So would I. I am trying to support a family of 5 and pulling my hair out trying to do so. I live in the city in an apartment but hope to have access to a garage soon. I'm hoping I can learn enough to start a little worm farm in the garage. I'm all the way in South Africa
Maybe adding a LED strip around the lid to make sure the worms stay put. Great idea with the trash can for portability during different seasons or for harvesting directly to garden.
I kind of liked the "mistake" bin. I would add 2 struts of 2x4 pieces of wood, screwed into the plastic to reclaim the structure support. I would also make a slide out drawer for capturing the worm castings after I am done scraping. Thanks for the great idea.
I totally advocate for seeking second-hand plastic bins whenever possible. So many things that are sent to the landfill could be used as a flow-through worm bin with a bit of handiness. It's inspiring me to start a game of 'Will It Worm Bin'? 😄
Take the tubes you use as a barrier and put screws into them like an agitator where you put a cap put some sort of handle or handle/cap. Turn the tubes is your scraping.
After running simulations of this in my big ape brain, I've concluded this idea is likely more work to build, more work to operate, and may be less effective at dropping the worm poop I covet. Let me know what your real world results have been. Thanks 👍
Your enthusiasm is contagious! Thank u for taking the time to share your knowledge with the rest of us! I’m new to worm farming & the 1st 6-7 months of online learning was pretty brutal, most people have no idea what they’re doing but they’re eager to share their disastrous tips with newbies like me who were looking for good worm people to lead us down the right path. Unfortunately I kept being led to massive worm die off. Until I found your channel. Every single thing you’ve said absolutely works! The worm chow is the greatest thing that’s happened to my worms since the day they arrived! I’ve killed hundreds of worms trying to figure out what to feed them, how often to feed them the pH etc. My poor little worms suffered thru it & the ones that survived are currently feasting on worm chow & wheatgrass. And man o man are they happy worms! Last month I experienced my very first worm ball & it was glorious! 😂 They were all feasting on worm chow! You woulda thought I was holding a new grand baby or something! I was so happy to finally see my worms happy & feasting on a healthy meal that they not only liked but LOVED! And that’s when I knew I was officially “Worm People” 😂. Who’da thunk it 😁 Thanks Captain, you’re doing a fine job steering this worm boat! I’m on your team from here in out!
Dear Captain Matt, you are an amazing teacher!! You got me so excited thanks to you I’m going to start my own worm 🪱 castings bin!! The legacy you are leaving to your kids & grandkids is priceless!! God Bless you 🙌🏻🦋🙌🏻 from Kentucky 🤗🤗
My suggestion is to add a sloped false floor that would act sort of as a funnel at the bottom, possibly ending in some sort of a chute that could fill a bucket or bag. It seems like it could easily be added with a bit of creativity
I found my answer! You are the greatest! I've been racking my brain (even got a few headaches) trying to figure out how to make a smaller CFT bin. I'm so glad I found you (your channel). Thank You soo much! I'm heading to the hardware store first thing in the morning!!!
This is an excellent idea!! We do a fair amount of work at landfills and I've seen hundreds of these discarded cans. This would be a great use for them!
Thanks guys…that was an awesome tutorial. Aside from all the normal projects on a small acreage, this one is on my hit list! Gotta start farming worms! Thanks for the inspiration. God’s Shalom
I just wanted to say I love your channel, and thank you for so generously sharing your knowledge, and yourself, with us. It's so nice seeing how you interact with your grandkids. I wish I'd had a grandpa like you growing up, and that my own kids had such a grandpa now. You seem like such a genuinely kind and happy person. Your enthusiasm is contagious too. I had started a worm bin in a rubbermaid tub with 250 worms, about 3 weeks ago. After watching your videos, I just ordered another 1000 worms to start a few more worm bins so I have plenty of castings for my garden by spring. I am also thinking along the lines of scaling up from that, as the worms multiply, to perhaps having some worm castings to sell in the future. We'll see; having a place to keep them cool enough through our hot Texas summers would be the main challenge. Right now, I will just focus on growing my worms and see how it goes.
