Portable Wood & Wire Composting Bin

    This portable bin provides a convenient way to compost moderate volumes of yard wastes with minimal labor. Yard wastes are simply added to the bin as they are generated. With no effort aside from occasional moistening, compost will be ready in 6 months to 2 years. Chopping or shredding the materials, maintaining adequate moisture by watering and covering with plastic or heavy fabric, and occasional turning of the materials will speed up the process of producing finished compost. Mixing fresh green with brown yard wastes will produce the best results.

    This bin is very versatile. It fits well in small spaces and may be used as either a yard waste holding bin or as a portable turning unit. The bin can be easily moved to turn piles or to harvest finished compost and begin building a new pile: Simply undo the latches, pull the sides apart and move it. Compost can then be turned into the bin at its new location, and finished compost can be removed from the bottom. It costs approximately $50 to build using new materials, or less if recycled materials are used.

CONSTRUCTION DETAILS:     Cut each 12-foot 2x4 into four 3-foot-long-pieces. Cut a ¾"-deep and 3 ½" -wide section out of each end (a total of 32 lap cuts). If using handsaw and chisel, cut ¾" down at the 3 ½" line (at A in accompanying diagram). Then cut a ½"-deep groove in the end of the board (at B in the diagram). Place a thick wood chisel in the end groove and split the wood with a hammer to the 3 ½" cut. If using a radial arm saw, circular saw or table saw, set blade depth to ¾" and make multiple passes until the whole section is removed. Use wood chisel to create a smooth surface.
	Make four 3-foot square frames from the lap-jointed 2x4s. Use one pressure-treated 2x4 on each frame. Use enough construction adhesive to fill the gaps when the lap joints are screwed together. Fasten each joint with four screws.
Cut the hardware cloth with tin snips into four 3-foot square sections. Bend the edges of the cloth back over 1" for strength. Lay one piece onto each of the four frames. Center and tack each corner with a poultry wire staple. Place a staple every 4" along all four edges of the hardware cloth. Try to tension the cloth so it will not sag when filled with compost.     Connect each pair of frames together with two hinges. Make sure each panel has a pressure-treated piece on the bottom. Then put the hook-and-eye gate latches on the other ends so that the sections latch together.