. That gave me enough courage, to be a hippie welder years later. But finally it was in the oilfield I practiced enough to be just O.K. But that was all stick welding. This frame is being made with a wire welder. I like it. I'm not any good as a welder, but I like it.

Made a $31.00 trip to Home Depot for fastners. Axel nuts, screws to mount the oven shell on the frame, a 1/4 - 20 tap and drill, to tap the frame. And $11.30 for 4 bolts, they're in the clip. Dropped another $10.00 for grinding wheels at Harbor Freight.

I am about to start the sheet metal work tomorrow. I spent time in a sheet metal shop. The rest of this fabrication work is sheet metal.

The Frame Construction

We made our first cuts today starting at 3:30 this afternoon . As you can see in the clip we made good progress.

June 1st - We Begin

If my stuff is confusing please make a comment , and let me know. If I'm doing something stupid, tell me that as well. I'm still pulling parts of this larger project together in my head. Here's an example :
I plan to approach the Boy Scouts with this oven when it is done, after I do a shake down on it.
When this happens I will send them to the newest Walmart here. And there on a Saturday afternoon this summer, they will sell Walmart's corn on the cob , solar roasted for $ 3.00 an ear. I don't care what they do with the money, the rental for that Saturday will be small. The Walmart manager is going to send an email to Bentonville late that same Saturday telling the corporate office of the world's largest corporation , that they just sold a shit load of ears of corn one at a time , cooked by the sun, and the Scouts are going camping with the proceeds. Then, I can finally get a shout out on Boing Boing.

The FF Focuser 5-31-09