Hey somethingsomethingik ... Thank you for the encouragement! It makes me smile to know that we can still be the people we needed when we were younger... even if we never had that ourselves (like you and me). You're off to a great start with worming - just keep learning every day. Be sure to subscribe to the “Worm People’ newsletter for more detailed information and tips wormpeople.com/subscribe/ (if not already) Worm Regards!
What a fantastic idea & project to bring to fruition! Love it! Can't wait to see it in action. You've inspired me to come up with something creative too. 👏
Using your continuous flow plans for your big bins, I had my neighbor build me a 4’ bin for my basement. It came out beautifully and two days ago was excited to get it home. As we approached my house with it, it became apparent that I neglected to take into account the size of the doors to my basement and the bin is too large to fit through them. Sigh. Yesterday I released the worms into my now outside worm farm prepared to contrive something for the winter months. This morning I went on RUclips and you have already solved my problem!! Serendipitous. Thank you!
Fantastic idea for a robust "small" scale CFT bin that would be much bigger than most of us home worm farmers bins!! I want one!! Thanks for showing us how to build it from scratch once you worked through some prototypes!! Excellent video Capt Matt!!🪱🪱🪱
Hello. How many worms would be max capacity for this system please? I am looking for something that cam hold approximately 5 thousand worms. Would this be big enough?
@@CaptainMattsWorms you are my mentor- thank you! The mobility helps with summer heat. Rolling the bin Out of the garage to shady places on the property. Add frozen 2 quart plastic bottles and we’ve got good temperature control for summer heat and humidity. Summer here runs from mid June to mid September. I liberated four Almost new packing blankets from the bins at recycling center. In the winter time I’ll put a small space heater into the cut out and cover the bin with one of the packing blankets that’ll take care of the two months of cold weather here.btw All my bins are liberated from the recycling center.
If u connect all of the pvc tubs and run a hose to the two ends, place a bin of cool water next to it and put a fish pump in the hose in the water and that would be enough to circulate the water through the pipes.
You have given me a fantastic idea! I have and Urban Worm Bag 2.0 w/o a frame and I did not want to build the wood support frame they give you directions for constructing. What I am going to do is use a 64 gallon Toter like you, however I discovered the can is the perfect size to hang the Urban Worm Bag 2.0 in!!! I have checked the dimensions and there is about an inch of clearance to the sides at the top. What you have helped me to figure out is the hole at the bottom to access the castings. Thanks for the inspiration.
Here is a couple of suggestions for people with limited tool access. You could cut most of the big hole from the inside before you install the pipes . The top and sides might be easier to cut from the inside and then cut the bottom from the outside since it is so close to the bottom edge. Then you could probably use a jigsaw/sabersaw. Also drilling large holes at the bottom corners of the large hole with the hole saw might give you a little cleaner look with a tiny bit of extra strength. Sharp corner are more likely to tear or split although that shouldn't be a problem since no weight will be in the bottom. Another way to cut hard plastic is to heat it with a heat gun or small torch and then just cut it with a razor knife. The heat will make the plastic soft enough (not so hot to melt it) to more easily cut the plastic with a sharp blade. Good luck and happy worning!
You inspired me to convert a 55 gal food grade barrel into a CFT bin. Being round, I had to do some improvising for the sides, but I figured it out. I also attached 4, 2"X2"'s with bolts to add support for the opening. Finishing touch were some 2" X 4"'s on the bottom to add some wheels and to counter act any top heaviness, 30 gallons of castings can get quite heavy. Once I get my channel back on line, will send you a link to the video I made. Happy New Year Captain Matt! Stay Well!!!
Hmmm? Like some others have asked air holes or just leave the top open like your larger bins with a cover tarp? What about adding a strip of LED lightsaround thetop and in the bottom to prevent escape attempts. Thanks for the awesome idea, I have looked at trash cans before as worm bins butthisis great going to get started today.
How about a little trash can that will fit the cut out and it may not get the edges, but if it's funneled inside to push everthing in the middle and into the container or trash bin inside it'll make for harvesting easily.
Needs air holes added to the top, just small ones. Same concept to the Hungry worm Bin designed and manufactured in NZ. It originated from a rubbish bin too.
