who has the best shavings bin?

[nabs]

... mine has an ingenious feature that allows it to be partially collapsed and then hooked under a bench leg, thus allowing the rapid shovelling in of debris. When you have finished a quick prod causes it to spring back to its full height!

Also it is green, so it matches my shed floor, and round so as not to disrupt the flow of my feng shui. Pics below. Please let me know if you have any questions.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Oh - I can't compete with that! I scrabble around with a large, black bin-bag and a dustpan and brush. The dustpan does duty as a shovel for the bulk; If you close up the bin-bag but don't completely screw the neck closed, you can squeeze out most of the air, compressing the shavings enough to get about two or three goes filling it. Then it's either in the dustbin, or palm them off on somebody with a chiminea as firelighters.

 

[NazNomad]

25 litre plastic bucket with a lid. Not posting a pic of that. :-D

 

[D_W]

Garbage can on wheels for me, hooked up to a vacuum. I have a fire pit in the back yard and dump and burn them. In the surburbs, we have a lot of restrictions, but can fortunately - at least in my local area - still burn clean wood (but nothing else).

 

[yetloh]

I just use an old swing top kitchen bin minus the top but it's really for general rubbish because I don't often need to pick up shavings. No, Im not knee deep in them, I have a ducted extraction system with one inlet dedicated to a floorsweep like this http://www.nordfab.com/nordfab-products/accessories/floor-sweep/ set at floor level. A great invention - open the blast gate and the door at the bottom, start the extractor, sweep everything towards it and watch it disappear up the spout - very satisfying, and the beauty of it is that it creates a strong airflow across the workshop so you don't get the cloud of dust so often associated with sweeping up. Just make sure there are no small items on the floor that you value!

Jim

 

[Petey83]

I use a monkey bucket / flexi tub

http://www.toolstation.com/shop/Hand+To ... Tub/p79794

Dirt cheap with loads of capacity and will happily take larger chunks or sharp pointy off cuts with no risk or tearing of stabbing yourself.

All my shavings and scrap usually end up in the fire pit so the handles make lugging them down the garden and pouring into the pit dead easy.

 

[nabs]

For all the burners/binners out there, I would like to recommend getting a compost bin. In case you have not already discovered the joys of composting you are in for a treat - it is arguably the pinacle of mankind's endeavour and every part of the process is enjoyable: sourcing and gathering compostable items, chucking them in the compost bin, periodically mixing them up and then putting the result on the garden.

Once you take up composting you will probably want to give up another hobby to make time for it, so don't say I didn't warn you!

Many people do not realize the importance of adding woody material and just put in e.g lawn mowings, which will create a disapointing sludgy/smelly result. Wood shavings/wood dust is an ideal material, and in case you do not have a lot of this you can also add torn up cardboard.

It is is not very likely you will need any more thrills in addition to the fundamentalss, but in case you do, and you own a petrol lawnmower you can use it to chop up woody garden debris for inclusion in your 'mix' also.

PS when I used to live in a flat I had a wormery under the kitchen sink, so even those without a garden are not excluded (although tbh a wormery is not really up to wood shavings - you really need a big compost bin).

 

[transatlantic]

I use my garage/workshop. It's 10' x 20', so loads of capacity, I can go 6 months without emptying it.

 

[DTR]

For all the burners/binners out there, I would like to recommend getting a compost bin. In case you have not already discovered the joys of composting you are in for a treat - it is arguably the pinacle of mankind's endeavour and every part of the process is enjoyable: sourcing and gathering compostable items, chucking them in the compost bin, periodically mixing them up and then putting the result on the garden.

Once you take up composting you will probably want to give up another hobby to make time for it, so don't say I didn't warn you!

Many people do not realize the importance of adding woody material and just put in e.g lawn mowings, which will create a disapointing sludgy/smelly result. Wood shavings/wood dust is an ideal material, and in case you do not have a lot of this you can also add torn up cardboard.

It is is not very likely you will need any more thrills in addition to the fundamentalss, but in case you do, and you own a petrol lawnmower you can use it to chop up woody garden debris for inclusion in your 'mix' also.

