Has Anyone Here Put A Motor On A

Pigzzilla · April 9, 2012

Compost Tumbler? We acquired an original tumbler about 12 years ago with a house we bought. It was buried in the backyard in a 'jungle' of vines.
We have been thinking about motorizing it after Hubbys 2 back surgeries and my recent shoulder surgery. It is good exercise and does a pretty good job of turning leaves and garbage into nice compost but a motor would be nice.
Any ideas would help. Thanks, Pigz

Worth1 · April 9, 2012

I have a 500 horse power Dodge 340 bored 30 over that will do 8000 rpm that needs a home.
Worth

saltmarsh · April 10, 2012

Hook it up to an exercise bike. Loose weight and make compost at the same time. Charge admission and make money too. Teach your dog to ride the bike and you've got viral youtube. Claud

Pigzzilla · April 10, 2012

Worth, Interesting idea. However, I'm a Ford truck gal.

Saltmarsh, We do have an exercise bike, but it won't go far with a flat tire. I've thought about putting my Choco Lab on a treadmill. She only weighs 125 lbs- thyroid trouble- and the Mastiff only rides in my truck.
Pigz

Doug9345 · April 10, 2012

I don't see why you couldn't. I've never used a compost tumbler but since you asked about one I'm thinking about that plastic barrel in the back yard.
Two questions before you attempt it. One, are you a DIY or handman type people or would this be your first project. Two, how does your tumbler work. Does it flip over end to end or does it turn on a spit? The mind is crunching right now.

Zana · April 10, 2012

My mind is turning too....I am my grandfather's granddaughter after all....have been known to jury rig stuff (He was the king of "MacGyvering" before that was even a word. LOL)

I can see the motor...but also the exercise bike or treadmill sound good too. Dogs....hmmmm...now that would be interesting to see if they'd be trainable to do just that. LOL

I'm in the middle of staining about another 400 sq ft or so of pine panelling...so my mind is definitely going to be wandering back and forth to this over the next few hours...hmmmmmm...will let you know if I come up with any suggestions.

Zana

FarmerShawn · April 10, 2012

I have the large Compost Tumbler (single compartment) and have also considered motorizing it. It doesn't seem as though it would be too hard - the tricks would be finding a good electric motor, mounting it solidly,and getting the correct pulley ratios so it would turn with good force, but not too fast. Of course, keeping it out of the rain would be important, too. Sounds like a fun, but doable project. Unfortunately for me, my priority would be to motorize my cider apple grinder, which I have planned to do for about five years now.
Shawn

Doug9345 · April 10, 2012

I was thinking a rotisserie off a grill might work. If it was a drum on an axle I'd be tempted to rim drive it.

Rockporter · April 13, 2012

This one isn't motorized but it could still work well.

http://www.instructables.com/id/Compost-Tumbler/

And I found it from this search online

http://www.bing.com/search?q=how+to+...ox&Form=IE8SRC

I have also seen an instructible before on using a washing machine motor with the pulley system setup to turn the composter but cannot find that link.

Mudman · April 13, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rockporter

I have also seen an instructible before on using a washing machine motor with the pulley system setup to turn the composter but cannot find that link.

Now that got me thinking! Do you think a dryer would work as is? Or if I used a washing machine I wouldn't even have to water it, just turn it on and let it run. DW would not be happy when it was time to do laundry.

Rockporter · April 13, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mudman

Now that got me thinking! Do you think a dryer would work as is? Or if I used a washing machine I wouldn't even have to water it, just turn it on and let it run. DW would not be happy when it was time to do laundry.

Sorry Mike, but I am no engineer, if the plans aren't right in front of me then most of what I make is miniscule, lol. I know I saw those plans before though.

Rockporter · April 13, 2012

Maybe you could do something like this?

http://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspo...automatic.html

Worth1 · April 13, 2012

You can look up gear reduction box or motor and so forth and get all kinds of hits.

Remember the tumbler wont be going very fast. I found one gear box that had a 2000 to 1 gear reduction.

Many motors turn around 1700 RPM so that would mean the barrel would turn over less than one time in one minute.
With this small box you wouldn't need a very powerful motor maybe around 1/4 HP.