You are a great soul, sir! Thank you so much for your energy and enthusiasm! It really is contagious and infectious. Oh yeah, the worm information is good also…lol. J/k, thank you for all the information I’ve learned a lot from you!
Love your vids and your clean, enthusiastic teaching style! Actually, I have been using a laundry sink like the very one pictured at the end of your video with a bucket beneath it. It is somewhat difficult to harvest and certainly not a continuous flow, but now I am going to try to do to it what you did to the bin. I will have to brace the legs for the weight consideration and mount it on a rolling platform but I think I can manage. Thank you so much for your insights into worming. May you and your crew have a great day! 🙂
Wonderful to hear, Brenda. We'd like to invite you to join the forum over at community.wormpeople.com/ There’s tons of information and experienced Worm People over there who support each other on their journeys. Lots of folks show photos of their custom bins.
Hey oldporkchops Here’s a video that shows how I harvest the big red bin… the smaller trash can flow through bin will be similar. ruclips.net/video/UmBaUa3oIpY/видео.html
Good to see someone tried this I came from your comment on my reddit post on my first trash bin build. My idea is a bit more how do I say it… crazy 😂 let’s see how it goes.
Had to ask my kids what Reddit is - wasn’t me… perhaps someone who made the design? Would love to see photos of what you come up with over at community.wormpeople.com
Hey Daniel... that sounds like such an amazing idea. Would love for you to sketch out your idea and post to the Worm People at discuss.wormpeople.com/space/541284483 I think you'd get some really good feedback.
I think you could expand upon this by adding a second tier of pipes. for each tier you could use 2 PVC pipes with holes drilled across instead of the glued end caps to hold the rows in place. if it was setup that way, you could have the worms migrate to the second tier (maybe line the top tier using extra cardboard with drilled holes) and dump finished castings in one swoop by pulling out the bottom tier without leaving any food/, similar to tiered setups with multiple bins. although after giving it some thought.. the challenge to that may be moving the top tier of worms to the bottom without stressing them out.. I may be overengineering things, but you're absolutely right; my brain is brimming with ideas on how to expand upon this setup. thanks for the awesome video!
Add an LED light or 2 light strips with a battery pack mounted on the side to the lid to keep the buggers from climbing out - Just leave it on all the time.
Nice. I actually am going to make a bin with a Rubbermaid tote I was using in a stacked fashion but use the 3/4" pvc and cut out the bottom. Then rest the bucket on a 2x4 frame, likely on wheels. Since I have the buckets and scrap wood is all I'll need, I figured each one is about $10 in pvc and $10 for wheels.
Hello Matt. Sometimes the garbage cans are stacked one ontop.of the other, like chairs in order to keep.a.small.volume in storage. It can be an ideea to.measure and chop off the top part of.a garbage can in order to stack it.ontop of the continuous flow.one and to up the hight for.bigger volume composting
Wonderful tutorial. Would this work outdoors in North Texas - concerned about the heat in summer and occasional freezing temps in the winter. No basements where I live and garage space is very limited. Thanks
Hey Prakash... you might have to insulate/shade the bin a bit - but could likely work. For very hot days... some folks freeze large bottles of water and place in bins.
WOW! very smart use of a trash bin! I want to build this! dumb question but i see most people raising red worms,etc. would night crawlers do well in this also?
Hey Bret, We’ve got African Night Crawlers in one of these bins right now in the basement… just have to keep temps up. European Night Crawlers are more temp tolerant and can fatten well. Most of the red worms you see sold for bait are ENCs.
What about air holes. The worms will climb with out them. I would put in some around edge and top. 1/4 inch is what I suggest about 3 inches apart. It allows for airflow, dry top and sides but doesn't dry top too much.
@@redbearfarms9164 I have found that window screen as a precaution is pointless. I have seen fruit flies and fungus nats can crawl through the screen to get at what they want unless you use bite-me screen which is impossible to find in my area.
I have been using this kind of a garbage can for a while and have had no problems with the worms getting air. May try putting in the pipes for continuous flow. I live in a very hot climate and like that the worms can move further down into the castings when things get too hot or cold for that matter. We can get a horrendous freeze as well.
