Wow! Absolutely amazing. I like the idea of putting up nesting boxes for Owls nearby. It would be a natural way of controlling rodents and contribute to the ecosystem.
A lot of work and creative juices went into this piece! As you will be placing this unit on blocks instead of on ground, I just worry that a lot of worms (and many other soil creatures) are being deprived of a job. They are a major help in decomposition and enriching soil but perhaps enough material will sift thru the bottom mesh and pile up to create access for them. Nice job Sander!
This bin is almost too beautiful to muck up. We recently cleared a space where our three bin compost will sit. We designed our bays to be large enough (6’) for greater quantities waste and to allow the tractor bucket to fit in. Most of the wood we are using is pressure treated that is left over from our barn restoration. We are aware of possible chemical leaching but hoping the structure will last longer. Again, beautiful work!
That's a lovely compost bin! I would suggest adding an arm (or two) to each bay so you can raise it to hold the lids open when you're dumping stuff inside... it just makes life so much easier!
That is by far the dopest compost bin ! Nice work, great utilization of material and the planter in back is my favorite part! You guys are so inspiring in so many ways. Sending you guys lots of love from Portland Oregon ❤
I really like the attention to detail. you could even grow squash in the top as long as the compost bin faces north so the vines grow down the back and down towards the south.
Awesome job Sander! The design and detail is the best I've seen. Using the computer graphic is such a good idea. I love that you've kept the rough edging. Once again you guys have set the bar high. Great video!
Nice looking compost bin and well detailed design Sander. Using mesh wire to build your compost bin might leave your compost dryer than normal and you might have to applied water to moisten it from time to time and your screw slotted front might leak compost through. I have built all mine from pallets wood into a proper wooden box, the design at the front is also slotted without any gapes and they work fine. They are placed directly on the ground and I applied a good helping of raw linseed oil to the wood before using them. Give us an update, when they are in use.
I absolutely love the idea of this... I never thought to use 1/4" mesh for the sides and back to allow better airflow. Also, the use of screws in the front panel pieces is genius, having the lid at a 5% angle for the water to drain off would be perfect for us because we certainly get a lot of spring rains. I would also try to find a way to collect that water because the area I would be placing it in has no water supply at all and I am always looking for ways to reclaim water for use in the garden. Thank you so much for sharing your plans with all of us. God Bless.
Very nice compost bin! Rats will always find a way in if you have them though and mice can fit through 1/2” hardware cloth. I like the use of your live edge pieces!
@@FlockFingerLakes probably. I wouldn’t worry too much about them anyways! If some do move in you might be able to get rid of them just by watering it down for a few days
@@FlockFingerLakes Ambitious rodents can chew through anything that isn't made of metal in pretty short order. Our dumpster lid has had the seams in the plastic lid substantially widened by them, and wood is close to what they're actually designed to be chewing. If you've got wood rats, they probably won't be more interested in compost than squirrels or any other random small animal. I think the Norway rats people worry about in higher population density areas are more adapted to desiring human refuse, so if you do have those you might need to figure something out later. I'd worry more about luring in stronger things like raccoons and skunks that will also be a danger to your eventual chickens, but the hardware cloth is a good start to keeping them out!
Oh meant to mention we do 1/4" hardware cloth too. I think that should be too small for the mice. We got that initially for the chicken coop to reinforce the window screens.
Good luck. You'll see this will not work easily for most people. Once you start using it you'll appreciate being able to separate, raise, roll the individual bins. To make it easier to turn, unload and move the compost. You'll change everything next time. Being able to adjust the airflow, the amount of rain introduced and insulating the piles will probably change all your current thoughts. I've been composting for over fifty years. Depends on your resources to figure out what you'll need in a year or two.
Yes, it will be good to use and adapt as we go. That's part of the fun and the process. One of the things we like about this design is that we can start composting on the edges and then turn into the middle one. Or turn over into the 2nd one and then the 3rd one. Looking forward to get it going and seeing how we should adapt!
Great build. And such craftsmanship!! My only two comments are: 1) I read that having the bins in direct contact with soil speeds up the process with the microbes, worms and other insects in the soil getting access to the compost. 2) the air gaps between bins are great but I think might trap smaller compost pieces you can’t get out. Could you put a really fine mesh on those layers instead?
I hope you will post a follow up in perhaps 6 months or a year to see how it worked. I use the GeoBins which have air holes on the sides but much less airflow than you will have and I didn't keep a close eye on one of them this summer and it dried out completely and I was way behind this Fall. I think you will be watering your bins a lot.
Nice design and beautiful execution! I use pure linseed oil to help preserve my raised beds. This does a nice job of slowing down the decay of the wood (I use regular 2x6). Note that you must use pure linseed oil, not Boiled linseed oil. the Boiled has some solvents added that help the wood dry quicker, but are toxic enough that you don't want them in a garden.
We were considering pure linseed oil but read it takes up to 1-3 months to dry, so we were like, "mmmmm, we don't want to wait that long!" If we had the extra time, we would have considered it.
Great project and use of left over materials! such a sustainable practice and I wish everyone does it. BTW, how about shou sugi ban instead of staining the wood?
