Compost Tumbler Design

You could use the old timber frame method. Mortise and tenon with pegs as nails.

You could also use a bridle joint at the top.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridle_joint

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Good idea, Gary. I’ve been digging a little more and it looks like the Oblique Cross Halving Joint is for me. I’ll just lob off the bits that stick out. Do you think that this joint with glue will be strong enough? The apparatus will be outside so it needs to last!

-- Custom Daguerreotypes from your images and more: www.shinyphotos.com

It will be outside so you will want to use a waterproof glue. Polyuretane glue is waterproof and will fill gaps
also. Just wet one surface with water and the other with glue.

Drill a couple of holes and insert some wooden pegs/dowels for strength.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

I looked at that project. Mortise and tenon joins with waterproof construction adhesive or poly glue should be plenty strong enough.

I built one like this years ago using a black steel oil drum. It worked real well and could turn veggie scraps into compost in a short time. My frame was made from pressure treated 4×4’s, a simple box type frame high enough to get a wheelbarrow under. On top of that frame I lag bolted 4 scrap lawnmower tires. The drum lies on these and rolls easily. The drum turning handle though needs to be offset from the center as the compost will settle in a mush and slide, not toss and aeriate. Run the handle pipe all the way thru for this.

I didn’t notice in the “Instructables” website where he is supporting the drum on the axle. The compost gets very heavy and his design will destroy itself in a short time. Maybe if he added some plywood side panels? Definately an offset “aeriation” handle pipe thingy too. I went back and took another look at his blue barrel composter…The door is another consideration to take into account as the heavy compost will bust it open when you’re turning it. Mine did. Instead of placing those bolt type catches, place a rod across the doorway. You could have it easily held in place by eyebolts. That will keep the door from opening.

Toss in an occasional shovelfull of dirt. It’ll introduce small worms to the mix which will help make compost faster and supply you with fish bait as well! Oh, you can get these drums in black plastic too…even better for making compost.

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

Oh, here’s another idea for ya. If you turn the door upright and fill the drum 1/4 of the way with water…then let it stew for a day and you’ll have “compost tea” which is excellent for watering your houseplants and such.

You can also toss in some animal manure (pig, cow, horse, chicken, etc.) for some really good compost.

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

Too complicated for me…. I’ve had a plastic barrel composter for many years. No frame…simply roll it on the ground. The hatch is at the end so no stress during composting. I roll it over and up onto to my raised beds, open the hatch and roll it and the compost is evenly distributed down the length of the bed. I also keep a running set of compost piles for large amounts of material. The barrel is primarily for kitchen scraps and turning vegetable garden remains back into the soil.

-- Bob, Carver Massachusetts, Sawdust Maker http://www.capecodbaychallenge.org