Wheelie Bin Composter

This blog details what I did to make a compost bin from a disused wheelie bin. My motivation was wanting to recycle garden and vegetable waste but not wanting to spend money on an expensive compost bin from the hardware store. I happened to have an unused wheelie bin taking up space in the garage and it seemed like a fine vessel for the job.

The blog-post has step by step descriptions and photos showing the transformation from wheelie bin to compost bin. However, it is not a set of instructions because wheelie bin styles vary and personal preferences may dictate doing things a different way. You are encouraged to comment and share your ideas and experiences of your own wheelie bin composter experience. In time, I will add other posts about the results (the compost, hopefully) and it would be great to see yours too.

To be honest I don’t have a single green finger in any of the ten I possess, so, gardening, weeding and composting are all on a bit of a steep learning curve for me. Still I will persevere!

Now for the disclaimer:

This blog exists because I thought my experience may be of use to others. However, I take no responsibility for your interpretation of my experiences. If you do decide to make your own wheelie bin composter you should observe the following points:

Make sure you own the wheelie bin! The author of this blog does not condone using a wheelie bin provided for the collection of trash, or any other purpose, where the wheelie bin is, effectively, loaned to you.

It may be necessary for you to reuse or acquire additional parts for this project! Always use parts that are suited to the job they will be doing and do not imperil anybody or the correct functioning of other equipment by improper use or reuse of parts.

Safety first! If you undertake a project like this you will need to use a variety of tools and it is entirely your responsibility to ensure your own safety and that of others who may be involved, either passively or actively, in any way.

Now, thank you for visiting and, please, enjoy this blog.

Step 1: The Parts List

Description:
Wheelie bin, metal grid, two cabinet hinges, nine air vents. The tap and the tube of adhesive were returned to the store as they were not used. Various nuts and bolts and a door knob (not shown).

Purpose:
The minimum requirements to make the composter.

Tip:
Design the composter first and obtain the parts you require before building as this saves time hunting down parts or going to the store multiple times.

Comments

[AndiGail]

The round white things used for vents are actually floor drain covers. They are in the plumbing section of your Lowes, Best Buy, etc.

I love your Composter. I have a couple of extra trash containers on wheels here that I am going to try to build one of these, with a few modifications. I have been studying the need for worms and think I have a solution for the problem. I also live in Texas, but near the coast so you know how hot and humid it gets down here. I do have a shady yard so that will help. Also, painting the bin white to reflect the sun will help I think.

I also think that by cutting a section out of the bottom and using hardware cloth it will allow the composted dirt to escape and insects to enter and leave as they choose. I also think that by cutting some larger square holes near the top and putting hardware cloth there too, it will allow small flying insects in to do their work. Luckily, I have a large yard and can put my bin under a shade tree away from the house so that natural composting can occur without odor and insect issues. I have used an open wire system for years and turned it with rakes, shovels, hoes or whatever other tool was handy. At my age, however, I am looking for ways to cut down on some of the work so what energy I do have can be used for planting and harvesting....For your composter, I am thinking about a way to turn the contents or at least stir it....I though about just turning it upside down or on its side once a week and letting the insects work on it from the side and various angles... This would be the easiest way to handle it if you have help moving it around and back upright. Many of us do not have help though. I also thought of finding a large commercial dough hook from a Hobart mixer and fastening it to a large metal rod that could be turned with a variable speed drill or some kind of crank system. I will leave the construction of the stirrer to you guys, those ideas just came to me as I was reading your post......Thanks so much for the great idea. I shared it with my friends on Pinterest and Facebook.

[PicRic]

Hi AndiGail.

Thanks for the comments. You have some good ideas. Do you have fire ants down there? Do you think they might take over the composter? I like the mixing idea. I keep coming back to thinking about an archimedes screw that would bring up the compost from the bottom and spread it at the top. Even with a drill though, I think it might be hard to turn when there is a lot of material in there. Simplest ideas are often the best though so turning the bin over is probably the easiest solution, in the short term at least.

[bookemdano50]

Where did you get the White vent covers, what were they called?