Great video. Is it possible to re edit the end showing a working product? I am sure it works well but i always tell my kid if you see a youtube build and it does not show the final working product chances are it didn't work or it needed tweeking. I did like how you showed the first can idea got scrapped due to support and sturdiness issues. Keep up the good work.
For this improvement it would be more efficient to have a PVC cutting tool that isn't abrasive. Anyway, when you cut quarter inch (6mm) rings from the same size pipe, and then cut up those rings into shorter separate pieces, you can glue those shorter pieces on the PVC pipes that are already installed inside the bin with PVC glue, in such way that they form an auger. Or scoops if you will. Keep in mind that the PVC pipes need to be installed before you glue on the PVC pieces that are going to form the auger. And then you do not have to reach inside the bin to scrape the compost. You can just twist the pipes from the outside of the bin and the compost will fall down. Or if it too much work to cut all those pieces to form a complete auger over the entire length of the pipes you can simply glue on some pieces here and there. And maybe you can even glue on entire rings that have only a single cut instead of cutting them up into shorter pieces if you can twist them a bit with the help from a heatgun before you glue them on. Or you can cut up another PVC pipe over the entire length several times and make thin strips out of them and glue those on the pipes that are already installed inside the bin.
You didn't mention what you would use for a "floor" to go above the pvc pipe. I've seen one that was just craft paper that would be cut to let the castings fall through. I know you have the large scale sifter to do all the separating with, but I don't have access for all of that. Could a 1/8" metal screen be used as the "floor" on top of the pvc pipe so the worms stay in the top of the bin when you're harvesting the castings?
A layer of cardboard is sufficient to hold into a pad forms. Red Wigglers would stay toward the top - African Nightcrawlers will likely come through with the castings a bit and need separation.
Hi Rusty, it could if you continue to remove worms so the bin does not reach capacity. Breeder buckets might be a bit more efficient for that goal, though.
@@CaptainMattsWorms absolutely! I think they don't ship entire bins for that reason, they'd probably sell converting kits (which have ventilation and the drainage kits) so all the person needs is a drill and maybe a jigsaw. :)
Does the bedding material and castings fall out on their own at times? I feel like when I fill it for the first time, everything would just fall through as I dump material in
Cody You need to start off with cardboard covering the pipes that will hold the bedding in place until a pad of castings forms (about 4-6 months)which will be eaten by the worms or rot when you are ready to begin retrieving the castings.
It's been more than a year. Can you make a video of this in action, how well it has held up, condition now, what you may of done different or let us know if it ever worked at all or how well. Thanks Cpt. Matt
Worked well… unfortunately did not get footage. Only change would be to reduce gaps between pipes and sides - since there was some fall-through. Practically, I needed more volume - so we ran it for 9 months or so and then moved to the 1 ton bags.
Hi Aubrey... You can start with as many or as few worms as you’d like. The fewer you get the longer it will take for the worms to reproduce and the bin to get to full herd. Meme’s Worms bit.ly/34F0OW4 sells as little as ¼ lb which would be a fine start.
1st you put down cardboard to hold your bedding then slowly build with food and more bedding, if you keep it moist the bedding will create a pad after a few months the cardboard will rot or be eaten by the worms and then you can start harvesting worm castings
Hey Anniem M, Bin was already deep enough for usage at that height... would love to see a sketch your design modification ideas. Feel free to email me at matt@captainmattsworms.com
There's a company in Australia that used a garbage bin...various iterations until he can up with the Hungry Bin - Continuous Flow Worm Composter. Here is a video if you have not seen it yet... see at 42:12 minutes. ruclips.net/video/o7_qJY3BPBk/видео.html
Cmon bro. Did you really say we should make a worm bin out of this bin? The idea and instructions to make have been around for years b4 this vid was mad. Love your vids but now question your honesty.
Hey Matt, Ive noticed all your worms are in a climate control area. How do people raise worms/castings who do not have a climate control environment? I have outbuildings but with no electricity.
