Has anyone here designed and built their own rotating composter? Looked at
commercial ones, but I can't afford a second mortgage!
--
Pete C
London UK

"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

"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've had it suggested to me that the commercial ones don't aerate the
compost well. If that's the case I doubt if a tombola based design would
work.

"Graham Harrison" 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've had it suggested to me that the commercial ones don't aerate the
compost well. If that's the case I doubt if a tombola based design would
work.

It could be modified :-)

Mary

Graham Harrison wrote:
"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've had it suggested to me that the commercial ones don't aerate the
compost well. If that's the case I doubt if a tombola based design
would work.
Good point. But I've read that the rotating type can pruduce compost in an
amazingly short time. However, they don't explain how/why.
--
Pete C
London UK

"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!

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.

John

"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

John

In article ,
says...

"Graham Harrison" 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've had it suggested to me that the commercial ones don't aerate the
compost well. If that's the case I doubt if a tombola based design would
work.

It could be modified :-)

Mary



To be worth the effort of building it it would have to be at least 45
gall size and that weight of compost would need proper bearings and some
sort of gearing, trying to turn them by hand is just liable to put your
back out. even at that size filling it much beyond the half way mark
won't allow the compost to mix as it turns so we are talk tiny contities
here. better a conventianal heap and spend your money on paying someone
to turn it!
--
Charlie Pridham, Gardening in Cornwall
www.roselandhouse.co.uk
Holders of national collections of Clematis viticella cultivars and
Lapageria rosea

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

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

"Charlie Pridham" wrote in message
T...
....

To be worth the effort of building it it would have to be at least 45
gall size and that weight of compost would need proper bearings and some
sort of gearing, trying to turn them by hand is just liable to put your
back out. even at that size filling it much beyond the half way mark
won't allow the compost to mix as it turns so we are talk tiny contities
here. better a conventianal heap and spend your money on paying someone
to turn it!

You don't know Spouse's skill :-)

But there are far more things for him to do first ...

Mary

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

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

That looks simple enough. Foot powered, is it?

Mary

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

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

That looks simple enough. Foot powered, is it?

Mary
I guess. There's a simpler one on the same site. Might play when I have the
time.
--
Pete C
London UK

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

"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

"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