The article will describe a way how to make a simple fruit dryer that will work due to the heat of the sun. Thanks to this simple device, it will be possible to stock up dried fruits for the whole winter, and as a result, vitamins. In it you can dry absolutely everything, starting from apples, and ending with plums, apricots, mushrooms, or even herbs and fish. Such a thing will be simply indispensable in the country or in the village.
An iron barrel of 200 liters will be used as the basis for such a dryer. Find her is not difficult. It is not necessary that the barrel is intact, because the bottom in it is still not needed.
Materials and tools:
- a barrel of 200 liters;
- supports and sheet metal to create a roof;
- to create pallets you will need a metal mesh or wire with a diameter of more than 3 mm;
- several loops;
- bolts with nuts or screws;
- hacksaw or grinder;
- scissors for metal.
Manufacturing process
Step one. Cut off all unnecessary
If the barrel has a bottom, you can cut it and then create a roof from it. If there is material to create a roof, then the bottom can not be touched. In any case, the bottom will have to be cut and bent as indicated in the pictures, otherwise there will not be enough good ventilation in the dryer.
Next, you need to cut a window in the barrel, there will be a door, and with the help of this opening the dryer will be assembled from the inside. The cut piece does not need to be thrown away.
Step Two Fixing the legs to the barrel
To create legs, you can use a curved corner or strips of metal. According to the author, three legs will be quite enough for such a design. The legs are fastened with bolts with nuts or with self-tapping screws.
The legs should be tried to be made more authentic, since part of them can then be deepened into the ground, and the dryer will be more confident. Moreover, due to the fact that the dryer will be at a high level from the ground, air will circulate better.
Step Three We create racks inside the barrel
A total of 5 shelves can be arranged in a two hundred liter barrel.As racks, you can use a grid with a small cell, and if this is not, the racks can be made of wire. To fix the racks in the necessary places of the barrel, supports are installed. Such supports are made of timber, and they are screwed to the barrel using self-tapping screws.
However, it is not necessary that the grid was metal. It can also be made of rope.
Step Four Creating a roof and door
The roof is needed so that precipitation and dirt do not fall on the products. The author performed the roof in the form of a fungus. But the form does not matter, as the roof you can use the old basin or any other element that fits the shape.
If still talking about technical points, then it remains to install the door. The door is fastened with hinges, and for their fixation it is best to use bolts with nuts, this will provide a reliable connection.
Step Five Painting
In the end, the finished dryer is painted. This is an important point, since the performance of the dryer depends on the painting. And it will be painted in black, since it is such a color that will most well absorb the heat radiated by the sun.
That's all, the dryer is ready. It remains to install it in a sunny place and you can begin the process of manufacturing dried fruits. If you need to dry fruits such as pears or apples, it is better to cut them into two parts. In this case, they will dry much faster, and when cooking then you will need to spend less time getting a concentrated drink.
The dryer can also be improved by installing an electric heater on its bottom. In this case, the dryer will become all seasonal. It will not be superfluous to have a fan.