Compost Bin, Part 2

I set the work aside for a couple of days to catch up on weeding while the weather was cool.  But it hit 90F yesterday, so it was a good day to work in the cool basement.


So, I mentioned using the tenon jig to make half-lap joints...


This is the jig.

It holds a board upright to cut a large slot high.  I apologize, this picture was a reconstruction and the saw blade was not as high as in reality.  Sometimes I forget to take pictures during my work and have to recreate them.

I can make tenon cuts in 4' boards.  I could do 5' by removing a ceiling tile.

There was massive sawdust everywhere.  I had to wear a nose/mouth mask! I tried wearing glasses too, but the mask directed my exhalations up and fogged the glasses.

 Here is the table saw blade going through the upright board.  There is a lot of wood being removed, so I had to push slowly.  Its a 220v tablesaw, so there is a lot of power, but I still don't like to push too fast.

The 10" saw blade only cuts 3" (part of the saw blade is below the table).  So I get only a 3" deep cut.

I tried a few ways to complete the cut.  A regular saw took too long, a flush-cut saw made an uneven cut (and was slow).  The Saws-All did the job wonderfully!  I love electricity over muscle-power everytime!

The weight of the saw is perfect for cutting down the right distance.  The cut part just falls off.

So then I was ready to assemble some frames.  I had everything ready.  One drill for pilot holes for the screws, another drill for counter-sinking the screw heads (to avoid splitting the boards), exterior glue,  a rag to wipe off squeezed-out glue, a square, and a tray of 1.5" square-drive screws (I love those things).

Here is the first assembled frame.

Then to add the wire mesh sides (to hold the compost in).  I used an electric stapler with 9/16" staples where possible.  Pressure-treated wood can be rather hard even though it it's pine, so sometimes the staples don't go all the way in.  That means some gentle patient tapping with a hammer.  Sometimes, they won't go in at all, so I also have some heavier-duty staples that have to be hammered in by hand.  That takes some effort to get them in straight.  Fortunately, with pliers to hold them straight and a patient hammering, I got them in.

So here are the 1st 4 frames.  These are the 2 backs and 2 sides.  I need to make a 5th, but until I make and set in the front posts (yet to be constructed) I don't know the exact size to make.  Some things just have to be "fitted" at the end.

The next part is to make the back corner and front posts.  The front posts need to have spaces for slats to fit into.  I could cut slots in posts, but it is easier to build posts from several boards to create slots rather than cut them. 

I'll show that next time.  Meanwhile, there are some old deteriorated beds where I want to install the new compost bin, so I need to demolish those first.  And there is a shrub I want to save from there. 


This isn't the best time of year to move a shrub, but I don't have much choice.  I think I will take a dozen tip-cuttings and try and root them indoors before digging the shrub up.  And I'll make the rootball extra large to give it a best chance to survive the transplant shock.

Tomorrow is predicted to hit 92F, so I don't think I want to do serious work outside then, but I'll break up the framed bed it is in and get that part done. 

And I have work I can do inside or outside in shade.  I really try to do as much work as possible in the shade.  LOL!