How to make a compost tumbler from a food grade pickle barrel. Free Plans at dixiegrilling.com This compost tumbler with it’s internal aeration system speeds the composting process. Great way to get compost for your garden without the mess and strength required to turn a traditional compost bin. Concealed barrels picks unwanted critters from hanging out at your compost pile. Excellent for urban gardeners with restrictions on space. Can be made very inexpensively. Link to free plans and bill of material at the end of the video.
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Step 1 – setting up your compost bin. More information on www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk For other ways to Reduce, Reuse and Recycle visit www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk
Excellent video, good work and thank you
@dioje787 no way I only paid 45 dollars for two of these barrels same exact one by the way if your nears mt olive a guy there has them for 10 dollars they dont pay for them they are discarded by the pickle company
Excellent! Thanks for sharing.
I made my own tumbler based on your plans, and it’s been about 6 weeks and I’ve seen very little progress. Everything seems to be moist enough, but I’m getting frustrated – any suggestions? I did not put the air holes at the top, but otherwise made sure there is plenty of air flow.
I used your instructions and it works GREAT!! super easy. thanks a TON.
Plenty of youtube videos about making compost tea once you have finished compost. I’ve been taking the compost, putting it into a paint strainer mesh bag. Put it in a clean paint bucket full of rain barrel water and a tablespoon of molasses and use some fish tank aeration pumps to build the microbial count. Then use a clean pump spray or dump it on your lawn and garden. Free organic fertilizer!
Great information.
Thanks, Hope to build a one very soon.
@jbpitcher That might be a good idea. I had though of putting short pieces of 1/4″ all thread rod through the galvanized pipe at 90 degrees inside the barrel, creating kind of a rotating rake. This would help break up the material as the barrel turned. I might try that on my next one.
Great video.
Awesome Plans! Thanks
One of the more complicated compost tumblers I’ve seen, but it has a genius design to it. I hadn’t equated the bees getting into it. Great idea to cover the air holes with screen.
@Cosmodot256 The kind you don’t want jumping out at you when you open the lid. Bees, wasps, yellow jackets etc.
@kingbiscuit28 Yes, my mistake. You only need one flange. You can wallow out the holes in your wood by rotating your drill bit in a circular fashion or just use a 1-1/8″ bit
@frostxr I spin it every time i add material. You want a 50/50 mix of brown and green compost materials. I stock pile dry leaves (brown) and add them when I put in my kitchen vegetable scraps (green)
@boahet I used 5 minute Epoxy
My son and I are constructing this far an extra credit project in his HS biology class. Thank you for such a detailed plan. I am really looking forward to churning out some awesome compost with this. Any person in SO. CA. area I found a recycled barrel seller in the City of Ontario who has about a gazillion barrels to choose from in the $10.00-$25.00 range…You’ll find them under Craig’s list ,Inland Empire, farm and garden category.
Again, my son and I thank you for such an awesome plan!!
This the best design I think I have seen anywhere. I want to make one but I can not get your plan and material list at the end of the video. Can you or anyone send it to me?
Excellent ! You have done a nice job of explaining your project. One of the best I have seen on YouTube. Thank you for the detail and drawings. What do you think about adding additional horizontal pipes to aid in stirring and aerating the compost?
Great video! I have one question for you . What kind of glue did you use to attach screen to the barrel and the flange? Thx
Ive seen a lot of these tumblers. And I have one question. Do you have to spin it daily? Im not sure I understand how thy work. What else is there to know for beginners. Thanks
Depends if you can get a free barrel. ~$75 if you have to pay for the barrel and around $50 if you don’t. Also if you make more than one the costs go down a little bit because you don’t have left over wasted material.
Depends if you can get a free barrel. ~$75 if you have to pay for the barrel and around $50 if you don’t. Also if you make more than one the costs go down a little bit because you don’t have left over wasted material.
So I am in the process of making one. A few questions. I got the 3/4″ galvanized pipe and it is exactly 1″ in OD, so it does not want to go through the 1″ holes I drilled in the wood. Any ideas on how to open those holes just a bit more so the axle fits through?? Also a few comments on the pdf plans. I think you only need one 3″ closet flange.
I am going to make a Lowes Item list for others that want to make one when I’m done.
how much would all the materials cost me? and can a women put it together or will i need my husband?
Thank you.
not hard to make . barrels are hard to find