Comments on: How to build a $15 shipping pallet compost bin

By: Final Garden Update « NothingButKnit

Final Garden Update « NothingButKnit — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 13:35:11 +0000

[...] most successful part of our backyard garden is the compost. The instructions we used to build it is here. We dumped all the garden waste, kitchen scraps and lawn clipping in. Liz even put some of her lawn [...]

By: Debmom4ca

Debmom4ca — Sun, 24 Jul 2011 05:47:33 +0000

A friend of mine has had a pallet bin for years. She has run re-bar through it part way up. As the material breaks down it falls through the grid and is easier to get at.

By: David

David — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 23:03:45 +0000

You have that many think about taking them apart and using the wood. Lot more work but a much better product!

By: David

David — Tue, 19 Jul 2011 23:01:21 +0000

Another alternative is to dissasemble the pallets for the wook, if you have the time and energy! Get several free wood pallets from a number of places that give them away. The wood is not all that good and taking them apart is a job but worth the end product. I made my compost bin 3′ wide so instead of trying to take the nails out of the ends of the pallet I ran my skillsaw up both ends freeing all but the center support then carefully pried up each of the good slats and discarded the damaged ones. I also kept the 2″X4″s. Lots of work and you need to take these apart in an area that you can clean the extracted nails up.
I had a lot of other scrap wood around so these salvaged pallets served as side slats and door framing. I built a 6′ wide by 3′ deep by 4′ tall bin with a center divider. I spaced the slats 3/4″ on the bottem and 1 1/2″ on the sides. I have not used it much yet but if too much falls through I will just tack wire mesh over the slats.
Lots of work to use scrap lumber but if you make it 6′ wide and 3′ deep it seems you can usually find lots of scraps to build one cheap. I just used anything I could find and when it rots, I will build another. The wood and nails would have cost at least $300 so I am ahead no matter what. The only downside is there is lots of work sorting, measuring, planning and cutting from scraps, not to mention the work taking old nails out of pallets etc.
Get as much wood and sort it before you start, might need to make some adjustments on size!

By: reusing wooden shipping pallets « saving chicago

reusing wooden shipping pallets « saving chicago — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 22:03:06 +0000

[...] that garden I hope to have, I will need a compost bin and now I know how to build [...]