I myself have zero use for a compost tumbler BUT I would like to build a pepper roaster.
This would be about the same thing.

If a person would be willing to measure and take good photos I would be willing to design this contraption.

Or I could just start from scratch.
I'll just ad it to the list of night time things to do.
I just got home and got hit up to help someone design their landscape today.
I hadn't been home 10 minutes after flying 35000 miles.

Worth

Zana · April 14, 2012

Quote:

Originally Posted by Worth1

Or I could just start from scratch.
I'll just ad it to the list of night time things to do.
I just got home and got hit up to help someone design their landscape today.
I hadn't been home 10 minutes after flying 35000 miles.

Worth

Gee Worth,

Welcome home...and why should this homecoming be any different? Its either your to do list or somebody else's. LOL

Zana

kurt · April 14, 2012

I can see a windshield wiper motor,some bike gears,a 120 to 12 volt transformer hooked via a simple garden timer.

April 9, 2012	#1
Pigzzilla Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Rogue River Valley, OR Posts: 17	Has Anyone Here Put A Motor On A Compost Tumbler? We acquired an original tumbler about 12 years ago with a house we bought. It was buried in the backyard in a 'jungle' of vines. We have been thinking about motorizing it after Hubbys 2 back surgeries and my recent shoulder surgery. It is good exercise and does a pretty good job of turning leaves and garbage into nice compost but a motor would be nice. Any ideas would help. Thanks, Pigz

April 10, 2012	#7
FarmerShawn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,001	I have the large Compost Tumbler (single compartment) and have also considered motorizing it. It doesn't seem as though it would be too hard - the tricks would be finding a good electric motor, mounting it solidly,and getting the correct pulley ratios so it would turn with good force, but not too fast. Of course, keeping it out of the rain would be important, too. Sounds like a fun, but doable project. Unfortunately for me, my priority would be to motorize my cider apple grinder, which I have planned to do for about five years now. Shawn __________________ "Red meat is NOT bad for you. Now blue-green meat, THAT'S bad for you!" -- Tommy Smothers

April 13, 2012	#9
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	This one isn't motorized but it could still work well. http://www.instructables.com/id/Compost-Tumbler/ And I found it from this search online http://www.bing.com/search?q=how+to+...ox&Form=IE8SRC I have also seen an instructible before on using a washing machine motor with the pulley system setup to turn the composter but cannot find that link. __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~ Last edited by Rockporter; April 13, 2012 at 11:58 AM.

April 13, 2012	#12
Rockporter Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Texas Coastal Bend Posts: 3,205	Maybe you could do something like this? http://thedeliberateagrarian.blogspo...automatic.html __________________ In the spring at the end of the day you should smell like dirt ~Margaret Atwood~

April 9, 2012	#2
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I have a 500 horse power Dodge 340 bored 30 over that will do 8000 rpm that needs a home. Worth

April 10, 2012	#3
saltmarsh Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: 2 miles south of Yoknapatawpha Zone 7b Posts: 662	Hook it up to an exercise bike. Loose weight and make compost at the same time. Charge admission and make money too. Teach your dog to ride the bike and you've got viral youtube. Claud

April 10, 2012	#5
Doug9345 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Durhamville,NY Posts: 2,706	I don't see why you couldn't. I've never used a compost tumbler but since you asked about one I'm thinking about that plastic barrel in the back yard. Two questions before you attempt it. One, are you a DIY or handman type people or would this be your first project. Two, how does your tumbler work. Does it flip over end to end or does it turn on a spit? The mind is crunching right now.

April 10, 2012	#6
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	My mind is turning too....I am my grandfather's granddaughter after all....have been known to jury rig stuff (He was the king of "MacGyvering" before that was even a word. LOL) I can see the motor...but also the exercise bike or treadmill sound good too. Dogs....hmmmm...now that would be interesting to see if they'd be trainable to do just that. LOL I'm in the middle of staining about another 400 sq ft or so of pine panelling...so my mind is definitely going to be wandering back and forth to this over the next few hours...hmmmmmm...will let you know if I come up with any suggestions. Zana

April 14, 2012	#15
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,500	I can see a windshield wiper motor,some bike gears,a 120 to 12 volt transformer hooked via a simple garden timer.