We discussed that but it was going to be a much larger time commitment than we had and a huge learning curve that we figured we'd save for another project down the line. We love that technique and look, however, so we'd love to learn how to do it and apply it here at some point.
@@FlockFingerLakes That is true. We will keep an eye out for all things happening at Flock, projects, meadow house progress, planting and all that good stuff! I'm so thrilled for you guys at how much you've done over the years! :)
So fabulous 😍 - Sander, you could sell the plans and directions! Maybe not enough sun but I was thinking of baby leafy greens in the planter with maybe some nasturtium cascading over the side edges!
Fascinating to see the thought that’s gone into it all, you must have terrible insomnia thinking of it all. You make me think too of how you will prop it up no doubt something complex like a rope on the back because a diagonal is longer than a straight, or maybe a wedged block in the inner elbow etc.
Wow, this was pretty cool. Thanks for sharing. I like the design element/feature of having a planter on the back. Will the roots get entangled in the wire as they reach for the compost?
Summer Rayne is thinking of growing this native plant called Wintergreen that has shallow roots and spreads superficially by rhizomes, so it should not be a problem, as it doesn't develop deep roots.
Our climate in Brazil is quite different (we do not have snow), so my question is: why do you need a bin for composting? We use a method called "UFSC" which is based on piles of organic waste and dried grass for cover and also floor base. I really think you do not need a container for composting, specially if you have space.
Love the look of it especially the live edge and the idea of having a planter in the top. Was wandering if it would be worth having a connection to the ground, maybe a pipe filled with soil so that worms can come and go as they please depending on conditions?
Hey, Sander -- have you considered how the lids will prop open? If they swing all the way back they will smash any plants in the planter!! I watched the whole video, not sure if I missed this detail...Great design and good luck!
Yeah, we are waiting on the mechanisms to keep the lid open. Briefly mentioned at 8:55. We have a similar lid for our box that we built for our mail packages and they are special order made in the USA fold away hinges.
This is exactly the sort of design we've been talking about and looking for--would it be possible to purchase a copy of the plans from y'all? (Sander explained it all beautifully and I'm sure we could follow along from the video, but I feel like it's always appropriate to pay people for their work. So if that's a possibility, please let us know!)
Won't the piano hinge get rusty (or freeze during winter), making it more difficult to open? I am no expert, but I could imagine large galvanized hinges being a more sturdy choice. Regardless, I love the design and the videos.
You may very well be right. This has the black powder coating on it (similar to our fence posts) but we won't know until a winter or two or three rolls around.
I love the design. one thing tho, in my experience painting houses, putting paint over top of wood stain rarely has the intended effect of added protection. Stain is designed to be water resistant in most cases and a good stain should cause anything that is water-based to bead and wash away. Im not telling you what to do by any means, but i think a nice brand of exterior paint will more than suffice for what you are looking for especially if it is going to be on the north side of a building or something. Less sun will help the life of the paint. I really enjoyed the video and have been inspired to attempt a design similar. MAny thanks. Bless you all at Flock!
Great design Sander Will work out very well Thank you for posting What software are you drawing your plans on ? Have a great day and thank you again Chris
Nice wood work! But I do have some comments on the compost side of it. I have a 7 year running successful market garden and 6 year training as permaculture designer and have made a lot of compost with a lot of different designs/techniques. First and foremost: Compost can not be dry! Like never never never let a compost dry out. Never put it in the sun. (UV radiation and the sun drying it out). With your design you will not create a hot compost - that is ok but remember all the seeds you put in there (weeds) will be in the compost and whereever you put it. No you do not need ground contact. Bacteria/fungi to break down plant material is everywhere (air and on the crops itself etc) So worms do help and make the compost richer (you can add a handfull you found). But keep it wet. Not soggy boggy wet but nice and damp (squeezing out a drop of water if you press is in your hand hard). Add Carbon! (cardboard or woodchips or woodshavings) too much kitchen or grass is too nitrogen rich and too wet and to dense. There is a science to it but generally just add more carbon then you wood normally and you are fine. Consider building a Worm farm if you want something that last forever - your wood will probably last less then 4 years (its in constant contact with a decompstion process you want the fungy in there that decomposes wood so your wood will also decompose - you can use robina pseudoacacia wood really thick boards of oak to have it last 10 years. Generally never seal wood - if it can not breath it will rot faster. Painting wood will not make it last longer. have a small crack in the paint somewhere mostoire gets in but can´t get out, trust tthe fungi to find that crack too - wood then rots from inside you not even seeing it rot. Just let the earth have it back when its ready without poison on it.
Hello, I enjoyed watching your video, about to build a compost bin here in France. An idea for a future version, would be to facilitate moving the compost from one bin to another. In yours you apparently intend to fork it out and over from the top. What about having a removal panel in between them so that you can simply pull it through from one compartment to the next, with a hoe for instance? Also, could you tell me which design software you used? Thanks in advance
I just used old metal roofing and pallets for ours. The pallets will rot in three years and a rebuild will be necessary but whatever. It was free and only took ten minutes to build.
