Three (low-cost) Composters
(Page 4 of 5)
March/April 1979
By the Mother Earth News staff
With the barrel stand completed, drill two 3/4" holes in the upper horizontal supports, set the barrel assembly temporarily up on milk cases or cinder blocks so that the holes in the wooden frame are aligned with the openings in the two floor flanges, and run your section of electrical conduit through the frame and the barrel assembly ... forming an axle which will simultaneously support the composter and allow it to rotate. Hold the conduit axle in place with two short lengths of 3/4" conduit (which is slightly larger in diameter than the axle) slipped over the outer ends of the axle and bolted securely through pre-drilled holes.
RELATED CONTENT
For convenience, you may choose to salvage a wedge-shaped scrap of wood from one of the 2 X 4's and hang it with a short length of chain from one side of the composter frame ... to be used as a "chock" to prevent the drum from rotating during the loading or unloading process.
HOT WATER TANK COMPOSTER
Discarded water heating tanks are a widely overlooked—but very useful—source of raw material for many do-it-yourself projects, including this sturdy composter. Select a structurally sound electric hot water tank from your local landfill or scrap yard, then cut (with an industrial-duty saber saw or an acetylene cutting torch) a rectangular access door into the side of the tank.
Next, weld or bolt a set of heavy-duty butt hinges between one side of the door and the tank, and fasten a hasp latch to the door's other side to keep it secure. With this done, drill or cut a 3/4" hole in each end (the former top and bottom) of the tank, and insert a length of 1/2" rigid conduit through the holes so that about 8" of tubing protrudes from each of the container's ends. (Of course, the length of the conduit you use may differ from ours, depending on the dimensions of your particular tank.)
Then, cut two pieces of 3/4 " conduit to serve as "spacers" at either end of the tank ... preventing the edges of the container from touching the upright supports. (Note that one spacer must be longer than the other to allow for the concave "bottom" of the cylinder.)
Remove the conduit from the tank, drill some 3/4" holes in each end of the container for aeration, and cover the whole thing with a coat of good outdoor paint.
To mount your composter, set two 2-1/2"-diameter treated fenceposts into the ground—far enough apart to support the ends of the tank's "axle"—and drill a 3/4" hole through each post at a point several inches from its top. Then slip the conduit axle through one post, slide a spacer over the end of the axle, run the axle through the composter tank and the other spacer, and, finally, push the axle through the remaining post. To lock the axle in place, drill a hole through each of its ends outside the posts and fasten a 1/4" X 1-1/4" bolt through each hole. You're in business!
Page:
<< Previous 1 |
2 |
3 | 4 |
5 |
Next >>
