FGI addition

Not sure if you all remember the FGI (Fearnow Green Initiative) but we're still at it. I've finished my Compost Bin. Now I just have to get it to make some compost so we can use it. Here is a brief description on the build. It's nothing too special. First step was to dig up some stuff in the garage that was begging to be re-purposed. Here is what I found that would work. The two big white parts are 3/4" particle board that was used to turn the coat closet into a smaller cupboard. Yeah, I turned that back into a coat closet, thanks Dad! The long thing on the left is 2x4's and some other parts used to make a shelf I took down in the garage. I think Emily and I are the only people taking down storage space in our house the longer we live here. The next step was to cut the 2x4's down to a bit smaller than the height of the particle board. Then I mounted the 2x4's to the particle board. This gave me a purchase to mount the 3 pieces together. Making the U shape. Looks pretty good here with 2 sides on it. I thought so to, but when I picked it up it was pretty heavy. Also it's about 30" in all directions. So I knew 3 sides weren't going out the door to the backyard. When I picked the assembly shown to the left up to carry it out, it totally fell apart. So I went outside and built a pad from some pavers that we didn't use. Then I took all the parts out to the back yard and assembled the structure there. I used some 2x4 scraps and some 1x2 scraps that came off the shelf during dis-assembly to create a guide for the front of the bin. The 2x4's are on the right side and the 1x2's are on the left up on the pavers. So there was a guide to slide the door straight down to close the whole thing up. I have considered the issues with this closing method when the thing is full, but you tell me the easier way to make it so the front comes off of the thing. So here is the final product in all it's glory.


I shored it up a bit on the sides with the extra pavers. It is, after all, only secured together on 3 sides. I'm hoping to avoid a blowout! But it's done. The only new stuff put into it was a bunch of 1.25" screws. After it fell apart the first time I used more screws. Now I need to get some good worms, I've got a buddy that has a standard compost bin and an experimental one he practices with. I'm pretty sure he can hook me up with some worms to really get things working well. The plan right now, is to use the space to the left of the bin for a garden. We'll need the compost this fall to get it started. The space to the left we'll leave the shingles on and I'll park the jeep there when I get the gate fixed. Just for clarification because most people don't have a gated off area that they could, or would, park a jeep on. The genius that had the place before us shingled the ground! I'm a bit nervous to see what's underneath. So that's all there is for now about the FGI, we'll keep working if you keep reading!

Coming up I'll show you how I got my knees to quit hurting while I'm riding my bike, and no it doesn't have a motor on it!