It's going to look nice! That's for sure! I LOVE the live edges!! I also very much like the suggestion of shou sugi ban for a preservation technique which I read another commenter remind us of! Plus, it looks GREAT! More importantly, it would give you a very long life for the wet wood. And if you're willing to put the time and effort in, which seems that you are, I would think y'all will want these bins to last as long as possible. I don't live in a snowy climate, but I'm guessing after all the freeze thaw events you have, that untreated wood will start to let go of the screws after three years? But, I could be wrong about that... Not trying to be a downer, and I suppose my comments ARE kinda headed that way, but I'm just brainstorming here- I'm seeing an issue y'all might not have thought of? (Or you just didn't mention it!) It's the 2 spaces between the 3 bins. Having them double screened creates a permanent storage area for all kinds of things, and my imagination has been kinda taking off with scenerios! My 1st question is: Won't fully composted material get wedged in between the 2 screened sides? Next: If not being able to get the bits out from corners "bugs" you, (pun intended!) then I'm guessing the new soil stuck in that permanently closed off area is going to drive you absolutely bonkers!! I half expect to see a video titled, "Redesigning & Rebuilding The Compost Bins..." Where Sander removes one of the mesh sides. However, the roaches will love that area as a nice protected condo unit! I'm just going to refer to that space as The Bug Condo Unit from here on out. Or A tiny snake, or lizard, travels into the ½ inch square mesh of the bug condo unit for a nice bug eating session at the "Trapped Bug Buffet". Which btw, takes care of the trapped bugs who are now too big to exit the ½ inch screen! So YAY for THAT Cycle Of Life!! But then the snake or lizard is so full, IT can't get back out either! After those bugs are digested, the snake, or more likely the lizard, grows a little, and now it's a permanent home for IT too! Result, is the bug condo unit now has a permanent resident snake or lizard. Now the "bug condo unit" needs a whole new name, perhaps something right out of a horror movie! Wait- Maybe all that needs to be added is a nature camera between the 2 screens to start a whole new YT nature channel ! Oh, I can see it all unfolding now!! David Attenborough will soon be knocking on your door asking if he can narrate the fascinating escapades of the life cycles that happen within a half-inch screen mesh! See! I just turned that area of the compost bins, which WILL drive you NUTSO, into a money maker!! PROBLEM SOLVED!!
Looks amazing! I think our skill level, budget, and toolset will only allow the old 'screw many free pallets together' compost model, haha. I'm going to try and incorporate your planter idea though!
pallets could totally work too, but with the leftover wood we had, we figured, why not?! Actually our pallets are getting more use around here storing stuff than our leftover hemlock was getting.
What program was Sander using? Nice job :), you reminded me I will need to add a bay to my single bay setup thank you. I did something similar...4 x 4 x 4 feet (I'm tall), mesh INSIDE, minimal wood touching the compost (except the sticks in there already). I did open bottom for worms friends, open top since I did 4 feet high, easier to toss in for me. Re-used decking redwood lumber from craigslist for 15 dollars? 5-10 dollars in hardware, 15 dollars in mesh? Infinite compost potential, doing food scraps, coffee grinds, wood scraps, I have so much wood death from unhealthy species and trees. I also tried to focus on open faced east, south and west portions of the bay with minimal wood there to help sun and airflow. I need a bigger pile now, cook it up. Also, instead of banging in staples...I thought those might rot quick and be a waste of time, so I just made holes on the corners and tie wrapped the mesh to the wood that way. Took 5 seconds of drilling, 10 seconds of tying per corner instead of all those annoying little staples.
Yes, it's the ultimate! What would you estimate the life expectancy for your composting bin to be. What detail to every angle and inch. I'm enthralled with your keen engineering! Dude! And, at the end of your build day, I saw things like ' a rabbit pen, a chicken coop/run. And then, I envisioned a semi truck full of your compost bins going to the farming supply chain! I must be wacko! Awesome video and great work!
We're not really certain how long the composting bin will last. We'll have it on concrete, so it won't be on a soggy ground, but it will be facing all the elements outside, so I guess we'll have to wait and see. Maybe others who have made a similar box with hemlock in a similar climate can weigh in here!
I really like a lot of the aspects in your design. My issue is that I'm 5'6" .When I shovel from bin 1 to bin 2 and eventually to bin 3 I have to lift each shovelful over the bin (inner) "walls"- and that gets old real fast. I'm looking for a design that will allow me to lower or remove the walls for the purposes of turning over compost without unnecessary work/pain. Any ideas?
We are actually waiting on the mechanisms on the side to keep the lids up ... mentioned it around 8:55 I think. We have some coming in for another package box too that we did for the mail.
Is any specific reason why the structure is not sitting directly on the ground instead on the platform? Are you not worried about the compost getting accumulated and making the wood to rotten?
Ultimate compost bin must be in contact with the earth and using hardware clothe is not ideal. It is well detailed build to rot the compost instead of decomposition. Plant material does not break down to compost without the earth.
