Skip to content

Build This Solar Cooker Fast and for Under $6

Occasionally, we run across an item in our family preparedness journey that is not only valuable to the preparing/prepared family but is also simple, inexpensive, functional and readily available. The solar cooker we’re going to discuss is all of these things. Here’s where to find the plans for  this DIY gem:
http://solarcooking.wikia.com/wiki/Fun-Panel

We got the heads-up on this cooker from a good friend who was kind enough to introduce us to a close family member that has not only built one, but has modified/improved the plans you’ll read about and has some cooking experience that he can share also. Thank you “Cousin Martin”.

First, lets take a general look at the solar cooker as described by the posting at ‘wikia‘:

“The Fun-Panel solar cooker can be built in about an hour from a single cardboard box and some aluminum foil. This is significant, because traditional solar panel cookers such as the CooKit often require a large sheet of cardboard for construction. The Fun-Panel can also be adjusted more easily for different sun angles. This very powerful cooker is a true breakthrough.”

Here are some of the Fun-Panel’s advantages:

  • “It’s easy to figure out how to cut and fold the cooker using the cardboard from half of a single box — you don’t need a big sheet of perfect cardboard. Every US Post Office sells a large cube-shaped box (20” x 20” x 20”) for about $6 that can be used to make two Fun-Panels.
  • All cuts are 90 (degree) cuts — no curves.
  • It is easily scaled to the size of cardboard box you have on hand.
  • You can cook at all sun angles including low sun angles (morning and evening or high/low latitudes)”

Here are some of “Cousin Martin’s” observations/experiences:

  • ’My experience with this very simple and VERY cheap-to-construct cooker has definitely convinced me of the practicality of solar cooking. It plainly has its limitations, but you really can cook without fire, without fuel, without smoke, and without electricity. Because it so cheap to build, it is very cost-effective. So many preparedness items involve $$ that are in short supply. This is one everybody can have, and the fuel is free.”
  • “I cooked in the solar oven today. I put a sectioned sweet potato in at 11:30, in enough water to float the sections. I pulled it out about 2:00 and it was fully cooked. The ambient outside air temperature was 52 F and the official winds were NW at 12, gusting to 18mph, though I cooked in a wind-sheltered area. I re-oriented the oven twice during the cooking.”
  • Here are three techniques “Cousin Martin” has found to improve the solar oven construction experience:
  • “Scoring” the outer layer of the cardboard along the projects fold lines with a shallow cut using a razor knife
  • Using a stiff straight-edge for the initial bends of the fold lines. Cardboard has a ‘bias“ because of its internal stiffening structures and it doesn‘t want to bend straight along just any line that happens to be drawn on it. The aforementioned scoring helps, but so does a stiff, straight board or piece of metal held along the fold line as one bends the cardboard.
  • I used 3M general purpose aerosol spray adhesive (the Home Depot, <$5) to bond the aluminum foil to the cardboard after all the folds had been “worked into” the cardboard.”

A genuine “thanks” is appropriate here to PH’s friend and “Cousin Martin” for their observation and interest in providing preparing families with a great alternative cooking method for good times or bad.
Until next time; keep your eyes on the horizon as the weather’s changing fast.

  • Technorati Favorites
  • Tumblr
  • Share/Bookmark

Posted in How-Tos.

Tagged with , , , , , .

No comments

By J.P. Redoubt – March 13, 2010

A Mid-East War?

We’ve been holding this first article for almost two weeks now, waiting to present it in something of a broader context. The context is two additional articles, which we’ll present in succession, and a generally deteriorating middle east situation which we believe could very well lead to war in that area. Here’s our first article: “Official: Russia to deliver missile defense to Iran” by Aaron Klein. It was posted at wnd.com on 2/20/10. Here are a few of its key points:

  • “Despite announcements to the contrary, Russia still plans to deliver its S-300 advanced air-defense missiles to Iran, according to a senior Egyptian security official speaking to WND.
  • The official said Russia also intends to see the system delivered to Syria, from which it can also be transferred to Hezbollah militia operating in Lebanon.”
  • The S-300PMUI is a mobile system designed to shoot down aircraft and cruise missiles. Analysts say the S-300 system would make any Israeli strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities more difficult.”

Article #2: “Who will blink first in Iran’s nuclear poker game?” by Aluf Benn at haaretz.com this past Wednesday,3/3/10. Here are some of the articles more important observations:

  • “Netanyahu (Israeli Prime Minister) managed to convince the world that Israel is on the verge of a preemptive war to try to foil Iran’s nuclear program. His speeches on a second Holocaust and Amalek, the acceleration of military preparations, the exercises on the Home Front, the distribution of gas masks and even the stockpiling of dollars by the bank of Israel all suggest that Israel is planning to strike Iran, as it did when it attacked the nuclear plants in Iraq and Syria.”
  • “Netanyahu is playing poker and hiding his most important card: the Israel Defense Forces’ true capabilities to destroy Iran’s nuclear installations.”
  • “Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who is functioning as a super-adviser to Netanyahu for national security affairs, said in response (to  Iran’s Ahmadinejad commenting on the destruction of Israel) that “the clock for the Iranian regime’s downfall is ticking.”
  • “Israel and Iran are gambling that only one of them will survive the confrontation. Is this threat serious? History suggests it is.”

