On this page we'll show you plans to build a bin, and imaginative and creative concepts we've run across from friends and customers. When building your own, be sure to take adequate safety precautions...protective eyewear, etc.
What you choose to use for a bin is limited to your own imagination and creative ability...chances are, you have something around the house that'll work just fine. I've seen worms in bathtubs, storage totes, old truck boxes, refrigerators buried in the ground, wash tubs...wooden shipping crates are a great place to start. I personally prefer a wooden bin, as it will breathe some, and leach some water. This attractive bin is made from a wooden rifle box...shown in the home of Amy and Jim Weishuhn 'Build Your Own' Plans 
CONSTRUCTING YOUR OWN BIN
This bin can be built for about $35 with new wood and hardware, or less using recycled materials such as old wood boxes or other containers. Any worm bin must have drains I\in the bottom and a tight fitting lid to keep moisture in and pests out. If you plan to bring your bin into your living area, place a layer of remay (also known as row cover), on the bottom of the bin, before adding the bedding. A starter batch of worms for a bin this size should be between 3-6lbs. ( Remember: worms will eat their own body weight or more a day. )
Materials: Tools:
1 ½" treated sheet of plywood Tape measure, skill saw or rip hand saw,
hammer, saw horses, long straight edge
or chalk snap line, screwdriver, and drill
with ½" bit.
1 12 foot 2'×4
1 16 foot 2'×4
2 lbs. 6d galvanized nails
½ lb. 16d galvanized nails
2 galvanized door hinges Use eye and ear protection.
Measure and cut plywood as indicated in drawing above. Cut the 12 foot 2'×4 into five pieces: two 39", two 23", and one 20" long. Nail the 2'×4's together on edge with two 16d nails at each joint as illustrated in the Base Frame diagram. Nail the plywood base piece onto the 2'×4 frame.
Cut four 1 foot lengths out of the 16 foot 2'×4. Take each plywood side piece and place a one foot 2'×4 under each of its ends so that the 2'×4 is flush with the top and side edges of the plywood, and nail the boards into place. Nail the side pieces onto the base frame. To complete the box, nail the ends onto the base and sides. To reinforce the box make sure there is a nail staggered at least every 3 inches wherever plywood and 2'×4's meet. Drill twelve ½" holes through the bottom of the box for drainage.
To build the lid, take the remaining 12 foot 2'×4 and cut it into two 45" pieces and two 20" pieces and lay them flat (short pieces on the inside as indicated in diagram above) so that the plywood top is inset from the edges of the 2'×4 by 1-½" all the way around the perimeter. Nail the plywood onto the 2×4 securely. Place the hinges on the backside of the box at both ends on the 2'×4's, and on the under side of the 2'×4 lid frame, so that the lid will stand upright when opened.
Please feel free to call or e-mail with any questions. Bob Ingram 636 671-7234 trinitywigglers@peoplepc.com |
