Reflector oven build

[alsg]

Re-reading this build and going back to the original magazine article which is posted in another thread, I'm really impressed with the design of this oven and I'm a little surprised that with all the reflector ovens you can buy, including foldable ones, nobody is offering this design. I think is superior to what's currently on the market because of the simplicity of the folding, the compactness of it, the absence of any loose parts than can be lost, and, last but not least, the way the shelf is hinged so that it sits down slightly from the center line of the oven and gives a little head room for what you are baking. I see one of these in my future to replace my non-folding reflector oven that I built using Gil Gilpatrick's plans.

A couple comments/questions about your build:

Regarding the top, in addition to not using the clips shown in the plans, it looks like your top extends a bit further past the sides along its front edge compared to the photos of the as-built oven shown in the article in the magazine with the plans. Deliberate? Why?

As for the legs, I imagine one option to prevent the legs from collapsing is a piece of rod that stretches between the two legs? Attached it to one leg with an loop/eye and have it clip to the other leg with kind of a friction fit bend (sort of like the shape of a cotter pin) to go around the other leg?

If I were to make one, I might be tempted to substitute an appropriately-sized wire grate (I'd probably buy the grate and build the oven to size around it) in place of the aluminum shelf. When I built my reflector oven, Gilpatrick's plans called for a fixed, solid aluminum shelf. But I found that when I used a cookie sheet or pan on top of the shelf, the extra thickness of the solid shelf caused the bottoms of things to cook much too slowly compared to the tops. Eventually I cut out the shelf, except for 3/4" tabs at each side, so my cookie sheet/pan now rests on those tabs and is directly exposed to heat coming from the bottom. This cooks the bottoms of things more quickly but also more evenly with the top.

Thanks again for documenting your excellent build!!

 

[Boatman53]

Aslg, I agree with you what attracted me to this design was the size, no parts to lose, and those tabs to drop the shelf a bit. I still like my slightly bigger one in overall design but I had to try this one.
I pre cut most of the parts to size ahead of time including the sides. When I got to them last and removed what wasn’t needed for the hinge rolls before I knew it the side was short. I figure out too late where the discrepancy came from, I used 1/8” rod (it’s what I had on hand) and the article called for 3/32” rod. I used up more in making the hinges. The top was the top from my first oven and already had the 90° bend so I left that.
I thought of a rod to connect the legs but it will not work because then it collapses they move in unison. It needs to be like a flat strip that connects them, but then it wouldn’t fold right.
Here are my two options at the moment. Tie a string from the top of one leg to the bottom of the other leg and same for the other side. That would keep them from spreading out. I’ve not experienced them wanting to go in. The other idea is to notch the hinge for the wire leg on the lower corner. Open the oven, slide the leg up (I have room because the bottom panel is high at the moment) and that locks it from moving side to side either way. To fold up, slide the leg down and fold. That is what I will be doing this afternoon.
I will be building another with a rack of small size and like you say build the other dimensions around it, I will not cut anything out ahead of time.
Jim

 

[alsg]

I thought of a rod to connect the legs but it will not work because then it collapses they move in unison. It needs to be like a flat strip that connects them, but then it wouldn’t fold right.
Here are my two options at the moment. Tie a string from the top of one leg to the bottom of the other leg and same for the other side. That would keep them from spreading out. I’ve not experienced them wanting to go in.

I'm plainly missing something. If the legs only want to spread out and don't want to collapse in, it would seem like the idea of a rod connecting the legs should do the trick.

 

[Boatman53]

I guess I wasn’t clear, my fault. One goes out and the other goes in at the same time, and relative spacing. Just like pushing a rectangle into a trapezoid shape. And once it starts to go it goes fast.
So I cut some notches in the hinges just now and it might be all I do with this one. It does stiffen things up and I no longer worry about losing a meal or treat.

I just slide the leg down out of the notch to fold it up.
The other more secure idea I had was to hinge a panel along the bottom edge of the oven that drops down with slots to engage the vertical wire, locking it in place. It would also provide a shelf to put a rock or two for ballast. The oven is light and that would be a help.

I’ve already found a donor rack to use for the next one, it’s just a little longer at 12 1/2” than the fire box.
Jim

 

[alsg]

I guess I wasn’t clear, my fault. One goes out and the other goes in at the same time, and relative spacing. Just like pushing a rectangle into a trapezoid shape. And once it starts to go it goes fast.
So I cut some notches in the hinges just now and it might be all I do with this one. It does stiffen things up and I no longer worry about losing a meal or treat.
View attachment 134036
I just slide the leg down out of the notch to fold it up.
The other more secure idea I had was to hinge a panel along the bottom edge of the oven that drops down with slots to engage the vertical wire, locking it in place. It would also provide a shelf to put a rock or two for ballast. The oven is light and that would be a help.

I’ve already found a donor rack to use for the next one, it’s just a little longer at 12 1/2” than the fire box.
Jim

Elegant solution!