How to Build a Solar Dehydrator
Two Oaks Farmstead has been in need of a solar dehydrator this summer, and now we have one! I just recently took about an hour out to do this project (…while we were in the middle of another project…) and I thought I would show you guys how it is done.
New Project! (as always)
We were actually working on our Smoker Project-which you will be seeing very shortly, but my husband was up on the roof of it and I was bored, so I made good use of my time with a new project. I enjoy building anything! If you’d like to see some of my other quick farm construction projects, check out my Garden Washing Station or my Compost Sifter.
Solar Dehydrator from Repurposed Pieces
My son had recently brought me this cool display case he had found. (Everyone in my family knows I love to repurpose!) It has an aluminum frame and two glass doors. It did have a thin backboard on it, so that was the first thing I removed.
Step 1
Once I was left with just the frame and doors, I measured and ripped some excess pine siding boards that we had to create a box on which to attach the frame. That part was super simple. I just screwed them together to form a box.
Step 2
The next step was to measure and cut some excess screen that we had and attach it to the back side of my box. I used short screws with a wide, flat head to hold the screen in place.
Step 3
Next, I attached the metal frame and doors onto the front side of the box with the same screws. It fit perfectly, creating a bit of a ‘shadow box’ effect. Since my box is pretty good size, I decided to add a piece of 2×4 to the center back to help support the screen.
Step 4
The last step was to add legs. I’ll admit that I just guessed at what I wanted them to be. It clearly needed to lean into the sun, to get a good southern exposure. So I cut two long legs and two shorter legs and screwed them in place. Once it was standing, I drilled 3, 1 inch holes on each side for air flow and added a piece of screen on the inside to cover them.
Solar Dehydrator, Complete in an Hour
It was as simple as that. I was done before he finished the smoker roof! And, I’ve been drying the bounty from my garden ever since! This is definitely a project that most farmers/gardeners could use and just about anyone could do. So, go ahead and give it a go! And, I’d love to see and hear about yours too!
If you’d also like to check out some other designs for a solar dehydrator, check out this page!
NEVER MISS A THING!!
Be sure to check out the other awesome content on Two Oaks Farm Talk as well as A Life on the Farm for the more personal side of the homestead life. And don’t forget to go subscribe to the Two Oaks Farmstead Youtube Channel for all kinds of terrific content!!!
