The Cottage Smallholder
stumbling self sufficiency in a small space
Log In
Register
Home
Topic RSS
1:09 pm
Enthusiast
New members
Sat 12-Jun-10
Offline
Has anybody tried making a compost tumbler from an empty oil drum? I am guessing that it would need ventilation holes but is it a question of..... less is best or more l'amour?
The more people I meet, the more I love my animals!
7:25 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
Offline
Hadn't thought of that. Just a problem with the oil residues I would have thought. 
7:49 pm
Councillor
New members
Wed 12-May-10
Offline
been mulling this over for a while got two thought trains so far the wind powered constant turn type with a spiral inside to move the compost through the drums or a solar powered 12v with a timer to give 1 or 2 turns a day either way ventilation would have to be at the ends because of the sive effect as the drum rolls, mechanics are quite easy its getting the through flow rite that's the hard part ,recon you would need 3 or 4 drums in line to get the volume to make it worth while MOS
sit down with a cupa and the urge will subside
5:19 am
Enthusiast
New members
Sat 12-Jun-10
Offline
oill drums are cheap to buy here and seem to be cleaned already. I was thinking of putting them on end supports with a spindle and simple handle( bit like a spit roast) and then rotating them once a day but it is getting the right ventilation that is stumping me. I will have to start with a few holes and then add more if those are not enough. All trial and error here which makes life interesting.
The more people I meet, the more I love my animals!
6:30 am
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
Offline
Certainly sounds like a good idea SandyC, let us know how you get on with it.
Would solar power be enough to rotate a drum of compost MOS, it would be fairly heavy wouldn't it?
8:08 am
Supreme Being
New members
Mon 7-Jun-10
Offline
Now not for me to say this...but it all sounds rather complicated. Can't you just get one of the locals to turn it over for you on a regular basis or are you just bored out there....and looking out of the box in a creative fashion.
I'm trying to design a portable rotavator for my potting bench at the moment...with MOS' help of course....
the one I have is too big for the pots....but I suppose I could just get bigger pots...
Who lives long sees much : The diary of my life in Bulgaria
8:53 am
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
Offline
I am getting confused with what you mean by rotavator, maybe I missed a post. A rotavator is for the garden to save digging, or so I thought but are you talking about a rotating table or something? Not hard to confuse me 
10:11 am
Councillor
New members
Wed 12-May-10
Offline
Hi sandy C sorry i got a bit complicated hand ones are quite simple just put steel rod through the center and cut a door in the side with good latch dont cut holes in it get a sharp axe and put lots of horizontal slots then the compost dosent fall out so much also put some house bricks in with the compost and as you turn it breaks up the fibers MOS .
sit down with a cupa and the urge will subside
11:19 am
Supreme Being
New members
Mon 7-Jun-10
Offline
JoannaS said:
I am getting confused with what you mean by rotavator, maybe I missed a post. A rotavator is for the garden to save digging, or so I thought but are you talking about a rotating table or something? Not hard to confuse me
Sorry JoannaS this is all MOS fault. He thought I was going to use a rotavator for my potting bench.....so I thought I would play along with it...hence the bigger pots.
You go back to your composter and I'll stick with my rotavator....OK....(but do you know where I could buy a small one for a potting bench)...
Who lives long sees much : The diary of my life in Bulgaria
12:27 pm
Supreme Being
Mon 21-Sep-09
Offline
Arrhh thank you! There are times I doubt my sanity on this forum. I guess that is why I fit right in 
I think the one your looking for ep is called a trowel
1:55 pm
Councillor
New members
Wed 12-May-10
Offline
JoannaS said:
Certainly sounds like a good idea SandyC, let us know how you get on with it.
Would solar power be enough to rotate a drum of compost MOS, it would be fairly heavy wouldn't it?
HI joanna solar power should do this easy, put it into a battery and use an electric window motor geared to the rim or the drum via a belt,should take aprox 70 80 secomds to rotate and if you time it to rotate in the afternoon the battery will have plenty of time to charge before ,and time to recover before next days charge .did similar system for a dryer, that drum was 7 ft long and rotated 3 times a day and had a solar fan to push air through MOS
sit down with a cupa and the urge will subside
5:55 pm
Supreme Being
New members
Mon 7-Jun-10
Offline
Sorry JoannaS...needs as needs must...I'm currently trying to modify a food processor so leave me to my senilic jousting. Life can be boring in them there hills with nothing to ponder on......oh the possibilities
I need to do something to cope with the maths at the bottom of every page
Who lives long sees much : The diary of my life in Bulgaria
6:07 pm
Councillor
New members
Wed 12-May-10
Offline
just ask joanna she knows maths she did my sq route question 
sit down with a cupa and the urge will subside
6:21 pm
Supreme Being
New members
Mon 7-Jun-10
Offline
MOS said:
just ask joanna she knows maths she did my sq route question
Noooo...do they get more difficult the higher up the ladder you go.....I've got to stop posting
Who lives long sees much : The diary of my life in Bulgaria
7:34 pm
Councillor
New members
Wed 12-May-10
Offline
so far ive had sq route of 675 and largest prime no below 3,456. its the long devision ones that get me ,and you have to show the working out
this one is 674.55 devided by 44.55 think ile regester again and get some simple one's MOS
sit down with a cupa and the urge will subside
Most Users Ever Online: 767
Currently Online:
39 Guest(s)
Currently Browsing this Page:
1 Guest(s)
Top Posters:
brightspark: 10532
danast: 10232
Aly: 9516
Sooliz: 8084
Hattie: 6920
Ambersparkle: 6699
JoannaS: 4800
Terrier: 4518
eileen54: 4424
Hannah: 4231
Member Stats:
Guest Posters: 10
Members: 16140
Moderators: 2
Admins: 2
Forum Stats:
Groups: 6
Forums: 25
Topics: 2271
Posts: 123052
Newest Members:
lynnmarie, Yelsy, Janice, xxtabsxx, Nician, SqueakyModerators: Toffeeapple: 16337, AdminTA: 10
Administrators: fn: 333, Danny: 5516
Copyright © 2006-2012 Cottage Smallholder Our Privacy Policy Advertise on Cottage Smallholder
