For this project the best box would be a
banana box or fruit box because of the heavier thicker corrugated
design. This box can be picked up for free at your local grocery store. A
printer paper box from work would do the job too. The Box Oven can be
completely free or as expensive and high tech as you want. The following
items can be purchased for about ten bucks or liberated from somewhere
else around the house or garage.
4 - 1/8" Diameter Steel Rod (36" long)
1 - Metal Trivet (Steel or Aluminum)
2 - 8 x 8 aluminum Trays
Roll of Aluminum Foil
Aluminum Duct Sealing Tape (optional)
Digital Thermometer with probe (optional - we're going high tech)
Super Glue
Most
boxes I have used are 20" long by 15" wide x 9-1/2" deep. Turn box up
vertical on end. Measure up 9-1/2" up from bottom and strike a level
line on both sides of the box. Measure down 4" from top and strike
another level line on both sides of the box. If you do not have a
trivet, strike a level line 1" up from bottom.
Mark the top line
for two 1/8" holes four inches apart. Mark the middle line for three
1/8" holes three inches apart. Mark the bottom line the same as the top,
if you're not using a trivet. (See Photo)
The lid needs to be
modified to fit properly. Trim the lip on one end of the lid so it will
fit flush on the box without having to handle the box. Use the leftover
cardboard to fill the gap in the lid. Use the foil tape to seal off.
(See Photo) Remember when baking that the box will be HOT, especially at
the top. Caution: Do not use the tape on the inside of the box. The
glue on the tape is good for sealing, but not for eating.
Line the inside of the box and lid with two layers of aluminum foil and glue as needed. Be sure and put the shiny side out.
Cut
the metal rods in half or have them cut at the home improvement store.
Use the rod or an ice pick (be careful) to punch the holes in the box.
Brace the box from behind as not to bend or crush it. Also, punch a
series on holes on both sides of the box just up from the bottom for
ventilation. The handle hole on top can be vented as needed when baking,
by taping a foil patch on it as an adjustable flap.
The top and bottom rack will support the aluminum trays and the middle rack with hold the food. (See Photo)
If
this oven is going high tech a hole for the digital probe will be
needed. The probe should be as close to the food as possible with out
touching. Install it about 2" up and near the back of the baking rack.
For
a test drive used a tube of store bought biscuits and bake as directed.
This oven will need nine briquettes, four on top and five on the
bottom. When the charcoals are just turning gray, put four, one in each
corner of the tray for the top rack and five, one in each corner and one
in center for the bottom rack. Put biscuits in Box Oven. Put on Lid and
bake.
The temperature will soar up to 400 degrees or so, then
slowly drop to about 225 degrees and hold. Check after about ten minutes
or so.
You will be pleasantly surprised. With a little practice
you can bake many different types of bread. I pull mine out when I'm
grilling, so I do not have to run back into the house for bread.
SouthEast Camper, Dutch Oven and Outdoor Cooking, Backpacking,
Hiking, Camping - See our Adventures around the Carolina's and the
SouthEast United States. For more about Dutch Oven and Outdoor Cooking -
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when this post was written.
These are so neat. My hubby got us 6 of them from some truck stop down in Tennessee. He tried a couple of them out on the road and seemed to like them. I had had them before , but in our small town I don't see them at any of the stores we have here.
I was looking up things online and looking for things to use off-grid and found this, 
Not only is a simple solar oven easy to
make, they actually work! And they're perfect for camping trips. Now we
can bake up some fresh cookies while we're camping, something we've
never been able to do before and you can too.