Nice suggestion. Does it not work even if you have a little compost starter (aka earth + compost) to get it going? Like a sourdough starter? So many compost tumblers are not in contact with the earth. Typically if you turn those every day, you get a nice compost in a month to two month's time. And compost bins in the city don't touch the earth because of vector issues (like rats). That's what we're trying to avoid-mice and rats getting in there. Love to hear your thoughts.
@@FlockFingerLakes I have never witnessed nice compost from a tumbler. It always smells like death. You are looking for a compost maker devoid from reality. Mice, rats and snakes will still enjoy your compost bin. Perhaps you need to make a sign "Critter's are not welcome, Only beneficial microbes are welcome". A well tended pile of compost will work better. I look forward to see if all the details work. Without sass... only use plant matter and always cover it. Don't use egg shells they smelt , rot and attract vermin. Covering raw plant matter will not attract vermin.
Im curious as to why you want to keep water out of your compost pile unless you're going to fill it with prefinished compost water is an important ingredient in natural decomposition
We want to be able to regulate the amount of water that goes in it so it doesn't become too saturated. We get about 170 days of rain a year, so that's part of the reason.
do you really need this much aircirculation? i would suggest even moisture evenly spread through the bin is more favourable, so i would close shut all the side pieces. its a suggestion charles dowding gave in one of his vids i think... i for myself are to lazy to build such a fine structure ans only use some pallets holding together with wire and thats it for me ;)
That may be a good adjustment. We will see how this works as we get it started. We could even maybe create a cover for one side and not the other and then compare. Could be an interesting experiment!
Looks awesome my only concern would be wood rot. My wooden bins rotted the first year. Luckily I made them out of pallet so it's not a huge deal to replace sections.
I followed Crockett's Victory Garden plans for my compost bins which I built in 1986. I did not have Sander's skills but it last for nearly 30 years and made a lot of compost. Never had rats or mice. Had a litter of kittens one year and the last two years I have had bee hives. I recently replaced it with a pallet built one. It is ok but not nearly as nice as yours or my old one. Still it gets the job done. I have been watching another TH-cam video on building a similar bin for a community garden and one feature I think you should consider is an alternative lid that allows dumping into the "active" collector bin so that the neighbors or staff know where to put their scraps. I will link that video here. th-cam.com/video/SROtDjwGFO0/w-d-xo.html Video is called One Rule Compost.
Sander, would you consider making these plans/files available for download, either open source or for sale? I'd love to build this for myself, to your specs.
Summer mentioned that I should. It's a bit more complicated because I would need to compile a product list and such, and we ended up using just a lot of our leftover wood and odds and ends. So it wouldn't just be as simple as sharing a 3d in a pdf. If I get some more time, I may consider it. Thanks for asking. You're the second person who has asked.
We used the ashwood just as the live edge piece. The rest of the wood was our leftover hemlock from the Meadow House. We ideally want to be able to control how much moisture goes into the compost, as it rains about 160 days out of the year here, which is part of the reason why we didn't go with a screened lid. And only screen sides to encourage airflow.
Summer mentioned that I should too. It's a bit more complicated though, because I would need to get an itemized list of what we used, etc. and basically we used just left over wood and odds and ends that we had. If I have the extra time, I may just do that.
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Wow! Absolutely amazing. I like the idea of putting up nesting boxes for Owls nearby. It would be a natural way of controlling rodents and contribute to the ecosystem.
Sander going above and beyond to make something superlative! Awesome
A lot of work and creative juices went into this piece! As you will be placing this unit on blocks instead of on ground, I just worry that a lot of worms (and many other soil creatures) are being deprived of a job. They are a major help in decomposition and enriching soil but perhaps enough material will sift thru the bottom mesh and pile up to create access for them. Nice job Sander!
This bin is almost too beautiful to muck up. We recently cleared a space where our three bin compost will sit. We designed our bays to be large enough (6’) for greater quantities waste and to allow the tractor bucket to fit in. Most of the wood we are using is pressure treated that is left over from our barn restoration. We are aware of possible chemical leaching but hoping the structure will last longer. Again, beautiful work!
The larger the better because it'll probably keep the heat better. Love that you built it to fit your tractor bucket. That makes a lot of sense.
That's a lovely compost bin! I would suggest adding an arm (or two) to each bay so you can raise it to hold the lids open when you're dumping stuff inside... it just makes life so much easier!
That is by far the dopest compost bin ! Nice work, great utilization of material and the planter in back is my favorite part! You guys are so inspiring in so many ways. Sending you guys lots of love from Portland Oregon ❤
I love your videos, and what a brilliant build Sander! Fantastic!
You have taught yourself (all of the flock) so much. It's so much fun to watch your journey. You should all be so proud. Amazing Saunder👏👏👏
So many projects. You’ll never get bored!
We have too many projects in our heads. Not enough time.
One thing I might ad is a beam or two in each of the screen windows to help support the mesh from bulging out.
Yeah I skipped around a bit so was unsure if I missed it, but that was my thought too.
That is something we discussed. Summer brought it up. We can always add if need be, but we're going to see how this works without the cross beams.