I'd love to see a start to finish cycle, from starting the bed to harvesting the first worm castings, using this bin.
So would I. I am trying to support a family of 5 and pulling my hair out trying to do so. I live in the city in an apartment but hope to have access to a garage soon. I'm hoping I can learn enough to start a little worm farm in the garage. I'm all the way in South Africa
Will be doing an update video soon to show its progress. Thanks for the feedback, Joe. It really helps!
Maybe adding a LED strip around the lid to make sure the worms stay put. Great idea with the trash can for portability during different seasons or for harvesting directly to garden.
I kind of liked the "mistake" bin. I would add 2 struts of 2x4 pieces of wood, screwed into the plastic to reclaim the structure support. I would also make a slide out drawer for capturing the worm castings after I am done scraping. Thanks for the great idea.
Or maybe we could put a hinge on the flap that you cut away??
Great idea seek2find... we definitely don't want to trash that trash can!
I totally advocate for seeking second-hand plastic bins whenever possible. So many things that are sent to the landfill could be used as a flow-through worm bin with a bit of handiness. It's inspiring me to start a game of 'Will It Worm Bin'? 😄
Right on. That sounds like my kind of game, Jaz!
Take the tubes you use as a barrier and put screws into them like an agitator where you put a cap put some sort of handle or handle/cap. Turn the tubes is your scraping.
After running simulations of this in my big ape brain, I've concluded this idea is likely more work to build, more work to operate, and may be less effective at dropping the worm poop I covet. Let me know what your real world results have been. Thanks 👍
This is a super idea, Thanks for showing us how to build. I'm starting on my first bin at 77.
Your enthusiasm is contagious! Thank u for taking the time to share your knowledge with the rest of us! I’m new to worm farming & the 1st 6-7 months of online learning was pretty brutal, most people have no idea what they’re doing but they’re eager to share their disastrous tips with newbies like me who were looking for good worm people to lead us down the right path. Unfortunately I kept being led to massive worm die off.
Until I found your channel. Every single thing you’ve said absolutely works! The worm chow is the greatest thing that’s happened to my worms since the day they arrived! I’ve killed hundreds of worms trying to figure out what to feed them, how often to feed them the pH etc. My poor little worms suffered thru it & the ones that survived are currently feasting on worm chow & wheatgrass. And man o man are they happy worms! Last month I experienced my very first worm ball & it was glorious! 😂 They were all feasting on worm chow! You woulda thought I was holding a new grand baby or something! I was so happy to finally see my worms happy & feasting on a healthy meal that they not only liked but LOVED! And that’s when I knew I was officially “Worm People” 😂. Who’da thunk it 😁
Thanks Captain, you’re doing a fine job steering this worm boat! I’m on your team from here in out!
Dear Captain Matt, you are an amazing teacher!! You got me so excited thanks to you I’m going to start my own worm 🪱 castings bin!! The legacy you are leaving to your kids & grandkids is priceless!! God Bless you 🙌🏻🦋🙌🏻 from Kentucky 🤗🤗
Why, Thank you Mom Puff! You can do it! If I can leave my family an example of hard work and giving to other people - I consider my life successful.
My suggestion is to add a sloped false floor that would act sort of as a funnel at the bottom, possibly ending in some sort of a chute that could fill a bucket or bag. It seems like it could easily be added with a bit of creativity
Good engineering ideas, Adam. Thanks for sharing!
I found my answer! You are the greatest! I've been racking my brain (even got a few headaches) trying to figure out how to make a smaller CFT bin. I'm so glad I found you (your channel). Thank You soo much! I'm heading to the hardware store first thing in the morning!!!
This is an excellent idea!! We do a fair amount of work at landfills and I've seen hundreds of these discarded cans. This would be a great use for them!
