Friday, November 5, 2010
How to make free compost bins!
Last week the hubs and I went to a mom and pop hardware store to look for pectin and canning lids. It's impossible to find these supplies here in Staten Island, the big box stores don't carry it. I saw a circular advertising some canning supplies as Doody Home Center, a family owned hardware / home center. I love giving business to local family businesses. When we got there, I bought canning lids, but they didn't sell pectin. (sigh) I guess I'll have to order it online. The trip was not a wasted one though, when we were walking to our car, I saw in the corner of my eye, that they had wooden pallets. I looked over to the hubs and said, I wonder if we could ask them if we could have these? He gave me this look like, "Oh no, not another one of your ideas!" I said 2 words, "compost bin". He just smiled and begrudgingly said "Um... Oh... okay". LOL! What he puts up with! So we did, we asked the guys at the loading dock, and they said, sure, take the ones by the dumpster. Score!! We piled 4 pallets into our car and brought them home. We decided to use them to make a compost bin for leaves and grass clippings.
Okay, so the pallets were not "pretty". They were very used and beaten up looking but who cares, it's usable and is only going to hold organic material. The hubs helped me drill the pieces together.
He had to cut some notches in the wood to fit the drill in.
This is what it looks like done. We didn't put a door on it yet, the last pallet we got was too short to fit as a door, so we'll have to keep an eye out for another pallet that we can get for free. It's not the prettiest looking compost bin, but it will definitely work!!
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Your hubby did a nice job on the compost bin!! I can't believe that you have a hard time finding canning supplies there. Every grocery store here carries canning supplies.
ReplyDeleteI love pallet bins, they are perfect for air circulation too! Nice score!
ReplyDeleteThe operative word was free. Free stuff is good!
ReplyDeleteGood for you! Pallet bins work really well, but sadly don't last but a few years before rotting. If you can find some more, i'd definitely get some extras for later. Have you thought about just putting some boards across the front?
ReplyDeletemeems girl that is PERFECT ! .. well as soon as you get the other pallet for the door .. but still PERFECT ! that is a great idea .. if I had the room I would seriously consider that idea .. and free ? also another PERFECT ! haha
ReplyDeleteSorry about the squirrels and your veggies .. that would annoy me too .. they truly are rascally buggers ! LOL
Joy : )
Your grocery stores don't carry pectin?? I've seen pectin in stores even when they don't carry canning jars. Just saw some at a super Target, I think it was the baking aisle.
ReplyDeleteNice job on building your own compost bin!
I love repurposing stuff that would of ended up in a landfill into something useful. :)
ReplyDeleteWatch out using pallets, unless you are certain what they were used for in their previous life. Some pallets are used to transport cans and barrels of caustic chemicals which can break and contaminate or soak into the wood.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea, we have extra pallets that come with the bags of wood pelets we buy...perhaps I should put them to good use.
ReplyDeleteGreat idea...I love reusing things!
ReplyDeleteNice compost bins! I can't really tell from your pictures, but the pallets do not look like they're made from treated lumber. Which is a good thing, Like Jezibels says, any chemical found in the wood can leach into the compost. If you get a really hot compost, the bacteria may break them down, but in any case, the compost should not be used on food crops. So a word to the wise, if you are using re-purposed wood for a compost bin, make sure it is not treated lumber.
ReplyDeleteAlso, I know I' just repeating what others have already said but, your grocery store doesn't have pectin? I've only been to Staten Island once, but there were all those little shops along that street leading up from the ferry, doesn't any of them have pectin?
This looks great! I think I've said this before, but your hubby is a great sport. Fall - a great time for collecting leaves to put in your new bin!
ReplyDeleteBtw - I drew your name for the GTTC contest. you're a winner, yay! Can you e-mail me at wkspray at gmail dot com. Send me your mailing address too. Have a good weekend!
Nope, I've never seen a grocery stores in Staten Island carry pectin. I even asked a clerk once and they looked at me puzzled. They said, what's pectin. :(
ReplyDeleteI never thought of the possibility of chemicals being in the pallets. I was all excited for you in finding a use for them. I wonder if you need a fourth side for them. You could use the space to get in there to work.
ReplyDelete...and then after the walk and balcony clean-up, I'm coming back to your blog to catch up on posts. Good stuff!
ReplyDelete