Topic: Organising the compost

[antipodes]

My composter got destroyed in a storm and my allotment association has some leftover ones, which they have offered to me. They are just a wooden box, open to the elements. The one I had before was covered and had an opening at the bottom to get the done compost out. My question is, how do I harvest the compost from this kind of composter?
It's similar to this:
http://www.greenfingers.com/superstore/product.asp?dept_id=200337&pf_id=DS0263D

I was wondering, as I build it do you think I can somehow add a flap so I can access the compost that is done? Or I was thinking I could add a vertical divider, leaving a small space, and I could lift the divider and empty the bottom layer into the space. I just fail to see how you can successfully harvest compost from a bin like that?

On the bright side, I am going to move the bin and use the old space for this year's squash and cucumbers!!!

[goodlife]

Those composters are ok but I would line it with big sheet of cardboard as with so big gaps between the bits of wood  the composting can be bit uneven.
As for access each piece of wood just either lock into place or slide into groove into  corner posts..depending of the model..but nothing complicated.
If you have 4 pallets spare you can make your own that doesn't take anymore time to put together than already made model.
Nail 3 pallets together..or even tie together, the 4th one being the opening front. It is up to you then how sophisticated 'door' you want to make..I've even just place the 4th pallet on place and leaned rock and stake against it to keep it in place..once it comes to emptying its easy just take the whole pallet off.
...either way....they take quite lot of filling and I find they work best if not divided..with just 3 more pallets you can make it into double one.. ;)

[Ian Pearson]

I agree. Build two, or even three bins. Fill one, then leave it while you fill the second. It takes more effort to set up, but is then much less trouble to manage once it is up and running.

[antipodes]

In the end, I couldn't get the wooden one they had offered so I took a big black dalek instead. Has a b*ggar of a time building the d**n thing on my own! But now it's up it seems OK. It has several doors for harvesting which is great. I took apart the old box, the birds went mad around it! They must have a nose for the insects in there! There is a big pile of ready compost there, next week I will take some for potting and start to spread the rest on the beds.
 I put a wheelbarrow full of non composted stuff in the new box, there is still a bagful to go on. My arms hurt like billy-ho this morning! I've not really room for several bins, as I only have a small plot.