Build your own compost tumbler?

[Gosassin]

Has anyone on here built their own compost tumbler? My wife and I are pretty into gardening, moderate DIY projects and generally more green ways of doing things. I've read here and in many other places that spent grain can be great for a compost heap, so I'd like to start composting with it. However, I'm afraid the grain might attract rodents, which in turn would attract snakes, of which I'm deathly afraid. So it seems a good compromise would be a composter that is critter-proof, such as something like this. Have any of you guys built anything like this, or other composting contraptions? If so, how is it working out? Do you have any tips, or better plans for construction?

This is sort of a DIY/general chit-chat topic, but since it's only tangentially related to brewing I figured I'd put it here.


Thanks!

 

[fratermus]

I was thinking about buying one of the (tumbleweed? tumblebug?) units but they are like $200!

I like the design of the tumbler but I think I am too much of a fabrication idiot to make it work. Right now I am composting in big rubbermaid containers.

 

[Revvy]

Wow that's a great design...I've never built a tumbler but when I've lived in houses I've built some nifty bins out of big garbage bins.

 

[david_42]

About 15 years ago, I built one out of marine plywood. It had a 2x2 square cross-section and was 4 ft long. It rotated on a shaft through the middle, like the linked one. The square cross-section gave me automatic mixing as I turned it.

One side had a double door. The outer door was solid and the inner door was 1/2" weld-wire. By removing the solid door and rotating the box, the finished compost sifted out & the large pieces stayed.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Any concern about the marine ply leeching some weird preservative or chemical into your compost?

Did it last a long time?

 

[Homercidal]

I got a steel barrel in my back yard that is about half-done. I've been meaning to finish it for a long time now. Just one of them projects that needed the welder that was always downstate at my Mustang's home and now that it's up here, I've been busy with the new garage and whatnot. Should probably finish it this spring and be ready for summer's supply of cut grass.

 

[Orfy]

I just use a three bin system, and toss with a fork.
It's constricted from 9 pallets.

Edit- constructed!

No snakes.

 

[HBHoss]

Check this one out.

How to Build a Tumbling Composter - wikiHow

 

[Gosassin]

I just use a three bin system, and toss with a fork.
It's constricted from 9 pallets.

Any problems with snakes? Y'all don't have too many over there, do you?

Check this one out.

How to Build a Tumbling Composter - wikiHow

Thanks; I'm thinking about building something similart to that on a trellis-type thing we have in the backyard. I might be able to get 2 or 3 barrels going at once, if I can find the plastic barrels to use.
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[pen25]

Any problems with snakes? Y'all don't have too many over there, do you?




Thanks; I'm thinking about building something similart to that on a trellis-type thing we have in the backyard. I might be able to get 2 or 3 barrels going at once, if I can find the plastic barrels to use.
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tumblers are good for quick turn around. if you dont need compost in 8 weeks then use the bin method and turn when you get a chance. i just have a pile in the back yard that i take all my leaves and put them there. by the next fall its worked its way down to nothing.

 

[Orfy]

Any problems with snakes? Y'all don't have too many over there, do you?

I see what you did there.

 

[Orfy]

I may at some time build a small tumbler for the yard.
I general transport to my plot and add to the piles. I then bring home the completed.

I always have finished pile, a rotting pile and a fresh pile.

 

[Donasay]

Any problems with snakes? Y'all don't have too many over there, do you?

Don't you know that St. Patrick chased all of the snakes from the land back in 19 dickity two, and you had to say dickity because at the time the germans had stolen the word twenty. Much like the french have forced us to call them fredom fries today, o how I loathe the french.

 

[DeathBrewer]

Has anyone on here built their own compost tumbler? My wife and I are pretty into gardening, moderate DIY projects and generally more green ways of doing things. I've read here and in many other places that spent grain can be great for a compost heap, so I'd like to start composting with it. However, I'm afraid the grain might attract rodents, which in turn would attract snakes, of which I'm deathly afraid. So it seems a good compromise would be a composter that is critter-proof, such as something like this. Have any of you guys built anything like this, or other composting contraptions? If so, how is it working out? Do you have any tips, or better plans for construction?

This is sort of a DIY/general chit-chat topic, but since it's only tangentially related to brewing I figured I'd put it here.


Thanks!

OMG, I came in here to joke about a compost tumbler, but goddamn...your avatar is awesome. All it needs is to be Franklinized

 

[EvilTOJ]

A superhero Ackbar with a bow? Now that's just silly

I don't have a compost tumbler, but I made a double bin out of ceder fencing planks and 2x4s. I lined the inside with plastic made for the purpose from Home Depot and drilled some holes in the sides with a hole saw.

Every so often I turn it over with pitchfork. Works great.

 

[hopdog]

I made one similar to the link you posted (long ago). It had only one drum though and it was metal painted black. It worked quite well but I had to keep an eye on the moister content it tended to dry out quickly.

 

[greenthumb25]

thanks for this thread. very useful info.
i might need to make one of those tumblers as well, except it can be hard to find the time and the scrap materials
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plastic pallet suppliers

 

[jakemayhugh]

thanks to this thread, it will help me a lot!