I would say that your first attempt at a compost bin system is beautiful
Beautiful job! Excellent work by Sander, who is so talented and meticulous.👍👍
I really like the attention to detail. you could even grow squash in the top as long as the compost bin faces north so the vines grow down the back and down towards the south.
Thank you Ms. Summer. Sander is so clever! He sure pays attention to detail. ❄️💚🙃
Awesome job Sander! The design and detail is the best I've seen. Using the computer graphic is such a good idea. I love that you've kept the rough edging. Once again you guys have set the bar high. Great video!
Nice looking compost bin and well detailed design Sander. Using mesh wire to build your compost bin might leave your compost dryer than normal and you might have to applied water to moisten it from time to time and your screw slotted front might leak compost through. I have built all mine from pallets wood into a proper wooden box, the design at the front is also slotted without any gapes and they work fine. They are placed directly on the ground and I applied a good helping of raw linseed oil to the wood before using them. Give us an update, when they are in use.
Saunders is so talented!
This is excellent! I can't think of any improvements to make for this project!
I absolutely love the idea of this... I never thought to use 1/4" mesh for the sides and back to allow better airflow. Also, the use of screws in the front panel pieces is genius, having the lid at a 5% angle for the water to drain off would be perfect for us because we certainly get a lot of spring rains. I would also try to find a way to collect that water because the area I would be placing it in has no water supply at all and I am always looking for ways to reclaim water for use in the garden. Thank you so much for sharing your plans with all of us. God Bless.
So beautiful and well thought out
Very nice compost bin! Rats will always find a way in if you have them though and mice can fit through 1/2” hardware cloth. I like the use of your live edge pieces!
Wonder if only those closed container systems would be the rat- and mouse-proof kind!
@@FlockFingerLakes probably. I wouldn’t worry too much about them anyways! If some do move in you might be able to get rid of them just by watering it down for a few days
How about building an owl house to sit nearby to keep the vermin population down?
@@FlockFingerLakes Ambitious rodents can chew through anything that isn't made of metal in pretty short order. Our dumpster lid has had the seams in the plastic lid substantially widened by them, and wood is close to what they're actually designed to be chewing. If you've got wood rats, they probably won't be more interested in compost than squirrels or any other random small animal. I think the Norway rats people worry about in higher population density areas are more adapted to desiring human refuse, so if you do have those you might need to figure something out later. I'd worry more about luring in stronger things like raccoons and skunks that will also be a danger to your eventual chickens, but the hardware cloth is a good start to keeping them out!
Oh meant to mention we do 1/4" hardware cloth too. I think that should be too small for the mice. We got that initially for the chicken coop to reinforce the window screens.
Awesome! Would love to see a follow-up video on how you guys are composting/the composting process!
Good thinking. That is beautiful Sander.
Yes. This is the best compost bin design I’ve seen 😍
Really nice piece of architecture.
Good luck. You'll see this will not work easily for most people. Once you start using it you'll appreciate being able to separate, raise, roll the individual bins. To make it easier to turn, unload and move the compost. You'll change everything next time. Being able to adjust the airflow, the amount of rain introduced and insulating the piles will probably change all your current thoughts. I've been composting for over fifty years. Depends on your resources to figure out what you'll need in a year or two.
Yes, it will be good to use and adapt as we go. That's part of the fun and the process. One of the things we like about this design is that we can start composting on the edges and then turn into the middle one. Or turn over into the 2nd one and then the 3rd one. Looking forward to get it going and seeing how we should adapt!
Great build. And such craftsmanship!! My only two comments are:
1) I read that having the bins in direct contact with soil speeds up the process with the microbes, worms and other insects in the soil getting access to the compost.
2) the air gaps between bins are great but I think might trap smaller compost pieces you can’t get out. Could you put a really fine mesh on those layers instead?
I hope you will post a follow up in perhaps 6 months or a year to see how it worked. I use the GeoBins which have air holes on the sides but much less airflow than you will have and I didn't keep a close eye on one of them this summer and it dried out completely and I was way behind this Fall. I think you will be watering your bins a lot.
Nice design and beautiful execution! I use pure linseed oil to help preserve my raised beds. This does a nice job of slowing down the decay of the wood (I use regular 2x6). Note that you must use pure linseed oil, not Boiled linseed oil. the Boiled has some solvents added that help the wood dry quicker, but are toxic enough that you don't want them in a garden.
We were considering pure linseed oil but read it takes up to 1-3 months to dry, so we were like, "mmmmm, we don't want to wait that long!" If we had the extra time, we would have considered it.
Amazing work as per usual guys!
Great project and use of left over materials! such a sustainable practice and I wish everyone does it. BTW, how about shou sugi ban instead of staining the wood?
Excellent way to preserve the wood!
We discussed that but it was going to be a much larger time commitment than we had and a huge learning curve that we figured we'd save for another project down the line. We love that technique and look, however, so we'd love to learn how to do it and apply it here at some point.
@@FlockFingerLakes That is true. We will keep an eye out for all things happening at Flock, projects, meadow house progress, planting and all that good stuff! I'm so thrilled for you guys at how much you've done over the years! :)
As always, great job!
