Tweet
I have a couple of black "Dalek" composters supplied at reduced price by Northumberland council but decided to try my hand at a rotary composter as they're supposed to really speed things up. It's now complete and I decided to add alittle extra to make it even more useful.
I salvaged a butter churn frame, some tubing from an old swing seat, and some scrap timber and plastic tubing from the recycling centre. I had to buy the recycled barrel, which I think I already posted. Some nuts and bolts from the local hardware and a Sankey bowl sieve, £2.99 from the garden centre and some matt black paint. I already have a quantity of green farm oxide paint which I find invaluable.
The cross braces and projecting bolts will help break up the compost and stop it from simply sliding from one end to the other when the barrel is rotated.
When it's ready, it's simply a case of swapping lids and hey presto! The compost can be sieved without having to remove it. A plastic sheet under the frame will collect the sieved compost, but I'll keep my eyes open at the recycling centre and will probably make a wooden tray to fit the frame to make collection easier.
The matt black will absorb the sun's rays and help heat up the mixture.
I've also drilled lots of 2mm holes around the barrel to assist ventilation and allow oxygen in and I've also drilled holes in the base for drainage.
The pipe between the barrel and frame is covered with a small sleeve of plastic tubing to act as spacer washers. The pipe is simply held in position in the bearing holes by a couple of split pins so it will easy to dismantle. I'll probably make a couple of plywood bearing plates to bolt on each side of the barrel where the pipe fits through as it will eventually wear there, but it will be a simple job to replace those as and when needed.
The leaves are starting to fall now so I'll start it off this week and keep a photo diary of how it progresses. In theory it should compost in weeks rather than months - but we'll see how that theory pans out.
I'll keep the forum posted on progress, and if it works, I might just make a few more and run them in tandem with one long central axle made from a scaffold pole.
Here are four pics and I'll post the next four below.
jpg.gif 1e.jpg (3.0 KB)
jpg.gif 1f.jpg (4.4 KB)
jpg.gif 1g.jpg (5.3 KB)
jpg.gif 1i.jpg (3.8 KB)
I salvaged a butter churn frame, some tubing from an old swing seat, and some scrap timber and plastic tubing from the recycling centre. I had to buy the recycled barrel, which I think I already posted. Some nuts and bolts from the local hardware and a Sankey bowl sieve, £2.99 from the garden centre and some matt black paint. I already have a quantity of green farm oxide paint which I find invaluable.
The cross braces and projecting bolts will help break up the compost and stop it from simply sliding from one end to the other when the barrel is rotated.
When it's ready, it's simply a case of swapping lids and hey presto! The compost can be sieved without having to remove it. A plastic sheet under the frame will collect the sieved compost, but I'll keep my eyes open at the recycling centre and will probably make a wooden tray to fit the frame to make collection easier.
The matt black will absorb the sun's rays and help heat up the mixture.
I've also drilled lots of 2mm holes around the barrel to assist ventilation and allow oxygen in and I've also drilled holes in the base for drainage.
The pipe between the barrel and frame is covered with a small sleeve of plastic tubing to act as spacer washers. The pipe is simply held in position in the bearing holes by a couple of split pins so it will easy to dismantle. I'll probably make a couple of plywood bearing plates to bolt on each side of the barrel where the pipe fits through as it will eventually wear there, but it will be a simple job to replace those as and when needed.
The leaves are starting to fall now so I'll start it off this week and keep a photo diary of how it progresses. In theory it should compost in weeks rather than months - but we'll see how that theory pans out.
I'll keep the forum posted on progress, and if it works, I might just make a few more and run them in tandem with one long central axle made from a scaffold pole.
Here are four pics and I'll post the next four below.
jpg.gif 1e.jpg (3.0 KB)
jpg.gif 1f.jpg (4.4 KB)
jpg.gif 1g.jpg (5.3 KB)
jpg.gif 1i.jpg (3.8 KB)
Comment