John T wrote:
"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...

"John T" wrote in message
...

"Mary Fisher" wrote in message
t...

"Pete C" wrote in message
...
Has anyone here designed and built their own rotating composter?
Looked at commercial ones, but I can't afford a second mortgage!


They are ridiculously expensive aren't they!

My reply is no, but if I were starting again - i.e. without the
three or more bins we have and don't want to be mde redunandant,
we probably would.

You know those rotary bins they use (or used to use) for tombola
tickets? One of those could do the job ...

Mary

I did consider building a rotating composter, because of the very
high cost of the commercial ones.
I sketched out a hexagonal cylinder, with wooden ends, an axle, and
a crank handle, all set up on a trestle arrangement.

Trouble is, if you make it big enough, the engineering gets either
complex if you make it in wood, or very difficult unless you have an
engineering machin shop or a millwright for a mate.
There are not to many millwrights around, so the commercial rotating
comosters suddenly become more viable!

Spouse could make one but there are more pressing things to do ...

My current solution is to use three plastic bins, stir it with a
good old fashioned pitch fork, and if i need fine stuff to put it
through a rotasieve, i can recommend the rotasieve, it seemed to be
all wrong in principle, but it does work.

I didn't know there was such a thing - I've been using a large
riddle to do that for years :-)

But I might consider getting him to make one on legs, with a handle
... thanks!

Mary

If you look in Harrods website,
http://www.harrodhorticultural.com/H...ry/Composting/
you will find pictures of the rotasieve, they are not the only
suppliers of this item.

I thought hard about the rotating sieve, and realised that it had
other uses, and although expensive, was easier than developing the
design, then making one and learning the hard way. I have only moved
home last year, and got a much bigger vegetable garden, but less
workshop than the old place!
On the rotating one, i worked out how big the bearings had to be for a
proper engineering job, bearing in mind how big it has to be, then i
worked out the axle stresses, and decided it was a millwrights job as
above.
I understand you can get an electric rotary soil sifter from Draper?

Good luck to anyone who tries, would be interested to know how you
get on. My e-mail address isnt encrypted or messed around with.

John
Thanks for that John. Harrods seem typical.......... 140 ltr £170!! How can
they justify that? I have no engineering experience, but I'm an avid DIYer.
I'm currently waiting for a lotty. Council predict sometime next year. I'm
trying to adopt the right frame of mind, so thought I'd start composting. My
garden is tiny.........not really room for a big box affair, hence my line
of thought.
--
Pete C
London UK

Mary Fisher wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message
...
AriesVal wrote:
On Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:30:40 +0100, Pete C wrote:

Found this.......
http://www.instructables.com/id/compost-bin/
sort of thing I had in mind.

That's looks interesting Pete - do you have room in your garden for
something like that? This may be a similar but simpler solution
for you? http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nloDG93ZwMM
I imagine that would be pretty heavy once it's half full. Perhaps not
quite the big though.
--
Pete C
London UK

Yes, and I've just realised that anything horizontal would take too
big a footprint in our garden.

Mary
See my reply to John. I'm playing atm. Going from pot gardening to a lotty
is a big step. Reading forums/groups, on a steep learning curve
--
Pete C
London UK

AriesVal wrote:
On Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:58:19 +0100, Mary Fisher wrote:

"Pete C" wrote in message
...
[15 quoted lines suppressed]

Yes, and I've just realised that anything horizontal would take too
big a footprint in our garden.

Mary
[2 quoted lines suppressed]

Not if it's rotated on patio slabs tho ? I seem to remember Pete has
a lot of his garden paved, although my rememberer may not be
remembering correctly
LOL a lot of a little is very little. 25' sq, half is pond. 'Patio' is 2
slabs by 10. Bit of grass, and gravel borders with pots on.
--
Pete C
London UK

"Pete C" wrote in message
...
Mary Fisher wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message
...
AriesVal wrote:
On Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:30:40 +0100, Pete C wrote:

Found this.......
http://www.instructables.com/id/compost-bin/
sort of thing I had in mind.

