Re: [Biofuel] The Death of a Compost Bin

Tom Irwin Mon, 11 Dec 2006 13:38:41 -0800

Hi Joe and All,

I built one out of some spare wood. It´s about 30 cm x 40cm with about 30 cm in depth. I use pallet wood for the top and bottom. The sides were screwed to four internal 2x2´s. I drilled about (20) 1 cm holes in the bottom for drainage. I filled the bottom third with shredded newspaper, added a shovel full of sand and another of soil. Sprinkle with wood ash to keep the pH up. I wet it enough that water came out the bottom holes. I found a local source of red worms and dumped a liter or so into the prepared box. I covered them with more shredded newspaper and started adding my garbage. I wouldn´t go much bigger in size as mine is no lightweight when full. If you need it you should go with two boxes rather than one big one.

I dump mine about 4 times a year and start fresh with about 2 handfuls of worms. I wear leather gloves when I open the box as black widows seem to like to live on the lid. The environment must be kind of like the old outhouse but without the smell. As we have no real winter here I keep the box outside in the shade of the barbeque next to the wood pile. If I see ants invading, it must be time to add water.

Tom Irwin

From: Joe Street <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org
To: biofuel@sustainablelists.org
Subject: Re: [Biofuel] The Death of a Compost Bin
Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2006 09:14:21 -0500

Hi Luke;

Any wisdom to share on the best way to set up a vermicomposter? I'd like to start one and I'd be the type to make my own rather than go out and buy something ready made, but I haven't a clue about the realities of doing it. I have read some info on the web about it though. If you could share some of your first hand knowledge it would be great.

Joe

Luke Hansen wrote:

It sounds like you're all talking about a kinda
large-scale operation here, so I'm not sure how useful
this will be...but I just built a worm-bin for the
place I work, and have one at home as well...and I
find that they work faster and better for my
composting needs than a conventional composting bin. I
crafted my latest bin out of untreated cedar siding
leftover from a construction project.

However, I suppose that for larger volume applications
such as lawn trimmings, I'd second the pallet idea.

Good luck,
Luke





--- Paul S Cantrell <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

Pallets are particularly useful.  Usually you can
pick up 3 for free and
either have an open side or I had some leftover
window screen, which allows
air flow.

Also, if you have room you can get 5 pallets and
make a double bin...using a
UU shape.

On 12/9/06, Tom Irwin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

Hello Robert,

I use wood posts stacked like a log cabin. It´s

open on one side. I don´t

use treated wood anywhere. So avoid that poison.

If the wood rots in time I

replace it.

Tom Irwin





------------------------------
From: *robert and benita rabello

<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>*

Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: *[Biofuel] The Death of a Compost Bin*
Date: *Fri, 08 Dec 2006 17:01:49 -0800*

Although I don't do all of my composting in a bin,

nearly all of our

household table scraps and the entire collection

of waste from our bunny

cage went into a black plastic compost bin.

Please note the past tense verb

. . .

About a week or so ago, we had a blast of arctic

air sweep through this

area.  Temperatures plummeted and with the outflow

winds howling out of the

east, windchills of -20 C lasted for two or three

days.  (I know that some

of you further east will probably laugh at this,

but for those of us who

live near the ocean, -20 is pretty cold!)  The

moisture in my compost bin

expanded as it froze, literally warping or

shattering the plastic bin.

The whole thing actually fell over this morning.

I went out to clean up

the mess and found the top third of the contents

completely preserved and

uncomposted (big surprise, it's been cold,

right?), the middle third

consisted of a singular mass of partially

composted, frozen material, while

the bottom third remained warm enough to keep on

decomposing.

But the composter is toast.  I'll have to

construct another one because

I'm NOT going to use plastic again . . .  What do

the rest of you use for

compost bin construction material?

robert luis rabello
"The Edge of Justice"
"The Long Journey"
New Adventure for Your Mind
http://www.newadventure.ca

Ranger Supercharger Project

Pagehttp://www.members.shaw.ca/rabello/

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--
Thanks,
PC

He's the kind of a guy who lights up a room just by
flicking a switch

It's a small world, but I wouldn't want to paint it.
- Steven Wright

We are confronted with insurmountable opportunities.
- Walt Kelly

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Re: [Biofuel] The Death of a Compost Bin

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