Compost Tumbler Etc

This isn’t a step-by-step because I did these many years ago (pre-blogger). Just a couple of things that you can use your old 44 gallon drum.

The first use is as a heat sink under our fruit trees. They are placed where they will collect heat and filled with water. They collect the heat during the day and slowly release it at night.



The chook likes it too.

Another use is as a BBQ. Bivalve the drum, hinge the 2 sides together and attach a stay. Add a handle and drill some air holes in the bottom of the drum and make a grill for the cooking area. There you go…instant BBQ.

If the picture does not look much like a BBQ it is because I later got a bought unit and Scarecrow asked me if she could have it as her worm farm. Who could refuse such a great babe such a request?



Anyhoo, the drum is lined with shade cloth (stops the wormies falling out) and is half filled with a mixture of straw, coir block, shredded paper, old manure and compost.

To this is added various kitchen scraps. It is finally topped with a piece of felt to keep them worm er, warm as well as give them some privacy whilst they do their worm thing 8-)

This is an old compost tumbler I made.



Cut and hinge a door large enough to let compost fall out. Add a bolt to secure the door.



Drill a hole at each end of the drum and insert a steel bar and weld it to the drum. On one end weld a handle. Sink 2 posts in the ground and notch them so that the drum sits on top and can be turned every couple of days to mix your compost.



If you want to spend about 10 years as an apprentice, then you can also make a steel drum!

Bit beyond my frugal skills though LOL