Purple Fig Solar Cooker

by sclausson

44K9331

Intro: Purple Fig Solar Cooker

The Purple Fig Solar Cooker reaches temperatures between 250°F and 375°F (121.1C and 190.5C). It cost less than $5 to make. The ingredients are: 2 pieces of 22" x 28" (55.88cm x 71.12cm) poster board.- aluminum foil - glue - 1 shoelace - 4 binder clips 3/4" (1.905cm) ALWAYS use meat thermometer when cooking chicken and meats. Chicken is done at 165F° (72C).

STEP 1:

Clip 2 pieces of 22" x 28"  (55.88cm x 71.12cm) poster board together.

STEP 2:

Step 2. Draw a line 14" (35.56cm) from long edge. Draw line to divide 14" x 28" (35.56cm x 71.12cm) into two 14" (35.56cm) squares. Cut on lines to make 3 pieces.  

STEP 3:

Step 3. Paint 1 side of each 14" (35.56cm) square purple and an 8" (20.30cm) square on one of the 8" (20.30cm) x 28" (71.12cm) strips.

STEP 4:

Step 4. Glue foil to un-purple side of each 14" (35.56cm) square and to one side of 8" (20.30cm) square.

STEP 5:

Stack 14" (35.56)  squares together.  On only 1 corner punch 2 holes at 4 7/8" ( ?cm) from corner and 5/16ths (?cm) from edge. Then stack both 8" (20.30cm) squares together and punch 8 holes, 2 in each corner at 1" (?cm) from corner and 3/8" (?cm) from edge.

STEP 6:

Step 6. Lay out 14" (35.56cm) squares with punched corners together, purple  8" (20.30cm) square on purple side and foil square on foil side.

STEP 7:

Step 7. Thread lace up from bottom through foiled 8" (20.30cm) square, 14" (35.56cm) square, then purple foiled 8" (20.30cm) square.

STEP 8:

Step 9. Then thread down through purple base piece, purple panel, and foiled base piece. Tighten a little and go to next corner with long part of lace.

STEP 9:

Step 9. Continue lacing through each set of corner holes until all 4 are done.

STEP 10:

Step 11. Turn over Purple Fig Solar Cooker and tighten shoelace and tie. The shoelace can be threaded to make the short lace on the cooking side if desired.

STEP 11:

Step 12. Pull up panels to make Fig (cone) shape. It can be stored in a grocery bag in this configuration.

STEP 12:

Step 12. Use clips to hold panels in curved shape that focuses the most sun on the center pan. Use dark pans with tightfitting glass covers for best cooking temperatures. For early day and late day put one side up and the opposite one flat  and clip the side panels to them in a smooth curve. Mid day it can be used as shown.

22 Comments

lokichups 9 months ago

I am makeing this for homeschooling

Talk2ssmith 1 year ago

I cooked venison tenderloin (frozen) with carrots and potatoes. I sat it up just outside my window at work. Fantastic dinner!

sclausson 1 year ago

Wonderful! It's nice to be able to cook while you are working and have dinner ready when you are done.

sclausson 1 year ago

Wow venison, carrots and potatoes! That is great that you can cook dinner in it while you are at work!

Harleyrmullins 5 years ago

What can I use as a cover? My daughter and I made this as a project for school. She needs to prevent germs/dirt/bugs from entering the cooker. They are using their cookers to make s’mores.

sclausson 5 years ago

Hi! To get the good temperatures always use a dark pan with a glass cover. A cake pan and a random glass cover from another pan will do. As long as they fit together. The germs will be killed when the temperature reaches 150F. Enjoy the smores!

sclausson 6 years ago

Thank you for trying the instructable.

sclausson 6 years ago

Purple was only for the contest. Do you have a picture?

Jfrorigami 7 years ago

I love myself too much. help me?!?

sclausson 9 years ago

Purple Fig because I entered it into a contest that wanted something to do with cooking and figs. Feel free to make it any color even one of your favorite teams. I covered some in fabric.

MrNyo 9 years ago

Why purple?

sclausson 10 years ago

Solar cooking actually works even better in high elevations because the air is thinner. The air temp has nothing to do with solar cooking. If you check the solar cooking wikia you will see a person solar cooking in Norway in the snow.I am cooking solar fudge right now. The highest temperature I have reached is 475F°. I didn't put that in the instructable because people would doubt it. Most home ovens cook between 250F° and 350F° and that is what my little cooker averages. You need a low dark pan with a tight fitting glass lid to get best temps. There are over 300 people around the world cooking with the Copenhagen every day. I made the purple paper one so Everyone can afford the technology. My hope is that teachers and charities around the world make these. 2 billion people cook over open wood fires in their homes. This cooker will save trees, reduce lung diseases, home fires and burns. OK down off soapbox :)

chokapi 10 years ago

Well, I wouldn't say that the air temp is if no consequence. If the ambient air temp is cold, it will make the container you're cooking in cold, taking it longer to heat. Also, if the wind is blowing, it will steal heat from the container and its contents as well. Now, if it could be sealed, as I've seen other solar cookers, it would insulate that internal area from as much heat loss.

sclausson 10 years ago

Good question. Some folks use an oven bag around the cooking pan in windy areas. The continuous curve maintained with this cooker throws the air out quickly (no corners to capture the wind) and it gently waves in the wind. Not much cold air can get to the pan because the area around the pan is hot and hot air rises. For the larger size 22" (55.88cm) square panel with 12" (30cm) base I use a flat griddle with a Pyrex bowl inverted over pan to make a real hot little oven. At 33° lat. I don't use a bag and still get good cooking temps. Bread cooks very well in it.

chokapi 10 years ago

Intriguing, and certainly attractive. I'm a bit specious of the temperatures, though. If you can show me a video, in outdoor conditions, of the oven boiling 20 oz of water at sea level in a reasonable amount of time (say, 15-20 mins), I'll vote for it. I'm a backpacker, and if this'll do the job in moderately cool (50* F) temps, I'll make one and field test it at some altitude, (3500 ft,) as well.

sclausson 10 years ago

This video may help. A friend of mine in Canada made this video of my Copenhagen Solar Cooker. It is what I modeled Purple fig after.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gjr-VHq12kk

jessyratfink 11 years ago

I love the design! This might be the prettiest solar cooker I've ever seen :D
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