Weekend DIY: Build your own solar oven

To take homemade bread one step further, try building your own solar oven.  It's a plywood box covered in silver plastic gift wrap, with a 6mm glass top made from a regular double-thick window, plus some fiberglass batt and sheet steel. You also need a can of black spray paint to coat the inside and the bakeware to increase heat retention. It looks like a fairly simple project; Nev mentions messing up the frame a little but it all turning out fine. It even works in the winter, for cooking casseroles and roasts. The only real trick to remember is to turn the pan around periodically so it doesn't end up burnt on one side and raw on the other. [GT]

Solar Oven - the next step! By Nev Sweeney

Related stories: Build your own solar heater for under £200 | DIY solar - even in Wales! | Build your own solar thermal panel for £2