PS when I used to live in a flat I had a wormery under the kitchen sink, so even those without a garden are not excluded (although tbh a wormery is not really up to wood shavings - you really need a big compost bin).

We've never had much luck composting wood shavings, they seem to take forever to rot down. Totally agree with getting the right mix though; our bin gets enough carbon from shredded bank statements and the like. SWMBO has however does use shavings (oak or ash? I forget) to mulch around the bottom of the strawberries 8)

 

[AndyT]

But is one bin really enough?

This is my main bin. It's not the sort of thing you can buy easily - it's the wheeled base of a dead vacuum cleaner with an empty tile adhesive bucket which just fits in nicely and lifts out for easy emptying.

My bench, naturally, has a well at the back where some of the shavings go. To keep this clear I have a plastic box on a little shelf at the left hand end. If I was ever careless enough to sweep up something which was not a shaving, it could easily be retrieved from this box. To make the edges of the box high enough, I have designed and made a precision extension piece, using a suitable material made from wood fibres. :wink:

 

[DoctorWibble]

My shavings bin is about 16 feet by 12 and has double doors and double glazed windows. When its near full and I can't actually get in I'll go at it with a pile of bin bags. Because of my inaccurate and inept working practices I've filled the shavings bin several times over with my bench build. OTOH the more shavings I make the more I feel like a woodworker and I'm inclined to let them pile up. Actually I'll admit to sometimes just shufflng them around to look like new shavings so family members can see how hard I've been working. Then I can get on with listening to very loud Ella Fitzgerald.

 

[yetloh]

For all the burners/binners out there, I would like to recommend getting a compost bin. In case you have not already discovered the joys of composting you are in for a treat - it is arguably the pinacle of mankind's endeavour and every part of the process is enjoyable: sourcing and gathering compostable items, chucking them in the compost bin, periodically mixing them up and then putting the result on the garden.

Once you take up composting you will probably want to give up another hobby to make time for it, so don't say I didn't warn you!

Many people do not realize the importance of adding woody material and just put in e.g lawn mowings, which will create a disapointing sludgy/smelly result. Wood shavings/wood dust is an ideal material, and in case you do not have a lot of this you can also add torn up cardboard.

It is is not very likely you will need any more thrills in addition to the fundamentalss, but in case you do, and you own a petrol lawnmower you can use it to chop up woody garden debris for inclusion in your 'mix' also.

PS when I used to live in a flat I had a wormery under the kitchen sink, so even those without a garden are not excluded (although tbh a wormery is not really up to wood shavings - you really need a big compost bin).

Nick, I completely agree about composting. I've been doing it for about 50 years. All my woody garden waste is shreeded and much of that goes into the compost bins but, as you say, a balance of ingredients is essential. Too much woody (carbon rich) material robs the compost of nitrogen and dramatically slows decomposition. I have more than enough woody material without the workshop's contribution so mine goes to the tip where it is welcomed as an addition to green waste which is itself composted. By the way, the reason so many people struggle with composting is that most compost heaps are too dry. the solution is to make sure that all material added is moist and to cover the heap or contents of a bin with plastic sacks to reduce moisture loss. Compost that is too wet will eventually dry and will be decomposing all the time; dry composting material will simply fail to decompose at all. This advice does not apply to plastic compost bins that contain mostly kitchen waste which are usually far too wet, to the extent that decomposition becomes anearobic by the exclusion of air and therefore smelly.

Jim

 

[nabs]

This advice does not apply to plastic compost bins that contain mostly kitchen waste which are usually far too wet, to the extent that decomposition becomes anearobic by the exclusion of air and therefore smelly.

Jim

50 years! that is good composting Jim. I agree about the plastic bins, although better than nothing you really need to get some air to the mix (the best design, IMO, is to build it from old pallets).

Another top tip, from none other than the legendary Bob Flowerdew, is to add urine to your compost heap now and then as the nitrogen helps activate the heap. Bob recommend's peeing into a bottle but I say we should take a leaf out of the average Frenchman's admirable approach to these matters and just pee directly on the heap.

 

[Cheshirechappie]

This advice does not apply to plastic compost bins that contain mostly kitchen waste which are usually far too wet, to the extent that decomposition becomes anearobic by the exclusion of air and therefore smelly.