Article#3: “ Mideast war in the ‘very’ near future? — Dramatic escalation in cooperation between Israel’s foes “ by Aaron Klein at wnd.com on 3/3/10. Here’s some of what the article said:

  • “…Egypt is concerned Israel could be ina a conflict in the very near future with Syria or the Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon, a senior Egyptian security official told WND.”
  • “The official said his country is concerned about a coming conflict but did not mention a specific timeframe.”
  • “Last week, Syria hosted a summit with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah and Kahled Meshal, head of Hamas. All parties expressed solidarity each other and vowed the destruction of Israel.
  • The meeting was followed up with another confab in Iran last weekend entitled “Islamic and National Solidarity with the Palestinian People.” The summit was attended by the leaders of Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria. All three denounced Israel.”

PH Comment: There is one overriding concern in the above information for all of the prudent homes across America: oil. Without a full supply of relatively cheap (below about $85 per barrel) oil, America at this historic and economic juncture would find it hard to maintain her economic balance. We’ve spoken about this before at PH, and will again, but be aware and strengthen your preparations in every aspect. If something like this goes down, there will be little or no warning.

Until next time; keep your eyes on the horizon as the weather’s changing fast.

  • Technorati Favorites
  • Tumblr
  • Share/Bookmark

Posted in Geo-Political.

Tagged with , , , , , .

1 comment

By J.P. Redoubt – March 12, 2010

Book Review With Commentary On “Gardening When it Counts – Growing Food in Hard Times”

A continuing book review With Commentary On Gardening When It Counts: Growing Food in Hard Times
by Steve Solomon — Chapter 6 – “Watering … and not”

Chapter 6 – “Watering … and not”: Mr. Solomon begins this chapter with a discussion of drought, based on some definitions provided by John Widstoe in his 1911 book, “Dry Farming”: “… a book about large-scale farming in semi-arid places.”
Author ’Widstoe’ in his listing of “four chief causes of drouth”, gives as number (4): “sowing too much seed for the available soil-moisture.” It is here that Mr. Solomon states that “…choosing plant spacing is the single most important decision the gardener will make.” Mr. Solomon then goes on to  criticize the “intensive” gardening practices (raised bed) so popular among many in the country today due their suburban living situations and limited land.

PH Comment: We note that while Mr. Solomon readily criticizes the “intensive” gardening  methods so popular today among home gardeners with small and very-small garden areas, he fails to offer a way for them to expand their available land for food growing. It appears to us that home gardeners in the U.S. have few other good-gardening methods: given the limits of their growing areas.

“Four spacing systems” is Mr. Solomon’s next section and in it he provides an excellent  two-page chart demonstrating four “Plant spacing possibilities (in inches)” of a large number of garden crops. The spacing possibilities run from the smallest in Column I – Intensive raised beds per Jeavons, to the largest in Column 4 – Extensive; little rain of fertigation; everything on the flat. The author recommends Column 2 – Semi-intensive raised beds per Solomon. Each column is discussed with commentary.

In the following section the author discusses “Not suffering drought”. Here he opens with:  “The reason  people fail to match density with the available soil moisture is greed …”.  and ends with this bit of good advice: “… when you are starting a new garden in humid regions, you may want to spread a full dose of fertility-building materials at the end of summer the year before the land will become a veggie garden. This will allow the autumn rains and the spring snowmelt to carry this nutrition into the subsoil.”

Next, Mr. Solomon discusses “Fertigation”: this is the technique of using a “… fertigation bucket” that  “…economically and effectively places moisture and nutrition below a growing plant.” This technique is thoroughly discussed along with variations and their benefits. To aid the reader further in his discussion, he presents two valuable charts: “Water retention by soil type” and “Amount of water lost per day in midsummer (by Temperature in summer – Region – Inches lost per day)”.

“Foliar feeding” is the authors next topic. This short section refers to the liquid, topical feeding (by spraying) of plants -  directly on their leaves -  with dilute fertilizers, homemade “teas”, and coca-cola. It is recommended as a substitute for fertigation when water is in short supply.

The last half of the chapter is introduced with the section entitled “A gardeners textbook of sprinkler irrigation”. It states close to the beginning (thankfully): “Many gardeners wet down their gardens almost daily with hose and fan nozzle because they want to make sure the beds provide abundant moisture all the time. This method, done properly, works quite well, so long as you enjoy the task..”

This section is indeed a textbook exposition of the how’s, why’s, and wherefores of sprinkler irrigation systems. Sources for professional grade sprinkler equipment, its use, and modification are also thoroughly presented along with a few simple, non-professional grade choices.  Always included with each presentation are direct or indirect references to equipment costs. The “good stuff ” will cost you and by implication, so will its maintenance.

The very last section discusses “Drip systems and micro irrigation”. Immediately, the author states, “I do not recommend drip systems for the home garden.” and notes a little further along, “ … You must carefully inspect the entire system each and every time you turn it on.”  ’Nuff’ said.

Chapter 6 is a great chapter for helping to understand water’s vital part in plant growth, function and development. It’s an important reference source too, for a clear understanding of how various types of irrigation methods can help to bring this vital component to the plant.

Until next time: keep your eyes on the horizon as the weathers changing fast.

  • Technorati Favorites
  • Tumblr
  • Share/Bookmark

Posted in Weather Report.

No comments

By J.P. Redoubt – March 2, 2010