Built me a barrel composter today

[Dennis]

I built this with what I had. Used a Food grade barrel a length of 1 inch pipe and a scrap 4 x 4s. I drilled holes in the ends for the pipe and two for some copper pipe to help mix when turned. I then cut two pieces of pipe and welded them to the one going through the barrel. I slid a couple PVC spacers on first. I then drill a hole in the 4x4 to accept the pipe. Made a nice clean and simple stand for the barrel. I just didn't like any thing I seen on my web searches so I came up with the pipe idea. But it does help to have the tools but if ya don't have a welder you could get someone to do it for ya if ya like my idea.

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[Alaskan Survivalist]

Nice! No you need to do a follow up post with it in use.

[Chris]

sorry bud, but there is a big problem with your design.

Horizontal spinning like that mixes almost nothing. All it does is shuffle around the stuff.

Open up your dryer (or ask your wife heh), you see those fins on the sides? Those are to stir the clothes because without them the dryer drum would spin around the clothes and not really mix one.

Your design suffers from the same problem. It either needs fins on the inside or it needs to be tumbled end over end like this compost tumbler.

You can prove the concept with a coffee can and two types of cereal. Put the can on it's side, layer in one type, then another, and then roll it. Open and see.

then put it right side up, again layer in the cereal, and flip it once.

Flipping == more mixing.

The bars you put inside might help a little bit, but I don't think they really will, unless you're putting in really big chunks of whatnot in there.

It is also, IMO, easier to turn a flipping tumbler. You'll need to put some handles or something on yours otherwise when it gets full it can weigh around 100 pounds or more, it'll be hard to get a good grip to turn it right, like if you will trying to get a paint roller evenly filled with paint when one side is overloaded and weighted down. With a flipping one though, you just flip it.

Anyways, good luck, but I think a design reevaluation might yield better results.

[crashdive123]

Not having used a barrel composter before - thanks for the pictures and explanation. I would imagine that it would not be too difficult to change it to the flip style if you so desire. Good post and nice follow-on explanation.

[welderguy]

Thanks for posting your project, I would think if you need fins like in a dryer it wouldnt be that hard to lag bolt some 2x4's inside it, just my 2 cents.

Now what was that red frame on that stand is that a custome chopper ?

[Dennis]

Thanks for the input.
Plan on adding handles to one side in the next day or so. As far as mixing wasn't real sure how it would work I know something will be needed. Not real sure what I'm going to do yet still thinking on it. Was hopping for some ideas.

[red lake]

Can't compost here. Bears would eat it.

[2dumb2kwit]

How about a strip of thin aluminum, with a 1" 90 on one end. The end with the 90 can be riveted to the barrel and the other end can be riveted to your bars. Kinda like whats in a dryer.

[Dennis]

Now what was that red frame on that stand is that a custome chopper ?

Here ya go been riding and building harleys since the 70s. this is going to be a fun bar hopper.

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[Chris]

As an idea that'd require some retrofitting...

What if you turned the axle not the drum?

Turn the center post into an axle seated in a socket on either side. Secure the drum to the stand so it can't rotate. Remove the other bars you put inside, and weld fins (hardware cloth maybe) to the axle. Then put a big T bar at the end of the axle. You then just turn the axle, it moves the fins inside, which shifts the compost.

But I guess if you were going to retrofit to that extent, changing it to a flip style would be easier all said.