So fabulous 😍 - Sander, you could sell the plans and directions! Maybe not enough sun but I was thinking of baby leafy greens in the planter with maybe some nasturtium cascading over the side edges!
Working on making the plans available.
Fascinating to see the thought that’s gone into it all, you must have terrible insomnia thinking of it all. You make me think too of how you will prop it up no doubt something complex like a rope on the back because a diagonal is longer than a straight, or maybe a wedged block in the inner elbow etc.
Wow, this was pretty cool. Thanks for sharing.
I like the design element/feature of having a planter on the back. Will the roots get entangled in the wire as they reach for the compost?
Summer Rayne is thinking of growing this native plant called Wintergreen that has shallow roots and spreads superficially by rhizomes, so it should not be a problem, as it doesn't develop deep roots.
The Cadillac of compost bins...that is cool..
Our climate in Brazil is quite different (we do not have snow), so my question is: why do you need a bin for composting? We use a method called "UFSC" which is based on piles of organic waste and dried grass for cover and also floor base. I really think you do not need a container for composting, specially if you have space.
I never knew compost bin envy was a thing- well until now😂!
Love the look of it especially the live edge and the idea of having a planter in the top. Was wandering if it would be worth having a connection to the ground, maybe a pipe filled with soil so that worms can come and go as they please depending on conditions?
and maybe a tray underneath for leachate collection??
The worms are totally capable of crawling into the bn's if they find them to their liking.
Hey, Sander -- have you considered how the lids will prop open? If they swing all the way back they will smash any plants in the planter!! I watched the whole video, not sure if I missed this detail...Great design and good luck!
Yeah, we are waiting on the mechanisms to keep the lid open. Briefly mentioned at 8:55. We have a similar lid for our box that we built for our mail packages and they are special order made in the USA fold away hinges.
This is exactly the sort of design we've been talking about and looking for--would it be possible to purchase a copy of the plans from y'all?
(Sander explained it all beautifully and I'm sure we could follow along from the video, but I feel like it's always appropriate to pay people for their work. So if that's a possibility, please let us know!)
Won't the piano hinge get rusty (or freeze during winter), making it more difficult to open? I am no expert, but I could imagine large galvanized hinges being a more sturdy choice.
Regardless, I love the design and the videos.
You may very well be right. This has the black powder coating on it (similar to our fence posts) but we won't know until a winter or two or three rolls around.
I love the design. one thing tho, in my experience painting houses, putting paint over top of wood stain rarely has the intended effect of added protection. Stain is designed to be water resistant in most cases and a good stain should cause anything that is water-based to bead and wash away. Im not telling you what to do by any means, but i think a nice brand of exterior paint will more than suffice for what you are looking for especially if it is going to be on the north side of a building or something. Less sun will help the life of the paint.
I really enjoyed the video and have been inspired to attempt a design similar. MAny thanks. Bless you all at Flock!
Holy Moly…..I want a Sander. Where can I get one? Hahahaha great job and so precise 👍🏼
Mice will absolutely fit through half an inch! This does look amazing though.
1/4 mesh
Great design Sander
Will work out very well
Thank you for posting
What software are you drawing your plans on ?
Have a great day and thank you again
Chris
Fusion 360
Thank you
@@christophermarchand2987 you're welcome. love the program.
excellent !
you need a catch under for the compost tea
Nice addition!
Nice wood work! But I do have some comments on the compost side of it. I have a 7 year running successful market garden and 6 year training as permaculture designer and have made a lot of compost with a lot of different designs/techniques. First and foremost: Compost can not be dry! Like never never never let a compost dry out. Never put it in the sun. (UV radiation and the sun drying it out). With your design you will not create a hot compost - that is ok but remember all the seeds you put in there (weeds) will be in the compost and whereever you put it. No you do not need ground contact. Bacteria/fungi to break down plant material is everywhere (air and on the crops itself etc) So worms do help and make the compost richer (you can add a handfull you found). But keep it wet. Not soggy boggy wet but nice and damp (squeezing out a drop of water if you press is in your hand hard). Add Carbon! (cardboard or woodchips or woodshavings) too much kitchen or grass is too nitrogen rich and too wet and to dense. There is a science to it but generally just add more carbon then you wood normally and you are fine.
Consider building a Worm farm if you want something that last forever - your wood will probably last less then 4 years (its in constant contact with a decompstion process you want the fungy in there that decomposes wood so your wood will also decompose - you can use robina pseudoacacia wood really thick boards of oak to have it last 10 years. Generally never seal wood - if it can not breath it will rot faster. Painting wood will not make it last longer. have a small crack in the paint somewhere mostoire gets in but can´t get out, trust tthe fungi to find that crack too - wood then rots from inside you not even seeing it rot. Just let the earth have it back when its ready without poison on it.
I have a creative. Unfortunately this project would take 3weeks. Great job Sander, on all you do.
I've definitely spent a lot more weeks on other projects that I'm just getting the hang of.... But thank you!
