best worm bins avaiable

[Bullfrog44]

You guys think it is worth my time to make a step by step guide to building one of these? If it doesn't rain today I will throw it together after work.

 

[h.h.]

I certainly wouldn't mind seeing the details, though it looks somewhat self explanatory.
My concern would be with the end cross member. Looks like it's getting a little wet.

 

[Bullfrog44]

care to explain a little further hh? What cross member are you talking about? The 2x4 that spans the middle of the box at the top?

 

[h.h.]

You're last picture on post #270. The 2X shows a slight bit of stain.
Ordinarily I wouldn't comment as I don't expect most bins to hold up. It looks as if yours may last a number of years, long enough for that to become a weak point. Something a small piece of flashing might help prolong.
I'm probably just being overcritical.
I could see putting more support underneath where the leg braces are, and sizing it to fit a large mud tray. Get a little crazy and build a rabbit pen over the top. A couple of guinea pigs for the kids or something.

 

[Microbeman]

You guys think it is worth my time to make a step by step guide to building one of these? If it doesn't rain today I will throw it together after work.

I was thinking if I built one, I might be inclined to use 1/2 inch mesh on the bottom and nevermind the initial cardboard.

 

[blackosprey]

I just use a basic rubbermaid bin, 20 Gallon I think, and drilled holes in the sides and bottom. I keep it elevated off the ground so the worms at the bottom do not try escaping through the bottom holes (they try, see sunlight, and go back in). I keep feed only fresh fruit and veggie scraps, or anything that is going bad, newspaper (very minimal amounts), coffee grounds,horse manure and very little chicken manure, and egg shells. I've run this setup for two years now, and the castings turn out very nice (I hand separate worms from castings every 3-4 months). I've never used any type of bedding material, and haven't seen a need for it. Worms seem happy and helathy.

So, on to the questions----is there anything that waste material you can think that I should add into my mix?
What's up with molasses? I add molasses to my gardens as it is, would adding to the bin cause overkill?
does anyone have experience using spent grains from a brewery in their bins? There is a local brew pup that I was thinking about contacting to take some of this waste off their hands. Any advice or experience using this?
Thanks

 

[ShroomDr]

I would love to see pics Bulldog, its not that i need them, but they would be nice to add to the site.

Personally, i think the 'best' worm bin is your first worm bin , and if that is just a $4 on-discount-because-it-is-left-over-from-christmas-bin, it is the best. Just get one started.

Blackosprey, you can add your shredded bills/mail. I just dont shred glossy things, and i remove the clear plastic windows beforehand.

Id just hold off on the molasses, especially if you add it 'later'; the reason people add dolomite lime isnt necessarily for its CaMg, its for its pH buffering ability; thats really the only amendment i know that can work for both MJ and worms.

 

[Bullfrog44]

You're last picture on post #270. The 2X shows a slight bit of stain.
Ordinarily I wouldn't comment as I don't expect most bins to hold up. It looks as if yours may last a number of years, long enough for that to become a weak point. Something a small piece of flashing might help prolong.
I'm probably just being overcritical.
I could see putting more support underneath where the leg braces are, and sizing it to fit a large mud tray. Get a little crazy and build a rabbit pen over the top. A couple of guinea pigs for the kids or something.

It's actually not a stain, it is where my brush couldn't reach when I was painting it from above. It is just bare wood. This time I fixed that problem by painting my lumber ahead of time.

You are correct however, any spot that isn't painted and back primed is a weak spot. On my new bin I built today I painted all sides and cuts, and then caulked all my seams inside and out. Tomorrow I will put one more coat of paint on to hide the caulk, and she should be weather tight.

 

[Bullfrog44]

This new bin is looking tits. Anybody still say tits?

 

[h.h.]

This new bin is looking tits. Anybody still say tits?

Every chance I get.

 

[mad librettist]

yes!

shit piss fuck **** cocksucker motherfucker and tits!


edit: lol! the forum allows every of the 7 dirty words except c-u-n-t


George Carlin, RIP!

 

[h.h.]

yes!

shit piss fuck **** cocksucker motherfucker and tits!


edit: lol! the forum allows every of the 7 dirty words except c-u-n-t


George Carlin, RIP!

I'm allowed 6 words myself. I tried using the 7th word once, but it just wasn't worth it.

 

[Bullfrog44]

The only time I have ever been slapped by a women was when I used that seventh word........I still mean every letter of it.

 

[Bullfrog44]

So I have a question.......If I add composted chicken or steer manure in my worm bin can that still heat up my bin? I know the composting process is what heats up, but can already composted material have the same effect?

 

[Bullfrog44]

bump?

 

[blackosprey]

it should do minimal heating, nothing to get worried about.
And yes, I say ( . Y . ) every chance I get.

 

[Bullfrog44]

lol, it took me a second to figure out what ( . Y . ) was, lol.

Thanks for the info.

Another question everybody, if I have 8,000 worms, how much food should they eat a week? I just set up my bin so they should take a while to eat through all the initial food, but I was thinking of adding more compost. I guess I should just add the food and see what happens.

 

[Microbeman]

V

 

[blackosprey]

lol, it took me a second to figure out what ( . Y . ) was, lol.

Thanks for the info.

Another question everybody, if I have 8,000 worms, how much food should they eat a week? I just set up my bin so they should take a while to eat through all the initial food, but I was thinking of adding more compost. I guess I should just add the food and see what happens.

It's easier to figure this out by weight of the worms themselves, instead of total count. I've read that well fed, healthy worms can eat half their body weight in a day. So, if you have 1 pound of worms (.45kg for the rest of the world), the worms can process a half pound of food per day, or 3.5 pounds (1.5kg)per week.

 

[mad librettist]

It's easier to figure this out by weight of the worms themselves, instead of total count. I've read that well fed, healthy worms can eat half their body weight in a day. So, if you have 1 pound of worms (.45kg for the rest of the world), the worms can process a half pound of food per day, or 3.5 pounds (1.5kg)per week.

in the real world this does not work, because worms eat the same castings over and over again.

worms don't in my experience, eat half their weight in SCRAPS per day, even if they are consuming half their weight in food.