Building your own tumbling composter

[jubbly]

I really like the idea of having one of these to produce compost more quickly than my current Heath Robinson method of a wheelie bin with holes drilled in.

So my questions are:

Are tumbling composters all they are cracked up to be and do they work as efficiently as people say? Has anyone here built one and has any tips? I have found a few different how-tos online but what is the best design?

Your thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[lovinglife]

I am also interested...

 

[ChanellG]

I have never built one, but now your question has me wondering about what I could use to do so... I like the idea of a tumbler because it eliminates the need for having to turn the compost yourself. Things that make life a little easier are very appealing as we get older.

 

[liquidfuzzy]

I have never had one but it makes more sense to me to use a tumbler! Here is a video on how to build one.

Seems easy enough!

 

[jubbly]

Thanks liquidfuzzy. That looks like a pretty simple one. I wonder how it responds when the contents are heavy though.

 

[Tmann]

I bought one several years ago, it works not quite as quick as i thought it would though. It can get heavy and sometimes my wife has a hard time turning it b/c of the weight.

 

[jubbly]

I have seen someone suggest simply getting a round bin with a lockable lid and rolling it along the floor. It might be an easier solution. I have 2 bins full of compost waste at the minute but turning them is very difficult and I don't want open compost piles in the garden.

 

[ChanellG]

I like the idea of using something with a lid and rolling it. I think the weight issue can be handled by simply composting smaller amounts at a time. Unless you are creating a mountain of kitchen scraps daily and have an enormous lawn that constantly needs mowing and raking, it takes a while to fill up a bin anyway. Then again, don't the pyramid bins eliminate the need for turning the compost?

 

[lovinglife]

I could fill one up today....I have a large lawn, now with leaves falling so that adds a lot, plus its time to clean out the bunny barn AGAIN! Little buggers make lots of fertilizer! I figure with the lawn mowing this week, going to bag it this time, and bunny pellets with a small bit of hay mixed in, got a nice compost pile right there.

 

[ChanellG]

Loving life, do you maintain several piles then, or do you just keep adding new material to an ongoing compost pile? I live in the city so I have an urban approach, and no animal waste. Though if I had animals, I would want to keep that compost separate from the organic stuff.

 

[lovinglife]

If I were using regular animal poop, like cow or horse, I would, but not with bunny, I actually use it straight a lot of times right into the garden. They are clean disease free. I have one, but I usually do not bag my lawn grass, just in the fall to get the leaves up. I do have a pretty good pile of bunny waste already, which I will start mixing in my grass to get it fired up. Now if I can just keep the chickens out of it.....

 

[ChanellG]

The chickens get into it because of what's underneath in the dirt or because they want the grass or (cringe) bunny waste?

 

[lovinglife]

Probably both! They just love scratching it all up, if I don't keep them out of it they will have it all spread out in a large area, won't heat up that way!

 

[ChanellG]

Have you ever thought of putting something around it like snow fencing? Do you just let it sit until it breaks down or do you have to turn it and wet it?

 

[lovinglife]

Sometimes I will put chicken wire around it, that helps a lot. I tried the turning thing, didn't like that, I will just let it sit and do its thing as long as it takes.