Thanks guys…that was an awesome tutorial. Aside from all the normal projects on a small acreage, this one is on my hit list! Gotta start farming worms! Thanks for the inspiration. God’s Shalom
I just wanted to say I love your channel, and thank you for so generously sharing your knowledge, and yourself, with us. It's so nice seeing how you interact with your grandkids. I wish I'd had a grandpa like you growing up, and that my own kids had such a grandpa now. You seem like such a genuinely kind and happy person. Your enthusiasm is contagious too. I had started a worm bin in a rubbermaid tub with 250 worms, about 3 weeks ago. After watching your videos, I just ordered another 1000 worms to start a few more worm bins so I have plenty of castings for my garden by spring. I am also thinking along the lines of scaling up from that, as the worms multiply, to perhaps having some worm castings to sell in the future. We'll see; having a place to keep them cool enough through our hot Texas summers would be the main challenge. Right now, I will just focus on growing my worms and see how it goes.
Hey somethingsomethingik ... Thank you for the encouragement! It makes me smile to know that we can still be the people we needed when we were younger... even if we never had that ourselves (like you and me). You're off to a great start with worming - just keep learning every day. Be sure to subscribe to the “Worm People’ newsletter for more detailed information and tips wormpeople.com/subscribe/ (if not already) Worm Regards!
I'm making one in my garage Right now. Great plan
That is a great way to get more people involved with worms. Thanks
Genius Captain Matt! 💯% going to do this! 🤙🏽
Your builder needs his own youtube or Tiktok. :)
This is FANTASTIC!!! thank you so much - what a great idea!
What a great idea, I like that it is portable, thanks Captain Matt
Glad you like it, Tina!
What a fantastic idea & project to bring to fruition! Love it! Can't wait to see it in action. You've inspired me to come up with something creative too. 👏
Thanks
Another amazing video Matt, well done!
This is great! LOOKing forward to seeing how it works!
Thanks, Renea!
One word says it all...Brilliant 👍🪱👍
Thanks you Captain Matt and family 🪱💓🪱
Hey Peggy... You're welcome! It's always great to see you comments full of worm icons!
@@CaptainMattsWorms 🪱💓🪱💓🪱
Using your continuous flow plans for your big bins, I had my neighbor build me a 4’ bin for my basement. It came out beautifully and two days ago was excited to get it home. As we approached my house with it, it became apparent that I neglected to take into account the size of the doors to my basement and the bin is too large to fit through them. Sigh. Yesterday I released the worms into my now outside worm farm prepared to contrive something for the winter months. This morning I went on RUclips and you have already solved my problem!! Serendipitous. Thank you!
Oh my word, Joanne. So it goes... I'd love to make a video one day where we all share our blunders together! You're welcome.
@@CaptainMattsWorms That's a great idea for a new video: Lessons Learned along the worm trail. Just so all us newbies don't make the same mistake.
I honestly love it👍🏾
Fantastic idea for a robust "small" scale CFT bin that would be much bigger than most of us home worm farmers bins!! I want one!! Thanks for showing us how to build it from scratch once you worked through some prototypes!! Excellent video Capt Matt!!🪱🪱🪱
Thanks VLbD! And thank you for all you do for the Worm People community!
@@CaptainMattsWorms Thank you!! I appreciate your kind words!!🪱🪱🪱
Great idea, Captain! I’m going to try this next
Go for it!
Awesome idea!!!
Hello. How many worms would be max capacity for this system please? I am looking for something that cam hold approximately 5 thousand worms. Would this be big enough?
Excellent, getting 5 used bins from city $20 a piece ,thanks for the tip!
Excellent! Can't wait to see it.
For those of us challenged with hot weather this is excellent- a cooling and heating system will work well with this design
Hey Anton... I'd love to hear your ideas of how to heat/cool it.
@@CaptainMattsWorms you are my mentor- thank you!
The mobility helps with summer heat. Rolling the bin Out of the garage to shady places on the property. Add frozen 2 quart plastic bottles and we’ve got good temperature control for summer heat and humidity. Summer here runs from mid June to mid September. I liberated four Almost new packing blankets from the bins at recycling center. In the winter time I’ll put a small space heater into the cut out and cover the bin with one of the packing blankets that’ll take care of the two months of cold weather here.btw All my bins are liberated from the recycling center.
@@TheSailor5757 The frozen bottles are brilliant! Thanks for the explanation!