Hello, I enjoyed watching your video, about to build a compost bin here in France. An idea for a future version, would be to facilitate moving the compost from one bin to another. In yours you apparently intend to fork it out and over from the top. What about having a removal panel in between them so that you can simply pull it through from one compartment to the next, with a hoe for instance? Also, could you tell me which design software you used? Thanks in advance
I just used old metal roofing and pallets for ours. The pallets will rot in three years and a rebuild will be necessary but whatever. It was free and only took ten minutes to build.
It's going to look nice!
That's for sure!
I LOVE the live edges!!
I also very much like the suggestion of shou sugi ban for a preservation technique which I read another commenter remind us of!
Plus, it looks GREAT!
More importantly, it would give you a very long life for the wet wood.
And if you're willing to put the time and effort in, which seems that you are, I would think y'all will want these bins to last as long as possible.
I don't live in a snowy climate, but I'm guessing after all the freeze thaw events you have, that untreated wood will start to let go of the screws after three years?
But, I could be wrong about that...
Not trying to be a downer,
and I suppose my comments ARE kinda headed that way,
but I'm just brainstorming here-
I'm seeing an issue y'all might not have thought of?
(Or you just didn't mention it!)
It's the 2 spaces between the 3 bins.
Having them double screened creates a permanent storage area for all kinds of things, and my imagination has been kinda taking off with scenerios!
My 1st question is:
Won't fully composted material get wedged in between the 2 screened sides?
Next:
If not being able to get the bits out from corners "bugs" you, (pun intended!)
then I'm guessing the new soil stuck in that permanently closed off area is going to drive you absolutely bonkers!!
I half expect to see a video titled,
"Redesigning & Rebuilding The Compost Bins..."
Where Sander removes one of the mesh sides.
However, the roaches will love that area as a nice protected condo unit!
I'm just going to refer to that space as The Bug Condo Unit from here on out.
Or
A tiny snake, or lizard, travels into the ½ inch square mesh of the bug condo unit for a nice bug eating session at the "Trapped Bug Buffet".
Which btw, takes care of the trapped bugs who are now too big to exit the ½ inch screen!
So YAY for THAT Cycle Of Life!!
But then the snake or lizard is so full,
IT can't get back out either!
After those bugs are digested,
the snake,
or more likely the lizard,
grows a little,
and now it's a permanent home for
IT too!
Result, is the bug condo unit now has a permanent resident snake or lizard.
Now the "bug condo unit" needs a whole new name, perhaps something right out of a horror movie!
Wait-
Maybe all that needs to be added is a nature camera between the 2 screens to start a whole new YT nature channel !
Oh, I can see it all unfolding now!!
David Attenborough will soon be knocking on your door asking if he can narrate the fascinating escapades of the life cycles that happen within a half-inch screen mesh!
See!
I just turned that area of the compost bins,
which WILL drive you NUTSO,
into a money maker!!
PROBLEM SOLVED!!
I would like to see how this is working out now that its being used?
Looks amazing! I think our skill level, budget, and toolset will only allow the old 'screw many free pallets together' compost model, haha. I'm going to try and incorporate your planter idea though!
I would not waste money on pine lumber to just have it rot in a compost pile lol. Free pallets for the win!
pallets could totally work too, but with the leftover wood we had, we figured, why not?! Actually our pallets are getting more use around here storing stuff than our leftover hemlock was getting.
What program was Sander using? Nice job :), you reminded me I will need to add a bay to my single bay setup thank you. I did something similar...4 x 4 x 4 feet (I'm tall), mesh INSIDE, minimal wood touching the compost (except the sticks in there already). I did open bottom for worms friends, open top since I did 4 feet high, easier to toss in for me. Re-used decking redwood lumber from craigslist for 15 dollars? 5-10 dollars in hardware, 15 dollars in mesh? Infinite compost potential, doing food scraps, coffee grinds, wood scraps, I have so much wood death from unhealthy species and trees. I also tried to focus on open faced east, south and west portions of the bay with minimal wood there to help sun and airflow. I need a bigger pile now, cook it up. Also, instead of banging in staples...I thought those might rot quick and be a waste of time, so I just made holes on the corners and tie wrapped the mesh to the wood that way. Took 5 seconds of drilling, 10 seconds of tying per corner instead of all those annoying little staples.
Have you tried juniper or hemp oil as a nontoxic wood preservative?
Yes, it's the ultimate! What would you estimate the life expectancy for your composting bin to be. What detail to every angle and inch. I'm enthralled with your keen engineering! Dude!
And, at the end of your build day, I saw things like ' a rabbit pen, a chicken coop/run. And then, I envisioned a semi truck full of your compost bins going to the farming supply chain! I must be wacko! Awesome video and great work!
We're not really certain how long the composting bin will last. We'll have it on concrete, so it won't be on a soggy ground, but it will be facing all the elements outside, so I guess we'll have to wait and see. Maybe others who have made a similar box with hemlock in a similar climate can weigh in here!
I really like a lot of the aspects in your design. My issue is that I'm 5'6" .When I shovel from bin 1 to bin 2 and eventually to bin 3 I have to lift each shovelful over the bin (inner) "walls"- and that gets old real fast. I'm looking for a design that will allow me to lower or remove the walls for the purposes of turning over compost without unnecessary work/pain. Any ideas?
