How to Build a Food Dryer
(Page 5 of 8)
February/March 1993
By John Vivian
Cut three 8" lengths of scrap square-stock and tack-glue them to the underside of the top, parallel to and a 1/2" inside the outer frame members (so they will hold the panels loosely against the outer frame members). One board should be centered along the back, and the front ends of the other two even with the front ends of the outer-side boards already in place. Cut two 4" pieces of square scrap and tack them 1/2" inside the outer side frames toward the back. Check how well it fits by putting the top on the box; then pilot-drill and fasten the frame boards to the panel with two 1" screws every three inches. Now, the top will fit down over the three-sided box and hold it square.
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The Door
Next make the door, which hinges to the nominal 2"-wide front baseboard and is held at top by a strip of square stock you will measure and attach to the front of the top panel. Place box into base, put on the top, and slide in the drying racks. If need be, trim the upper edge of the door panel so its width is the same as the base frame is wide, and its height 3/16" less than the front opening with top on. Trim the two 28" lengths of square stock the height of the door and screw and glue them to the inside of the door so they make a flange at each side of the box. Trim the 24" of square stock so it fits loosely into the top of the box-front opening, just under the top. Center it along the inside upper edge of the door; glue and screw it on.
Then attach the door to the base with the remaining length of piano hinge. Fit the door snug against the box, so it closes the opening. Orient the hinge bumped-side up and bend up at a 45 degree angle. Press angled hinge into intersection of door bottom and top edge of the front baseboard. Tack glue, then fasten upper flange of hinge to door with screws provided, pilot-drilling the holes. Press door tight against the front of the box, then tack-glue and fasten the lower hinge flange to the top of the front frame board with pilot-drilled 1 1/4" #6 screws (the small screws provided with the hinge are too small to hold in softwood lumber). The door will now open out flat and swing up to close the dryer reasonably airtight.
Finally, trim the last 26" of square stock the full width of the door, close the door, and fasten the square strip to the underside of the top panel in a lip snug enough against the front of the door that the top will keep the door closed. Trim front of top even with the front edge of the lip.
Vent Openings
To provide bottom vents to admit drying air, use a large-diameter (1/2" is best) twist or spade bit to drill slightly up-trending holes from outside to inside, every 3" or so through all the base boards. (Don't try to drill through screws fastening boards to the plywood baseboard.) Set the base on scrap wood you don't mind drilling through and make a grid of holes spaced about 4" apart each way through the plywood. (For the cleanest cut through plywood, drill slowly and straight down through and into the scrap beneath it.
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