Stackable compost bins

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by pebble, May 9, 2007.

  1. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    I have a set of stackable compost bins that are slightly rectangular and fit into each other easily.

    A friend and I tried building some for her, but found when we tried to put them together they didn't fit into each other easily (or get out of each other).

    Here's the plan we used (we adapted the sizes a bit) which makes a square bin:

    https://www.gardenorganic.org.uk/factsheets/gg24.php

    We ended up using nails (which is how mine are built). But we couldn't figure out how to make them so that the peg legs would fit easily into the next 'round' given that they are right in the corners (not sure how to explain that except that it looked straight forward until we tried it).

    Anyone made this kind of bin before? Got any tips? Or better instructions?

    thanks,
    pebble.
     
  2. Muddy

    Muddy Junior Member

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    I can see how you would get confused by the pictures shown. The corner pieces only come half way up the side boards so the peg leg above comes down in the corner above them. (now I've confused myself) If you make the peg leg a little longer than the gap left below, the boards will have a small gap allowing air to assist the compost. If you get what I mean. Sheeeesh??
     
  3. pebble

    pebble Junior Member

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    Sorry, I didn't explain that well. We did make the extended legs so that when you stack the rounds there is an air gap between layers.

    But the rounds are hard to get to fit together or pull apart because they are too tight* where the legs fit into the round below. We couldn't figure out how to make them looser as any round should fit into any other round either above or below.

    *if you imagine a square with the legs in each inside corner. You can't make the legs sit any further into the middle of the square, so it's a bit of a squeeze.
     
  4. cathy

    cathy Junior Member

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    Hi,

    I haven't made one of these, but looking at the instructions and reading your problem, I think I can see why the design sounds good but is tricky in reality. As you say the legs in the corners are tight up against the boards forming the edge of the round, so then when you push it into the round below, the legs jam in rather than slide easily.

    The only suggestion I can think of would be to add a spacer between the leg and the board - something like a piece of thin plywood. It would be the same size as one face of the leg, except that it would be shorter so it does not project below the board. Insert the spacer piece between the leg and each board then nail or screw the whole thing together just as in the instructions.

    Hope that makes sense and is helpful. If not, maybe someone else who has done one will have a better idea.

    Cheers
    Cathy
     

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