[PicRic]

Hi bookemdano50. I got them from the local hardware store. They are either air vents or drain covers, I think.

[diy_bloke]

interesting. I have a 'green' wheelie bin that is meant to collect compostable stuff and then being picked up by the city, but I just use it for composting myself coz the city actually charges me for it.
problem is that I cannot modify it coz no doubt that would be a huge crime and I'd be send off to Gitmo.
So I just throw in everything green and add water. maybe will not be true composting but it will rot and yeast (but no bad smells) and gives excellent enrichment for the soil. It even works in winter time as the bin is always ice and snow free, so something must be warming it up.

Nevertheless, if i had my private wheelie bin, your instructable sure would be a good way to go

[PicRic]

What do your city do with their old/damaged wheelie bins? Maybe you can blag or buy a used one to turn into a composter.

[diy_bloke]

good idea, but tried that and no one knows who wld be responsible for selling them :-)
The ones that collect old bins dont dare to give them away as they all have a chip and the ones that would be able to decide dont know who should give me a bin :-)

[PicRic]

Sounds like a bureaucratic nightmare .. Craigslist maybe?

[diy_bloke]

Wecome in Holland:
I have two plastic compostors, not on wheel sbut OK. I use my green wheelie bin unmodified. I just let scraps rot in there with a lod of water. From time to time I scopp of the water and it is tremendeous for my plants

[Flegeance]

your design is fine you only need to add composting worms, and make your holes bigger in the bottom to allow the worm compost to fall though.

[PicRic]

When I built the Wheelie Bin Composter I was living in Dallas, TX and I did not fancy the worms chances in the 100 degree plus summers. However, I emptied the composter to move it and there was some great compost in there but only in the center of the bin. Now I am living in Washington and getting ready to recommission the Wheelie Bin Composter and I do intend to add some worms. I need to figure out an easy way to turn the material too so that more gets composted. Any ideas?

[Flegeance]

PicRIc Look up pass Through Worm Bin on Youtube. The worms eat everything (except no meat/fat or citcrits) and make the best compost you can find. Red Wigglers eat their body wieght in one day. As long as you have enough worms the compost will not stink either.

I just found this sight it it great for what you want to do. http://vermicomposters.ning.com/forum/topics/diy-flow-through-bins-a?id=2094123%3ATopic%3A41256

[PicRic]

Thanks, Flegeance. Plenty of tips and tricks there.

PS Let me know how you get on with building a MIG welder ... That will be very interesting!

[Flegeance]

By the way earthworms would eat the meat, The issue is it will stink while they are processing it. Citrus burns their skin.

[canemaker49]

Green thumb or not, you present a great instructable. For whatever reasons someone might have, the compost is portable. Not just in the yard but if you move. Nice job!!

[PicRic]

Thanks, canemaker49.

[tim_n]

PicRic - a really nice build, but I'm unsure how effective it would be. Generally compost bins are open at the bottom to allow the natural soil bacteria, worms etc to get in. You're relying on heat and bacteria in the food to break down the food - which it will do - but you'll generally find you'll build up in flies etc that will come in on the food. The resulting 'compost' will not be mixed, will be quite sludgy and not a brown rich mix as you'd get out of a traditional bin.

This could work however with a few design changes such as filling the bottom cavity up with a few rocks into a wormery, but then it couldn't be left out in the sun and would need to be in shade!

Good effort, perhaps in a few months you could show us the resulting compost and put me to shame if I'm wrong!

[PicRic]

Hi tim_n

You might well be right. I am still trying to grow my green fingers.

I don't plan on any changes at this stage because I want to see what the results are like from this set up. If it is not very effective then I will make some changes. Yes, I will be adding an update on the compost results in time.

[tim_n]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-Compost-Bin-From-a-Wheelie-Bin/

In the comments the author notes that it didn't get sludgy, but it did compress down and would work better upside down - but no mention of worms etc!

[scoochmaroo]

Great build! This is definitely something I'd want for my home.

[PicRic]

Thanks scoochmaroo. Glad you like it and it would be great to see your wheelie bin composter when you build it.