Weekend Project - Build a Composter

Our Landscaping timber composter at work.

Supplies:
27 - 8 ft landscaping timbers
6 - 4ft long x 1/2 inch rebar
1 Roll landscaping fabric and galvanized roofing nails (optional)
Total price in Oct 11 - $97.00

Tools:
Drill
5/8 spade drill bit
Hammer
Tape Measure
Saw (to cut timbers in half)

1. Cut 11 of the landscaping timbers in half, making 22 - 4 ft long pieces.

2. Measure 2" from the end of each of these timbers and mare in the center of the timber's width.

3. Using a 5/8" wood spade drill bit, drill half-way through the timber. Do this for three half-length timbers. These will be the base of the composter. Set them to the side.

4. Mark the remaining timbers for drilling. Short timbers should be marked and drilled 2" inches from the end and centered from side to side. Long timbers should be marked and drilled similarly on the ends, but will also need a hole drilled in the middle for the dividing wall.

5. Lay out your three base timbers and place the rebar in the holes drilled half-way through. (not required, but consider placing on top of bricks or cinder blocks so you can get to the compost from the bottom of the composter. This will allow you room to shovel the compost from the bottom of the bin)

6. Place a long timber across the back, then one across the front. Use a hammer to knock the timbers down the rebar if necessary.

7. Check to make sure the base of the structure is square.

8. Continue to add pieces, log cabin-style, until complete.

9. (Optional) Cut lengths of landscaping cloth so they will reach from the top of the timbers to the bottom. Secure in place with galvanized roofing nails. (this is an after thought to my construction. The landscaping fabric will allow air to pass through, but will keep the compost from coming out from between the timbers.

Since you'll be drilling a lot of holes in the same place on each timber, consider making a jig that guide your drilling placement and keep it uniform. Here are some pictures of the simple jig I built for the project.

This is my end hole jig. I would slip this over the end of the timber and make sure the ends of both the timber and the jig were flush, then I'd drill.

This is the jig for the middle holes. I marked each long time at the 4' midway point, then placed the jig on the side of the timber to locate the hole.