If u connect all of the pvc tubs and run a hose to the two ends, place a bin of cool water next to it and put a fish pump in the hose in the water and that would be enough to circulate the water through the pipes.
@@andrewwood2110 amazing idea! Keep us posted if you try it.
I'm curious about the success of this worm bin... is there a video with the results?
Great ideal sir
Great idea. Your videos are very helpful.
Glad you like them! Dan
Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!
Love your videos man!
Thanks, Ajay. Love your encouraging attitude!
You could screw on 2 upright supports (1/2 in. wood) on the trash can you cut too much out of.
Thanks for a great video. I really like this design.
You are welcome! Julian!
You have given me a fantastic idea! I have and Urban Worm Bag 2.0 w/o a frame and I did not want to build the wood support frame they give you directions for constructing. What I am going to do is use a 64 gallon Toter like you, however I discovered the can is the perfect size to hang the Urban Worm Bag 2.0 in!!! I have checked the dimensions and there is about an inch of clearance to the sides at the top. What you have helped me to figure out is the hole at the bottom to access the castings. Thanks for the inspiration.
Brilliant adaptation, Alvin! That’ll be a lifetime frame. Thanks for sharing the idea!
So cool
Here is a couple of suggestions for people with limited tool access.
You could cut most of the big hole from the inside before you install the pipes . The top and sides might be easier to cut from the inside and then cut the bottom from the outside since it is so close to the bottom edge. Then you could probably use a jigsaw/sabersaw.
Also drilling large holes at the bottom corners of the large hole with the hole saw might give you a little cleaner look with a tiny bit of extra strength. Sharp corner are more likely to tear or split although that shouldn't be a problem since no weight will be in the bottom.
Another way to cut hard plastic is to heat it with a heat gun or small torch and then just cut it with a razor knife. The heat will make the plastic soft enough (not so hot to melt it) to more easily cut the plastic with a sharp blade.
Good luck and happy worning!
Great Idea Sir 👌 Thanks for sharing ❤️
You’re most welcome, Prashant!
Really like the idea would love to see it in action
Hi hygeia54 Here's a video of us filling the bin with worms ruclips.net/video/HwEgqEK6fWc/видео.html
Thank you all I'll proceed with building one like that soon
You inspired me to convert a 55 gal food grade barrel into a CFT bin.
Being round, I had to do some improvising for the sides, but I figured it out. I also attached 4, 2"X2"'s with bolts to add support for the opening. Finishing touch were some 2" X 4"'s on the bottom to add some wheels and to counter act any top heaviness, 30 gallons of castings can get quite heavy.
Once I get my channel back on line, will send you a link to the video I made.
Happy New Year Captain Matt!
Stay Well!!!
So cool to hear, Brian. We'd love to see photos or link to video over in the Worm People Forum community.wormpeople.com/
This is a fantastic idea! Yay for worms! 🤗
Yay for worms indeed, Jaz!
Hmmm? Like some others have asked air holes or just leave the top open like your larger bins with a cover tarp? What about adding a strip of LED lightsaround thetop and in the bottom to prevent escape attempts. Thanks for the awesome idea, I have looked at trash cans before as worm bins butthisis great going to get started today.
I love the LED light idea, Michael! Great points. We'll see how the airflow is when we fill the bin and decide then.
How about a little trash can that will fit the cut out and it may not get the edges, but if it's funneled inside to push everthing in the middle and into the container or trash bin inside it'll make for harvesting easily.
Great idea! My back is going to thank you Steve O_O!
Needs air holes added to the top, just small ones. Same concept to the Hungry worm Bin designed and manufactured in NZ. It originated from a rubbish bin too.
Hey Ann… yes - we’ll check ventilation and likely add holes when we fill the bins.
Brilliant 😆
This is AWESOME 😎
Gonna make one....or ten😊
Hey Terrie! That's the spirit!
You are a great soul, sir! Thank you so much for your energy and enthusiasm! It really is contagious and infectious. Oh yeah, the worm information is good also…lol. J/k, thank you for all the information I’ve learned a lot from you!
Thank you DB. You're welcome. When you find something you love that also helps the world the energy just happens!
