Simple Solar Oven

This is a simple cooking tool that can be used for when families go camping or go on a picnic without something to cook your food. It can be built in a matter of fifteen minutes. if built correctly, it can work perfectly and then also, instead of being a big heavy oven, it is very light and protable.

Submitted by Powell Middle School for the Instructables Sponsorship Program.

Material List:
1 medium cardboard box
1 30 inch piece of tin foil
4 small paperclips
2 small nails
1 large paper plate
1 12 inch sheet of plastic wrap to protect your food from bugs (Or an alternitive would to put the food in a plastic bag, with or without the plate. Your choice)
2 6 inch pieces of Duck Tape
1 Pair of Scissors
1 Tape Measure,Ruler, or Yard stick
Optional:
1 Thermometer (If needed to check if your food is hot enough to be cooked)

First, gather materials and make sure everything is present so then you may start. You then lay out the tin foil and make it fit the width of the box. You may fold it if needed in case the box is not the exact size needed. Make sure that on the tin foil, the shiny side is facing you so it may reflect sunlight onto the food you are cooking. You then papreclip the tin foil to the box so then it will not fall off when you fold the box. Now lets get started!

Now fold the box on a middle crease and put two wings together and tape them. This should make the box have support when it stands up and will make the reflective part go on top. When placing the reflector wing, you may chose on what kind of an angle may be nessassary to heat your food when the sun is at different pionts in the sky. This will be key for the oven to be successful.

Next, get the two nails and poke them into the top free wing. Then fold the reflector wing up and put the nails through the two tabed wings. This will make the reflecting side of the box be angled so then the sunlight will reflect onto your soon to be cooked food.

Now place the paper plate in the middle of the bottom half of the box. You may then put your food on the plate, put a cover over it, and put it into the sun to cook. Make sure to check if it is cooked or not when you are doing this. If the food is not fully cooked, it can lead to sickness. This can be a health issue that you need to be aware of. Even though this can be a problem, try to use pre-cooked things such as hot dogs and other things that are safe to eat even when they are cold. This is pretty cool, but this is not all!

Now that you have finished this simple project, there is another amazing feature to this oven. If you pull the nails out of the box and let the reflecting wing down, it folds up and is then looking like a ordinary box again. Then, if you put the nails into the top of the box that folds down, it will not be in your way  while you are transportating it from place to place.You have finished and thank you for making this project!