Wire Mesh Bin

     
wire mesh bin picture
     
  Wire mesh composting bins are versatile, inexpensive and easy to construct. They may be used as holding bins for composting moderate amounts of yard wastes or as turning systems for quick composting of larger volumes. Holding bins are a convenient way of composting yard wastes with little effort: Simply add wastes as they are cleaned up from the yard. With no effort besides occasional moistening compost will be ready in 6 months to 2 years. Attention to chopping materials, maintaining moisture by watering and covering piles with plastic, and occasional turning will produce compost in less time. The bin can be easily moved to turn piles or to harvest finished compost: Just undo latches, pull the mesh away from compost and set it up elsewhere. The pile may then be turned into the bin at its new location and compost can be removed from the bottom.
The circular and panel designs illustrated each have advantages. The circle bin may be made for under £10 from poultry wire or hardware cloth. Poultry wire is the least expensive material, however it quickly loses its shape with use, requiring support with posts and frequent replacement. For a slightly higher cost, hardware cloth creates a self supporting circle which is easier to manipulate and more durable. A panel unit offers a greater variety of uses. Panels may be added to enlarge the bin or create small bins for turning piles, and individual panels may be used for screening coarse materials from finished compost. A sturdy and attractive panel bin can be made with l6 gauge plastic coated wire mesh for under £20.
Materials:
Circle Bin (3-½ foot diameter)12-½ feet of 36" wide 1" poultry wire, or ½" hardware cloth, or 16 gauge plastic coated wire mesh.4 metal or plastic clips, or copper wire ties.3-4 four foot wooden or metal posts for poultry wire bins. Five-Panel Bin15 feet of 24" wide 12 to 16 guageplastic coated wire mesh, or½" hardware cloth.20 metal or plastic clips, or plastic coated copper wire ties.
TOOLS: Heavy duty wire or tin snips, pliers, hammer or metal file, work gloves.
Construction Details:
Circle Bin -
Roll out and cut 12-½ feet of poultry wire, hardware cloth or plastic coated wire mesh. If using poultry wire, roll back three to four inches at each end of cut piece to provide a strong clean edge which will be easy to latch and won't poke or snag. Set wire circle in place for compost pile and secure ends with clips or wire ties. Space wood or metal posts around perimeter inside wire circle. Pound posts firmly into the ground while tensing them against wire to provide support.
If using hardware cloth, trim ends flush with a cross wire to eliminate loose edges that may poke or scratch hands. Apply file to each wire along cut edge to ensure safer handling when opening and closing bins. Bend hardware cloth into circle and attach ends with clips or ties. Set bin in place for composting. Bins made with hardware cloth should be strong enough to stand alone without posts. Plastic coated wire mesh bins are made in the same manner, except that bending this heavier material into an even circular shape will require extra effort. Also, filing the wire ends may cause the plastic coating to tear. Striking the end of each wire with a hammer a few times will knock down any jagged edges.
Five-Panel Bin -
Cut five three-foot long sections of 24" wide wire mesh. Make cuts through middle of squares to leave ½" long wires sticking out along both cut edges. Choose a top and bottom for each panel, then use a pliers to bend over and tightly clamp each wire on the top edge. This provides protection against scraping arms when adding yard wastes to the bin. Wires along the bottom edge are left sticking out to grip the ground and provide rigidity