That's looks interesting Pete - do you have room in your garden for
something like that? This may be a similar but simpler solution
for you? http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nloDG93ZwMM
I imagine that would be pretty heavy once it's half full. Perhaps not
quite the big though.
--
Pete C
London UK

Yes, and I've just realised that anything horizontal would take too
big a footprint in our garden.

Mary
See my reply to John. I'm playing atm. Going from pot gardening to a lotty
is a big step. Reading forums/groups, on a steep learning curve

And I always imagined you as a true Son of the Soil!

Mary
--
Pete C
London UK

Mary Fisher wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message
...
Mary Fisher wrote:
"Pete C" wrote in message
...
AriesVal wrote:
On Wed, 27 Aug 2008 12:30:40 +0100, Pete C wrote:

Found this.......
http://www.instructables.com/id/compost-bin/
sort of thing I had in mind.

That's looks interesting Pete - do you have room in your garden
for something like that? This may be a similar but simpler
solution for you? http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=nloDG93ZwMM
I imagine that would be pretty heavy once it's half full. Perhaps
not quite the big though.
--
Pete C
London UK

Yes, and I've just realised that anything horizontal would take too
big a footprint in our garden.

Mary
See my reply to John. I'm playing atm. Going from pot gardening to a
lotty is a big step. Reading forums/groups, on a steep learning
curve

And I always imagined you as a true Son of the Soil!

Mary
--
And what is a true son of the soil? I love gardening. But I love my fish
too. My parents were both great gardeners. Sadly, dad is gone, and mum is
housebound. I've tried a sucsesion of 'gardeners' and have now started to
try and sort her garden out. My knowledge is really pretty poor, but I just
seem to do thigs right. Pretty well anything I plant grows fine. And no, my
fingers are the normal colour!
--
Pete C
London UK

On 27/8/08 23:12, in article , "Pete C"
wrote:
snip
And what is a true son of the soil? I love gardening. But I love my fish
too. My parents were both great gardeners. Sadly, dad is gone, and mum is
housebound. I've tried a sucsesion of 'gardeners' and have now started to
try and sort her garden out. My knowledge is really pretty poor, but I just
seem to do thigs right. Pretty well anything I plant grows fine. And no, my
fingers are the normal colour!


Then you are a true son of the soil. You work with it - it works with you.
There isn't anything better because you learn and your mind is open to
learning. You don't have preconceptions, you learn by doing. All those old
gardeners who passed their wisdom on to everyone else gardening several
generations later, did just the same. You keep at it and there are plenty
of people to help if you want it. That's another thing gardeners always
did/do.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

Sacha writes
And no, my
fingers are the normal colour!

My mother used to get very cross whenever anyone accused her of having
'green fingers'. As she said, it was knowledge, experience and hard
work!
--
Kay

On 28/8/08 10:16, in article , "K"
wrote:

Sacha writes
And no, my
fingers are the normal colour!

My mother used to get very cross whenever anyone accused her of having
'green fingers'. As she said, it was knowledge, experience and hard
work!

I think there are some people who have a sort of 'knack' that others lack,
just as in cooking. One cook can use just the same method and ingredients
as another but turn out a different result. Perhaps it's hormonal. ;-) Or
perhaps it's just patience. But hard work and experience bring knowledge
and nothing in a classroom can teach those.
--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

Sacha writes
On 28/8/08 10:16, in article , "K"
wrote:

Sacha writes
And no, my
fingers are the normal colour!

My mother used to get very cross whenever anyone accused her of having
'green fingers'. As she said, it was knowledge, experience and hard
work!

I think there are some people who have a sort of 'knack' that others lack,
just as in cooking. One cook can use just the same method and ingredients
as another but turn out a different result. Perhaps it's hormonal. ;-) Or
perhaps it's just patience. But hard work and experience bring knowledge
and nothing in a classroom can teach those.

