You won't see this Fine Woodworking......

[Jim Laumann]

But SWMBO is happy with it. She has been wanting a Compost Tumbler for her gardens for some time. This is the first project out of the shop I built last fall/winter/spring.

This is based on a plan I found in the book "The Backyard Builder", published by Rodale Press. I had to re-work/resize it to work with our wheel barrow. Wasn't to expensive to build, have about $65 of (treated) lumber and hardware in it.

GEDC0296a.JPG

The Rodale plan called for a steel drum, which rested on a ramp of 2x blocks, but I had the poly drum, and used a 2 sets of 2" casters under the drum for it's rotation - it spins really nice.

Jim

[TomKinley 01]

Realy, your doing great work on your project. I like your work.

[Craig Michael]

Nice use of materials. The caster idea is simple and effective. Why over engineer when something easy to find and inexpensive will work.

[Carl Babel]

What Craig said, about the casters. Do you need to add any kind of vanes inside the drum to mix the compost as it tumbles (break up clumps)?

[Derek Gilmer]

What Craig said, about the casters. Do you need to add any kind of vanes inside the drum to mix the compost as it tumbles (break up clumps)?

I don't see them on Jim's but I've seen other versions like this with long (4 to 6 inch) carriage bolts put in with washers on both sides to help mix up the compost on other bins like this.

[Jim Laumann]

What Craig said, about the casters. Do you need to add any kind of vanes inside the drum to mix the compost as it tumbles (break up clumps)?

Carl

I put 3 pieces of 1/8" x 1 1/4" x 30" angle iron inside the drum - these act as paddles, beaters, etc to help stir the mix. I try to turn the drump 3-4x a day to mix it.

I measured the out side of the drum - was 67-68" circumfrence, so I split that distance in thirds. The angle iron was inserted into the drum via the lg bung hole.

Jim