any good suggestions how to build a cheap compost bin?

Answer 1

I used recycled lumber and fence posts. I've also seen compost piles made from pallets. Super cheap is a strong wire fencing material wrapped around several poles or posts.....or just wrapped around the pile. Remove the fencing when it's time to turn the pile and wrap it around when finished.

Actually you don't need a bin. A pile will work, a pit in the ground will also work.

Answer 2

I did a research project on this last year, so I might be able to help you! I think building it is a great idea! Other people might have better ideas, but here's mine. Depending on what you are doing, you might want to consider getting used palletts and nailing them together? Four of them will do. The height will be slightly taller, probably no more than 6 inches. Approx. 3.5x3.5x3.5 ft. If not, you can buy durable deck wood and construct pallet-like pieces. Either way, this is going to be a good investment, and it will be cheaper than a large plastic/metal compost bin. It will last longer too. I'm sure some other people have better ideas, but this is what we did. Hope it helps! I can see that you prefer durable materials,

Answer 3

Go to the local car wash - they store their soap in 40-50 gallon plastic barrels. They will usually give you an empty one for no cost as long as you get your car washed - usually less than $10.

Cut a hole in it, rinse it out well to remove ant residue and you have your compost bin.

To improve it do what the other poster said, go to a hardware store and for 5 bucks you can get hinges and screws and attach the section you removed back on as a door. This way you can just roll the barrel to mix up the composting materials.

Good Luck!

Answer 4

Do you know what a pallet is? The pieces of wood they ship stuff on? Get 3 of those and nail together to make an open ended box. Voila! The cheapest compost bin available since the pallets are usually free or you find them abandoned. Just put it in a place to get some sun since heat is what makes it "cook".

Answer 5

drive 4 T posts into the ground in a circle the size you want the bin to be. Wrap woven wire fence around the 4 posts, making sure you have a "door" to open to have access to turning over the compost pile periodically.

Answer 6

Yep, I'm with fluffern.. I use 6 inch diameter fence posts and wire fence. I use an earth auger (the t-handle type) and auger down as far as the tool will go then toss in a flat rock for the post to sit on. After dropping in the post i load small rocks or stone into the hole around the post, about twelve inches worth, and shove as much dirt back in as will fit. Now i hammer it down. Yep, hammer. like a 2lb sledge. As the dirt pounds down, i add in more until it's all in and sunk down about 6 inches below turf level. Now, why do i do this? To keep from dumping concrete down a hole where it will stay forever. Mined, cleaned, bagged, shipped across the country, mixed with water and dumped down a hole....The rocks (i use busted up concrete chunks) and dirt thing, works perfectly well and, keeps big business from making another damn bag of concrete and keeps some of what was already made out of your landfill. Thanks for listening to my rant.... Anyway,...I put up the posts in a 4 ft x 4 ft square and nail the wire fencing to three sides. At this size, the mass is great and the reaction is fast. Fast like, compost this year, not next. The size makes it easy to use too, very much UNLIKE the compost hole 'thing'. And, as if that weren't enough, at this size, ( I have four of these) all of my neighbors dead leaves and grass clippings are my tomatoes and squash the very next year. I like free tomatoes. They just taste better.
Have fun and thanks for doing the right thing. :)

Answer 7

Cities such as Pasadena offer them for $40 to save trash collection. Check with a hardware store or go online for construction techniques and get a rake to turn the compost.

Answer 8

I built mine out of an old plastic barrel. I cut a hole in the side of it so that I would be able to put things into it, a then cut a slightly larger piece of plastic off of another plastic barrel. I then hinged on the larger piece of plastic over the hole in the barrel and created a latch. After that I stood it up and shot it a couple of times with some bird shot to create ventilation holes. Now I just throw whatever in and mix it up.

Answer 9

i use a 55 gallon barrel that had the bottom already rusted out! i don't have any fancy things on it. all i do is go out there every other day or whenever i feel like it and mix it around with a good shovel. works good enough if u ask me!

Answer 10

cinder blocks