I think interest and observation have a lot to do with it. It's always
said that a good Yorkshire pudding requires love. If you're not
interested in what you're doing, and have an eye only on the final
result, it's inevitable that you don't pay as much attention and don't
get the feedback that allows you to adjust the process, so that in the
end the result is not as good.
--
Kay

On 28/8/08 14:00, in article , "K"
wrote:

Sacha writes
On 28/8/08 10:16, in article , "K"
wrote:

Sacha writes
And no, my
fingers are the normal colour!

My mother used to get very cross whenever anyone accused her of having
'green fingers'. As she said, it was knowledge, experience and hard
work!

I think there are some people who have a sort of 'knack' that others lack,
just as in cooking. One cook can use just the same method and ingredients
as another but turn out a different result. Perhaps it's hormonal. ;-) Or
perhaps it's just patience. But hard work and experience bring knowledge
and nothing in a classroom can teach those.

I think interest and observation have a lot to do with it. It's always
said that a good Yorkshire pudding requires love. If you're not
interested in what you're doing, and have an eye only on the final
result, it's inevitable that you don't pay as much attention and don't
get the feedback that allows you to adjust the process, so that in the
end the result is not as good.

I think you've probably identified some of the key ingredients of a calm and
patient nature. ;-)

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

Sacha wrote:
On 28/8/08 14:00, in article ,
"K" wrote:

Sacha writes
On 28/8/08 10:16, in article ,
"K" wrote:

Sacha writes
And no, my
fingers are the normal colour!

My mother used to get very cross whenever anyone accused her of
having 'green fingers'. As she said, it was knowledge, experience
and hard work!

I think there are some people who have a sort of 'knack' that
others lack, just as in cooking. One cook can use just the same
method and ingredients as another but turn out a different result.
Perhaps it's hormonal. ;-) Or perhaps it's just patience. But
hard work and experience bring knowledge and nothing in a classroom
can teach those.

I think interest and observation have a lot to do with it. It's
always said that a good Yorkshire pudding requires love. If you're
not interested in what you're doing, and have an eye only on the
final result, it's inevitable that you don't pay as much attention
and don't get the feedback that allows you to adjust the process, so
that in the end the result is not as good.

I think you've probably identified some of the key ingredients of a
calm and patient nature. ;-)

Calm, patience, + dedication.......................weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eee I've
just picked and eaten my first tom this year. Soooooo sweet
--
Pete C
London UK

On Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:00:48 +0100, K wrote
and included this (or some of this):

I think interest and observation have a lot to do with it. It's always
said that a good Yorkshire pudding requires love.


I love 'em. (soaked in beef gravy)

--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°²

"®óñ© © ²°¹°-°²" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:00:48 +0100, K wrote
and included this (or some of this):

I think interest and observation have a lot to do with it. It's always
said that a good Yorkshire pudding requires love.


I love 'em. (soaked in beef gravy)

I can't stand them with meat, I love them with sugar and lemon!

Alan


--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°²

On 28/8/08 18:53, in article ,
"alan.holmes" wrote:


"®óñ© © ²°¹°-°²" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:00:48 +0100, K wrote
and included this (or some of this):

I think interest and observation have a lot to do with it. It's always
said that a good Yorkshire pudding requires love.


I love 'em. (soaked in beef gravy)

I can't stand them with meat, I love them with sugar and lemon!

Alan

I knew people who always ate theirs with raspberry vinegar.

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.com
South Devon

On Thu, 28 Aug 2008 18:53:46 +0100, "alan.holmes"
wrote and included this (or some of
this):


"®óñ© © ²°¹°-°²" wrote in message
news
On Thu, 28 Aug 2008 14:00:48 +0100, K wrote
and included this (or some of this):

I think interest and observation have a lot to do with it. It's always
said that a good Yorkshire pudding requires love.


I love 'em. (soaked in beef gravy)

I can't stand them with meat, I love them with sugar and lemon!

That's not a Yorkshire pud, that's a pancake!


--
®óñ© © ²°¹°-°²