Stove-top Oven Greenhouse

I adore plants and little trinkets which I use opposite to their intended purpose. When my engineering teacher assigned me and my class the task of creating an instructable to be entered in the "Reuse" contest, I was dumbfounded, as I did not know what I could use to create something new. How fortunate was it that on the way home from school, an oven was sitting oh so charmingly on the curb with a sign reading "Free". Free? more like free points!! And thus we begin, combining two things which I adore more than life itself...plants...and ovens.

• Plants
• Mylar film (I bought a pack of 6 6ft x 4ft on amazon)
• Grow Light (Again, Amazon)
• Desk Fan (Amazon)
• Window Film Applicant
• A Free Oven
• HVAC Foil Tape

Tools

• Extension Cords
• Gloves
• Razor Blade
• Power Drill
• Screw Driver

The first thing to be done is disassembly, as the inside of the oven is much too small of a space when considering the true size of the appliance, we also do not want the dark inside absorbing most of the light provided by the LEDs installed later. Therefore, we must remove all the in-between, fiberglass, sheet metal, fasteners, electronics and all must go until all we have is an empty husk of an oven. This process took me a bit only because I did not understand how to take apart an oven, I do not do this often. Quick tips would involve knowing that the door comes off the hinges by just pulling up and off the arms and the appliance is much easier to take apart when on its side.

Yes, the next step is to re-assemble the oven you just disassembled. This taxing work is much less time consuming than disassembling the appliance was, however; you will still take a few hours reattaching everything. What I did to save time was to only place fasteners where absolutely needed to ensure structural integrity and rigidity of the frame.

The next step is to decorate the inside, as many grow tents have reflective materials known as mylar along the inside to make the plants absorb as much of the light as possible, making an energy use of almost 98%. Copying this, I bought the same material and applied it to the smooth metal insides using window film applicant, I didn't care much for how smooth or tight the fit was because I kind of liked the messy look of the inside. Be sure to leave a gap in the back for the grow light's cords to be able to access the inside, as well as the desk fan.

After decorating the inside appropriately, We are finished! now the plants may be added to the inside and relish in their new enclosed environment, I would have added a thermometer had it not broke just before the creation of this, however, I am still very much pleased with the way this project turned out. I adore the look of something old and disheveled having a new use, like a tin can becoming a pot or a vintage jacket on a modern style, and this greenhouse hits that mark.