homemade stove top oven

[c_hasbeen]

some time back I was doing experimenting with building a high efficient wood burning stove based on the rocket stove.  as an after thought I wished that i had built in an oven.  At the time I had a build thread on an other web site for my stove, and one member had made the comment about a toaster oven dying.  this got me to thinking about my toaster oven that had quit working.

Here is the insert from a thread about that oven and a few pictures of it.  it does a nice even bake also.

I was trying to think of a good way to bake on this heater, I kicked around about a dozen ideas, then decided to take a non functioning toaster oven and stripping put the electrical parts and then putting it back together and sticking it on the top of the stove. 

what I wound up doing is after opening up the toaster oven and stripping out the unnecessary parts I added insulation around the oven box and between it and the outside skin, then put it all the way back together.

Initial trial did not heat up to more than about 150 degrees, so I removed the bottom of the oven, which was just a crumb tray/door and put it back on top of the heater.

with a decent fire going I was able to get the temperature up to 375 in about 10 minutes, then I put in a tray of frozen cookie dough snicker doodles! and the temperature gauge. 

the temp doped to about 325 degrees and in about 8 minutes was back at 350 where the cookies were supposed to be for cooking so I closed one of the air inlets to keep the fire consistent. I left them in an other 10 minutes and the temp was consistently staying at 350 then I took the cookies out, they were almost perfectly done, I do think I could have left them in for an other couple of minutes and they would have been just a little better.

After the cookies were removed I stuck the temp gauge back in and closed the door, and with in a minute or so it was hanging around 350 degrees.

I still need to cover the holes in the front of the oven where the control knobs were so the insulation is not exposed, I think I will use a piece of tin from the crumb tray and roll the edges to make a cover for them.

 

[compassrose]

Have you looked at the "stove top ovens" they sell? They are nothing but a few pieces of sheet metal that are hinged together with a thermometer in the door.

When we were in the popup, I used a stock pot on top of a skillet as a "dutch" oven. Worked well for cup cakes, cakes, cookies, brownies and biscuits.

 

[SoulRaven]

Between a Coleman style fold flat oven, and a dutch oven, I think I can do just about anything that requires an oven. Then I also have a fold flat stove top toaster.

 

[highdesertranger]

very cool, I like your stove too. I take it that toaster oven isn't mostly plastic like a lot of the new ones. highdesertranger

 

[Numpty]

I LOVE THIS IDEA mostly because if you pick up a discarded unwanted toaster oven, it is perfect re-purposing of what would otherwise be sent to the garbage dump. And seems to really work.
My father just threw one out a few months ago, it worked fine but he couldn't even give it away, nobody wanted it.

Great idea

I'm on the lookout for one now.

 

[ahh_me2]

I've been pondering about the feasibility of doing this for a while now, nice to see someone else is doing it!

My plan had been to do it on top of a 3 burner propane stove.

I may have to revisit my plans....

 

[ramblingvanman]

I've been pondering about the feasibility of doing this for a while now, nice to see someone else is doing it!

My plan had been to do it on top of a 3 burner propane stove.

I may have to revisit my plans....

Interesting, I was looking for a way to do it on a two burner propane stove.

 

[akrvbob]

Its a brilliant idea!.

Another use it may have is as a heater for your van or RV.

I use my Coleman 1 burner as my only source of heat in winter, but it is a little spooky to have an open flame. Put your oven on top and leave the door cracked so some heat can escape and it will spread the heat more evenly around the rig and protect the open flame.

You can even make some snicker-doodles and hot chocolate while you are staying toasty warm!!
Bob

 

[SoulRaven]

I was cleaning up my expedition gear today and I thought I would share my ultra light oven set up.

The oven is an old stove top bun warmer, it says "Buns" on the lid and the interior contains a liner with some ventilation holes.

The plastic handle on the lid turns to open vents if needed.

I use a bit of aluminum foil on the bottom for easy cleanup.

It's sitting on top of my almost 30-year-old model 27 Trangia alcohol stove.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

That bun warmer oven is way nifty.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Not to hijack this thread...Loo, how about jumping over to the food section and share some baKing secrets?

The OP oven wouldn't serve our needs but the bun oven might.

And a mention for Bob...I found a clay flower pot turned over on the one burner works great for heat. 2 bucks at Wally's. Use a stick in the hole to move when hot...will "brand" a wood surface, careful there

 

[SoulRaven]

Not to hijack this thread...Loo, how about jumping over to the food section and share some baKing secrets?

I don't actually use it for cooking but as a conversation starter.

For instance when I am in Florida in one of the water management area campgrounds in the winter months and the overnight temperature is going to be below 50 degrees, I set the stovetop oven up as pictured above on my tailgate during happy hour, along with a dozen red roses, a magnum of wine and a Whitman's sampler while playing a best of Barry White CD any say to any attractive female that walks by "Can I warm your buns tonight?"

 

[compassrose]

If you look in the section of most stores that sell replacement grill parts, you can find a little round dial thermometer. Just drill a hole thru the metal covering and thread the thing in (or save one from a grill you are tossing). There is generally a nut that holds the thing in place.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Just as I thought, Loo does get to "baking" with that little thing
Now, how often does he actually get to warm some buns?