My step-son and daughter in law purchased a house from her mother and in the basement was a old chest type freezer. They needed it hauled off and I saw a new worm bin in the making! What more to ask for (other than it is U G L Y, plan on painting it when it gets warmer) a complete box that is insulated just needed some help.
First off with my hubby helping and advising I cut a hole all the way through the bottom front in order to be able to pull castings out as they fall or harvest.
Next we leveled out a spot for the cinder blocks so the freezer will be elevated off the ground. Hopefully this will help in keeping the bottom from rusting out too soon.
The next part was all about measuring the insides carefully so I could build the frame for the bars.
Here are pictures showing what I did to the inside of the freezer. Not sure if the elevated/sloped section over the shelf will work or not in the long run, only time will tell.
I am planning on keeping the top held open with 2 x 4 blocks of wood and then also with the bottom open this will create enough airflow for the bin.
CFT’s take about 6 months once they are started up before they will either self harvest for you or you can use a garden fork to gently scrape between the bars to release the castings.
The main factor in starting one of these bins is a very very thick bottom you create first. If your bottom is too thin it will harvest too soon. I always start with at least one and a half inches of layered cardboard and then at least 10 to 12 layers of newspaper on top of the bars.
CFT’s are easiest bins I have worked with so far. I love how they work and how you can fit them in anywhere inside or outside.
If you are interested in building a flow through bin then visit Bentley’s site for the plans here:
http://www.redwormcomposting.com/vermbin-series-plans-package/
at just $17 for the plans it is a definite bargain. I have built two of these bins myself and I am always wanting to build another one.