Jim

50 years! that is good composting Jim. I agree about the plastic bins, although better than nothing you really need to get some air to the mix (the best design, IMO, is to build it from old pallets).

Another top tip, from none other than the legendary Bob Flowerdew, is to add urine to your compost heap now and then as the nitrogen helps activate the heap. Bob recommend's peeing into a bottle but I say we should take a leaf out of the average Frenchman's admirable approach to these matters and just pee directly on the heap.

Just a quick note for those adding both wood shavings and nitrogen to their compost heaps; it's normally regarded as Good Practice to add the shavings to the heap in the dry condition, and then add the nitrogen. Adding the nitrogen while the shavings are still on the workshop floor, or on the bench, is considered to be Poor Practice.

Just thought I'd clarify that for anyone who might be unsure.

 

[John15]

I use 3 paint bins - 1 for landfill, 1 for recycling, and 1 for shavings and sweepings that go on the compost heap. They seem to take years to rot down.

John

 

[yetloh]

This advice does not apply to plastic compost bins that contain mostly kitchen waste which are usually far too wet, to the extent that decomposition becomes anearobic by the exclusion of air and therefore smelly.

Jim

50 years! that is good composting Jim. I agree about the plastic bins, although better than nothing you really need to get some air to the mix (the best design, IMO, is to build it from old pallets).

Another top tip, from none other than the legendary Bob Flowerdew, is to add urine to your compost heap now and then as the nitrogen helps activate the heap. Bob recommend's peeing into a bottle but I say we should take a leaf out of the average Frenchman's admirable approach to these matters and just pee directly on the heap.

Just a quick note for those adding both wood shavings and nitrogen to their compost heaps; it's normally regarded as Good Practice to add the shavings to the heap in the dry condition, and then add the nitrogen. Adding the nitrogen while the shavings are still on the workshop floor, or on the bench, is considered to be Poor Practice.

Just thought I'd clarify that for anyone who might be unsure.

Pleased to say I do it in that order!

Jim

 

[bridger]

For all the burners/binners out there, I would like to recommend getting a compost bin. In case you have not already discovered the joys of composting you are in for a treat - it is arguably the pinacle of mankind's endeavour and every part of the process is enjoyable: sourcing and gathering compostable items, chucking them in the compost bin, periodically mixing them up and then putting the result on the garden.

Once you take up composting you will probably want to give up another hobby to make time for it, so don't say I didn't warn you!

Many people do not realize the importance of adding woody material and just put in e.g lawn mowings, which will create a disapointing sludgy/smelly result. Wood shavings/wood dust is an ideal material, and in case you do not have a lot of this you can also add torn up cardboard.

It is is not very likely you will need any more thrills in addition to the fundamentalss, but in case you do, and you own a petrol lawnmower you can use it to chop up woody garden debris for inclusion in your 'mix' also.

PS when I used to live in a flat I had a wormery under the kitchen sink, so even those without a garden are not excluded (although tbh a wormery is not really up to wood shavings - you really need a big compost bin).

We've never had much luck composting wood shavings, they seem to take forever to rot down. Totally agree with getting the right mix though; our bin gets enough carbon from shredded bank statements and the like. SWMBO has however does use shavings (oak or ash? I forget) to mulch around the bottom of the strawberries 8)

I live in the Arizona desert. Getting wood waste to compost here is a long term proposition. For those in wetter more acidic invironments it probably goes faster...

 

[knockknock]

I live in an apartment / flat, so my bin is a little smaller and holds T-Shirt bags for easy disposal.

 

[DoctorWibble]

I took a couple of sacks of shavings to the local tip/recycling centre and sauntered across to the waste wood container. Something about these places always makes you feel shifty. Right on cue one of the blokes who work there raced to intercept me and find out what it was I had.. "You can't put that in there mate, that's for waste wood only" "But this is waste wood!" "Nah mate, he said, that's wood waste not waste wood. Well what about the garden waste then? "Nope, that's for green garden waste not.... er.... wood waste." "Either ways you can't bring that stuff 'ere. My boss would kill me if I let you put that in there." So off I went home put it in the land fill wheelie bin instead.