Roll-Top Breadbox

[bffulgham]

Thanks to all for the nice comments.

I think this may be a 'proof of concept' piece. I plan on taking what I learned from this one and see if I can't save a whole lot of time in making the next one(s). There are a number of procedural changes that I'll make.

[rcplaneguy]

Good work! What did you use to spray with? HVLP?

[bffulgham]

Good work! What did you use to spray with? HVLP?

Thanks!

The 12oz spray can from Zinsser. Quick, easy, and no clean-up

["Wild Bad Bob"]

Bud, why a bread box?? What was its practicle purpose? I will be 62 next month, my mom had one when I was a kid, I bake my own bread, after 2 days I bag it, after 4 I refrigerate it even though there are no preserves in it, if left out bagged for 7 days, which a loaf usually does last that long do to consumption, and my 64* house, I get no mold. So what was the purpose of the "bread box" taking up space on the counter? It did not keep it from drying out as I know.

["Wild Bad Bob"]

I am always half asc backwards on this stuff, ask a question then I go to Wikipedia for the answer. Wait to I send this off to my nephew the food chemist that makes his own and turned me on to do it!!!
A breadbox (chiefly American) or a bread bin (chiefly British)[1] is a container for storing bread and other baked goods to keep them fresh. They were a more common household kitchen item until bread started being made commercially with food preservatives and wrapped in plastic. Breadboxes are still used by many people to store commercially purchased bread, but are used more especially by people who bake bread at home. Newer ones are usually made of metal. In the past they were often made of wood or sometimes pottery (pottery breadboxes are also called bread crocks). Old breadboxes can be collectible antiques.

Breadboxes are most commonly big enough to fit one or two average size loaves of bread—about 12 inches wide by 6 inches high and deep (30 cm x 15 cm x 15 cm).

Working theory[edit]
Bread does not go stale by "drying out"—stale "dry" bread weighs the same as moist "fresh" bread, indicating almost no loss of water. Bread goes stale through a process of retrogradation, in which the starch transposes to a crystalline form in the presence of the water contained within the bread itself. The process speeds up at cooler temperatures[citation needed], such as under refrigeration, and thus bread stored at room temperature remains fresher for longer periods than refrigerated bread[citation needed]. (Frozen bread, however, traps the moisture as ice, and prevents the staling process.)[2]

Breadboxes are thus designed to:

Keep their contents at room temperature, prolonging edible storage time.
Have a lid loose enough to allow airflow, reducing condensation, which helps to prevent the formation of mold
Have a lid tight enough to protect their contents from mice and all other pests, including ants.

[rlkeeney]

When I was growing up seemed like everyone had a bread box. Now I know why.

[skou]

NICE, REALLY NICE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I bake my own bread, no bread machine, by hand, builds the forearms like PopEye!!! and in the oven. A 1 1/2lb loaf cost $0.80, that is 80 cents, 4/5ths of a dollar!!!! The same loaf from Bread Smiths, not to be confused with ShopSmith is $4.50 at the store. My 42 year old nephew is a food chemist and turned me on to it, yes he loves to cook!!! I do too, I wanted to be a chef, but not the hours as a family man with kids back then. I feel sorry for all the kids that get fast food, micro wave food, ect. My nephew treats me very good financially for my help and expertise, he pulls 110K a year doing what he loves to do, cook and experiment with food and recipies!! I am going to make him one for his bread and one for me too!!!!

If you're interested, America's Test Kitchen found a recipe for (almost) no knead bread. It made an "artisan" round loaf, and used a whopping 1/4 teaspoon of yeast, and rose for 24 hours. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13Ah9ES2yTU

It was baked in a preheated cast iron dutch oven (500 degrees F) and came out cracklin' crusty. My brother's made it a few times, and it is worth the price of admission!

Bud, that bread bod is a GREAT looking gift!

steve

steve

[paulsgreenbarn]

Great job on the Breadf Box.Thanks also for all the history info on Bread boxes.I have an order fro one but it won't be as fancy as yours.Again,great job.

[bffulgham]

Bud, why a bread box?? What was its practicle purpose? .......

Why: Cause the LOML asked for one.

Purpose: Much like a pie safe before refrigeration. To keep the pests out and keep stuff clean (as much as possible). Kinda like the primary reasons to sift flour were to remove large particles that didn't get ground well and to get the weevils (at least that's what my folks called em) out.