Compact Compost Turner

[terryjc]

Has anyone tried to build a compact compost turner of approximate dims 36-40" wide x 24-30" high. I like the look of the Frontier but it is too big and cost too great for me. I have been turning wood chips, leaves, grass and horse manue into compost with great success but turning with pitchfork is now taking to long and demanding on my body. I have a basic concept of frame to mount 30 gallon barrell on side with right angle gearbox under frame turning six inch tube with 6-8" tynes on center converging auger pattern enclosed in a 36" long tunnel of dimensions above. If the wife gives me some help I'll try to upload a short video tonight to YouTube to show my stacks.

 

[CBW1999]

Try looking on you tube- I've found videos of all sorts of homemade equipment.

 

[hddnis]

Low Cost 3 pt. Compost Turner - YouTube


Here is a simple and effective idea that can be scaled to whatever size you need. You have to watch the video all the way through, it does show fairly good detail, mixed in with him talking about his grape operation as a whole.


Mr. HE

 

[Carl_NH]

As far as making compost I have been doing shredded leaf composting for a number of years - I mix some old compost with the new shredded leaves then add some 10-10-10 fertilizer and last year used horse manure mixed in.

Its about a 12 yard pile which I turn over with the FEL by dragging the top of the pile down and then scooping in the sides to the middle. I do this 2 times over the winter then in the spring add some more manure or a bag of fertilizer mix it up well and cover it with a tarp to cook. THe temp gets up to 150 or so for about a week or two then it starts to cool down. The temp kills most of the weed seeds.

At this point I just let it cook most of the summer without turning and then use to top dress beds and lawn. Turning is not really that necessary as long as the materials are well mixed and not too coarse and have a good mix of nitrogen to carbon.

So back to your question, why not use your tractor and FEL to do this instead of another tool?

Carl

 

[terryjc]

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately I don't have a FEL otherwise I would have used it. Because I have a number of trees I have lots of prunings and chipping/shredding them is a great way to reduce there size. Wood chips give a good balance to compost with green material but the piles require weekly turning to allow oxygen in to break down the chips. I gave away a lot of the compost last year and those that recieved it were plenty pleased, so much so some have offered to bring there leaves and prunings to help my feed stock. I have passed on this until the time I can mechanize.

 

[Carl_NH]

Terry,

Well without an FEL that limits your options. Another option is to get a $100-200 used rototiller and run thru the pile every few weeks would be easier than a fork but you still need to mound it up again.

 

[charlz]

I use my 3pt tiller to back into the pile and mix it up. This also knocks it down pretty flat so I wet it down and pile it back up. You don't have a loader but do you have a backblade that you could flip around to help restack the pile?

 

[3238dpw]

I use my front loader mounted tiller on my power trac. I can roll back all the way and it works similar to the compost turners That is what my Avitar is a picture of. Works great

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Ditto on using the front end loader. I wonder if you would be money and time ahead instead of building a dedicated tool if you invested in a fel that would have countless uses. For my uses there is no reason to have a tractor if it did not have a fel.