
Thomas Arey has contributed 12 projects to the pages of MAKE over the years, the majority of them having to do with salvaging parts and using reclaimed materials. His latest offering is the modest but clever Trash Can Composter, repurposing the trash can itself. Commercial composting canisters can be expensive, but spend an hour or less drilling holes in an old trash can, and you can compost to your heart’s content.
From the pages of MAKE Volume 31:
The maker movement is making science exciting again. Just as punk rock took music back from the supergroups and big studios, “punk scientists” are making inexpensive new tools to conduct real experiments in garages, schools, and hackerspaces. In MAKE Volume 31, you’ll learn how to make DIY laboratory equipment, create high-voltage sparks from falling water, control a cockroach electronically, get started in biotech, and more.










Very interesting, but one of the common features of a commercial composter is some means to stir the compost. Without that, especially in a dry climate, the exterior compost will often simply dry out rather than rot. Turning a compost bin by hand with a pitchfork is a rather nasty and messy chore.
Thebes – that was my first thought as well, then I realized it’s a trash can. It has a nice handle on top and a recess on the bottom for gripping and with some creative bungee cording, the lid can stay on while you carefully tip it over, end over end.
Pingback: How-To: Trash Can Composter - Home & Garden Radio
// What's Trending
Raspberry Pi Design Contest
Dad Builds Son an Iron Man Arc Reactor
Seventeen Sneaky Secret Hides
What to do with an 800 Lb Eucalyptus Slab
Teardrop Camper Trailer
10 Things to Connect to Your Raspberry Pi
Lego Steampunk Strandbeest Model
80-Ruxpin Art Installation
// What's Shared
A better way to slice a pumpkin
DIY Nerf Darts
100 Dollar Store Organization Ideas for Craft Rooms and Beyond
In the Maker Shed: Minty Boost USB Charger
Mad’s Mouse House
Lace Princess Crowns
I Have a (Puzzling) Dream
Play the Rings of a Tree Trunk Like a Record
// Most Commented
Plastic Bags into Plastic Blocks: Revisited
10 Hot New Boards to Watch
Why the Maker Movement is Here to Stay
MAKE Asks: Roadside Hacks
Ten Tips for Hand Saws and Blades
DIY Hacks & How To’s: Convert From Battery Power to AC
How To Make Your Own Laundry Detergent
What to do with an 800 Lb Eucalyptus Slab