DIY Compost Tumbler Bin

Time and time again I would ask myself why do I struggle with a compost bin that I do not like to use? Eventually my frustration peaked, and I decided I would find a new bin to build. There seems to be an abundance of compost bins and an over abundance of people telling you which one is the best. All of the prefabricated models were immediately taken off the list for several reasons. The old bin is an example of why prefab bins do not work, they are usually ill-designed, cumbersome to use (in this case the lid was too small to get the compost out easily), and there is no hope of ever finding replacement parts. With this in mind, and using my DIY confidence as well as a little bit of common knowledge I set out to find a simple, cheap, and easy to use bin, a similar checklist to all my searches in life. 

The old bin (with worm bin)

I went to a bin build workshop with Western Queens Compost Initiative, where we build a bin using 2 x 6's for a frame, a 50 gal food grade barrel, a metal bar, a PVC pipe, and some elbow grease to construct a very cheap and simple bin that works great. It took about an hour to construct, plus all the time to pre-drill the holes which were done before the workshop. After the workshop I was inspired, and after a week of letting this construction project brew, I finally decided to get started. Of course after a week a lot happens and I totally forgot how to build this thing. I got a handout which was subsequently lost and resorted to looking online for a similar design. In some weird connection from a video I was watching online about building tumblers I found the exact same type of bin, with the plans! This was obviously a great find and helped me get my motivation back.

I sourced the materials from different places and used the following items:

- 55 gal drum barrel - food grade plastic, craigslist or food distributor (olives, etc)

- untreated or treated 2 x 6, (2) at 27", (2) at 28", (2) at 29" (dependent on barrel size)

- 32" galvanized metal pipe

- 28" PVC pipe

-  3" PVC cap

- toilet flange (3" over/outside)

- 1" self-tapping screws

- 4" lag screws

- 5 1/2" carriage bolts

- carriage blot washers

- carriage blot nuts

Here is the finished bin from the build.

 

Ideally, the middle pipe does not come off of the flange on the bottom.

I built this barrel over the course of the weekend. The frame is untreated wood and I used exterior paint to seal it, because treated wood leaches chemicals. Here are some pictures of the bin I built using the new plans.

The Hare has killed the Wolf

The inevitable fall of bloated corporations has already passed by and now the pieces that built them are starting to fall away. The chink in the armor has been there for some time and only now has the continued pressure of the opposition finally tipped the scales to once and for all end the battle against mass centralization. A few examples will be brought to light, but the main point is there is no going back and future is quite clear.
One of the largest corporations in the world, once American owned, is loosing so much ground its sad to see. The beer industry is a very profitable industry, and like all industries, especially when only a few players were involved and people showed their brand loyalty at every opportunity. This created a win win for these large companies,

The Amazon Kindle vs. The Book

At first I was a little hesitant to try a tablet reader, but after using my friends Kindle I found I actually liked it a lot. My experience with tablets before this encounter was mainly with iPads and similar bright led screen machines that made my eyes water. I think they serve a purpose but not when it comes to reading, especially for long periods of time (eh hem A Song of Fire and Ice).  So why buy a tablet that was just a smaller version of my computer screen, which already gives me problems with my eyes, when I just want to get away from my computer and read a book?
This is one of the main reasons I have become such a big fan of the Kindle, it actually feels like your reading a book with the back lit letters instead of a glaring lcd screen. The following are the other reasons I like Kindle. It is small and light weight and takes the place of an infinite number of books if you needed it to. Getting a new book is as easy as downloading it from the store and its in your Kindle, ready to go. Another cool trick is the ability to look up names using X-Ray. This tool allows an unknown character to be found in other parts of the book to joggle the memory or to establish the importance of the character in the future. I don't use it that much because it might give away the future of the character, but it is nice to have if I need it.
A huge bonus for me is being able to look up words. Once in a while I read a whole paragraph and skip over the meaning of one word and suddenly I have no idea what I just read. Authors like to use big words that have no business being outside the literary world, but in order to correctly understand what the author is trying to describe you need to know the meanings of these words that you do or don't see very often. Especially when an action or paragraph and sometimes a page hinge on the meaning of one word. With the Kindle I can look up any word in the dictionary and even write my own definition on words that are made up. Definitely one of my favorite parts.
Simple but overlooked is the ability to not lose your page unless you try to. No lost bookmarks or flipping to a lost spot, which is nice. I recently found some old books that smelled pretty musty, probably from mold or water damage, and I must say so far the Kindle has survived all I have through at it, mostly loose pieces of hair, but still, a book picks up old smells, which is nice until you realize that means its full of bugs.
Though I have yet to use this tool effectively, the ability to highlight remains available. I guess I would use it if I was writing a paper on a book or reading an important document but so far I have been reading books only for enjoyment and have not gotten that far into the professional role of the Kindle. Lastly, I like the fact that the Kindle is sneaky. I have seen people at types of places with a book in front of them reading for purpose and pleasure and instantly judging them, not on purpose but because they almost want to be judged, "Hey look at me I'm reading The Game", to which my reaction would be it is disturbing that you own that book not to mention you bring it out in public. With the Kindle you get a little bit more privacy, and with the right cover a little light to read you thought the night.
All in all, a great buy, with the disappointment that I wont have such a large collection of books to show off to my peers and relatives. Amazon, can I buy the hard cover copy and then get a Kindle version half off?

Brace yourself, the age of awakening is upon us

2012 has started out a lot more heated then I had expected. That could be true in its own sense or it could be my point of view since I have taken a stance to be on the front line of news and information using various sites and people.