I was wondering with the lids opening and the planter being in the back won't the plants get weighed down or pushed over by the lids?
We are actually waiting on the mechanisms on the side to keep the lids up ... mentioned it around 8:55 I think. We have some coming in for another package box too that we did for the mail.
those are pretty high end compost boxes
Is any specific reason why the structure is not sitting directly on the ground instead on the platform?
Are you not worried about the compost getting accumulated and making the wood to rotten?
So no rats or mice can burrow in.
Ultimate compost bin must be in contact with the earth and using hardware clothe is not ideal. It is well detailed build to rot the compost instead of decomposition. Plant material does not break down to compost without the earth.
Nice suggestion. Does it not work even if you have a little compost starter (aka earth + compost) to get it going? Like a sourdough starter? So many compost tumblers are not in contact with the earth. Typically if you turn those every day, you get a nice compost in a month to two month's time. And compost bins in the city don't touch the earth because of vector issues (like rats). That's what we're trying to avoid-mice and rats getting in there. Love to hear your thoughts.
@@FlockFingerLakes I have never witnessed nice compost from a tumbler. It always smells like death. You are looking for a compost maker devoid from reality. Mice, rats and snakes will still enjoy your compost bin. Perhaps you need to make a sign "Critter's are not welcome, Only beneficial microbes are welcome". A well tended pile of compost will work better. I look forward to see if all the details work.
Without sass... only use plant matter and always cover it. Don't use egg shells they smelt , rot and attract vermin. Covering raw plant matter will not attract vermin.
@@rjaquaponics9266 I have the Jora compost tumbler. I never got a bad smell and it cooks my compost very well.
@@rowenadinsmore1 If you "Cook" compost your doing something wrong!
@@rjaquaponics9266 But isn't it considered cooking when the temperature is raised to 120 F?
Im curious as to why you want to keep water out of your compost pile unless you're going to fill it with prefinished compost water is an important ingredient in natural decomposition
We want to be able to regulate the amount of water that goes in it so it doesn't become too saturated. We get about 170 days of rain a year, so that's part of the reason.
What program are you using for design?
It's called Fusion 360.
Staples will pop out in the winter. Happened to me.
Looks very nice but definitely overkill. Bottom is also unnecessary.
dont forget to use biochar
Yes, good idea.
@@FlockFingerLakes imagine being able to pluck CO2 out of the air and put into compost. Win win
👏🏻
What 3D program is he using?
Fusion360
do you really need this much aircirculation? i would suggest even moisture evenly spread through the bin is more favourable, so i would close shut all the side pieces. its a suggestion charles dowding gave in one of his vids i think... i for myself are to lazy to build such a fine structure ans only use some pallets holding together with wire and thats it for me ;)
That may be a good adjustment. We will see how this works as we get it started. We could even maybe create a cover for one side and not the other and then compare. Could be an interesting experiment!
Looks awesome my only concern would be wood rot. My wooden bins rotted the first year. Luckily I made them out of pallet so it's not a huge deal to replace sections.
yeah, I think we'll have to contend with Mother Nature on that side!
Burn and oil the wood so it holds up longer in weather
How about burning the wood to help preserve it?
I followed Crockett's Victory Garden plans for my compost bins which I built in 1986. I did not have Sander's skills but it last for nearly 30 years and made a lot of compost. Never had rats or mice. Had a litter of kittens one year and the last two years I have had bee hives. I recently replaced it with a pallet built one. It is ok but not nearly as nice as yours or my old one. Still it gets the job done. I have been watching another TH-cam video on building a similar bin for a community garden and one feature I think you should consider is an alternative lid that allows dumping into the "active" collector bin so that the neighbors or staff know where to put their scraps. I will link that video here. th-cam.com/video/SROtDjwGFO0/w-d-xo.html Video is called One Rule Compost.
Sander, would you consider making these plans/files available for download, either open source or for sale? I'd love to build this for myself, to your specs.
Summer mentioned that I should. It's a bit more complicated because I would need to compile a product list and such, and we ended up using just a lot of our leftover wood and odds and ends. So it wouldn't just be as simple as sharing a 3d in a pdf. If I get some more time, I may consider it. Thanks for asking. You're the second person who has asked.
Too bad that the ashwood is going to be used just for a composter. YOu can have just used a screened lid as well.
We used the ashwood just as the live edge piece. The rest of the wood was our leftover hemlock from the Meadow House. We ideally want to be able to control how much moisture goes into the compost, as it rains about 160 days out of the year here, which is part of the reason why we didn't go with a screened lid. And only screen sides to encourage airflow.
You should sell the plans.
Summer mentioned that I should too. It's a bit more complicated though, because I would need to get an itemized list of what we used, etc. and basically we used just left over wood and odds and ends that we had. If I have the extra time, I may just do that.
I am surprised you have rats in your location. I picture rats in the city-- not near forests and ponds.
probably forest species rats ? where there food there will be rat then the snakes will come, lol
Rats are everywhere except ALBERTA. LOL
Where you have farms, you have rats.
You need chickens