Build a Free DIY Recycled Solar Powered Stove

Long, warm, sunny days are on the way – and that means plenty of free solar energy to cook many of your summer meals. But, what if you don’t have the money to spend on a solar oven? EcoFriend pointed us to a great tutorial on Instructables.com that shows you how to create one from recycled materials without spending a penny.

From Ecofriend:

We mentioned a combination of recycling and alternative energy in our previous post. The Solar Insider bench is a concept yet, but this fantastic solar-powered stove is a practical example of the same blend. The maker used a discarded 62-inch satellite dish, used CDs and other junk he found around. It stands on a base made up of 3” ABS plastic pipe filled with concrete and re-rod. After making sure that it’ll stand stable, the maker attached most of the CDs with the help of 1/8″ X 3/4″ fender washers and 4 by 3/8″ machine screws. For the outer two layers he found a tube of leftover silicon adhesive.

After completing the installation, a temperature of 400 degrees was easily achievable without any external expenses. You can find a detailed description in six steps at Instructables.

The instructions are easy to follow, and the results are actually kind of cool looking – like a big, weird garden sculpture from another planet.  Solar cooking is a great option during the summer since you don’t have to turn on your oven and unnecessarily heat up your kitchen. Oh yeah, and did we mention enough times that the entire project is FREE? Free energy, free solar oven, and you don’t have to sweat your balls off in the kitchen when it’s 90 degrees outside. How can you resist?

Link [Ecofriend]

Related Posts:

Five Cheap n’ Easy DIY Tutorials to Green Up Your Home
DIY Green Home: Wine Bottle Modular Shelving
DIY Solar Charger Takes Top Prize in Instructables’ EarthJustice Contest
Solar-Powered 6-in-1 Robot Drives, Flies and Floats
Eco DIY Project: Make Your Own Rain Barrel