Love your vids and your clean, enthusiastic teaching style! Actually, I have been using a laundry sink like the very one pictured at the end of your video with a bucket beneath it. It is somewhat difficult to harvest and certainly not a continuous flow, but now I am going to try to do to it what you did to the bin. I will have to brace the legs for the weight consideration and mount it on a rolling platform but I think I can manage. Thank you so much for your insights into worming. May you and your crew have a great day! 🙂
Wonderful to hear, Brenda. We'd like to invite you to join the forum over at community.wormpeople.com/ There’s tons of information and experienced Worm People over there who support each other on their journeys. Lots of folks show photos of their custom bins.
Thanks for sharing this idea. Could you please do a video on how you harvest the castings?
Hey oldporkchops Here’s a video that shows how I harvest the big red bin… the smaller trash can flow through bin will be similar.
ruclips.net/video/UmBaUa3oIpY/видео.html
Old bathtubs are great for worm bins and set on some concrete blocks for your easy access!🤔
Right on, Dale. Doesn't get much better than using resources you have or can get for free!
Seth is Awesome!!
I agree, Gary!
Whoever makes coffee at Captain Matt's house needs to switch to decaf.
Ha! No coffee necessary when you’ve got 🪱!!!
@@CaptainMattsWorms 🪱🪱🪱🪱🪱🤣
Cool idea. My miniature worm bins are on wheels also. I'm sure you love it.
Hey Titanium... Thanks. I'd love to hear more about the miniature worm bins.
Make the woodsticks rollable and put little woodnails on it. than it works like a paper shredder for the castings. Wormpower united. ;)
Interesting idea... would love to see it in action.
Good to see someone tried this I came from your comment on my reddit post on my first trash bin build. My idea is a bit more how do I say it… crazy 😂 let’s see how it goes.
Had to ask my kids what Reddit is - wasn’t me… perhaps someone who made the design? Would love to see photos of what you come up with over at community.wormpeople.com
I wonder if short fins of sorts could be added to the pipes so that you could harvest by turning the pipes?
Hey Daniel... that sounds like such an amazing idea. Would love for you to sketch out your idea and post to the Worm People at discuss.wormpeople.com/space/541284483 I think you'd get some really good feedback.
I think you could expand upon this by adding a second tier of pipes. for each tier you could use 2 PVC pipes with holes drilled across instead of the glued end caps to hold the rows in place. if it was setup that way, you could have the worms migrate to the second tier (maybe line the top tier using extra cardboard with drilled holes) and dump finished castings in one swoop by pulling out the bottom tier without leaving any food/, similar to tiered setups with multiple bins. although after giving it some thought.. the challenge to that may be moving the top tier of worms to the bottom without stressing them out..
I may be overengineering things, but you're absolutely right; my brain is brimming with ideas on how to expand upon this setup. thanks for the awesome video!
Interesting idea, Kevin. I've found that Red Wigglers tend to be near the top and don't get in the way of bottom harvesting of castings.
I like your idea because it would eliminate the need for the pick.
Add an LED light or 2 light strips with a battery pack mounted on the side to the lid to keep the buggers from climbing out - Just leave it on all the time.
That is a great idea, Steve. I think we might try that. For sure it would look cool!
Nice. I actually am going to make a bin with a Rubbermaid tote I was using in a stacked fashion but use the 3/4" pvc and cut out the bottom. Then rest the bucket on a 2x4 frame, likely on wheels. Since I have the buckets and scrap wood is all I'll need, I figured each one is about $10 in pvc and $10 for wheels.
That’s a good plan as well I think
I like it Scott! Would love to see a photo when it's done!
@@CaptainMattsWorms made it a few weeks back and one out of a 5 gal bucket. No idea how to get pictures to you though.
I love this. What keeps the bedding and worms from going down through the pipes?
Compaction of the castings at the bottom until scraped out
Good idea
But it needs a reservoir for liquid with a tap.Bin becomes a 3 tier.
Hello Matt. Sometimes the garbage cans are stacked one ontop.of the other, like chairs in order to keep.a.small.volume in storage. It can be an ideea to.measure and chop off the top part of.a garbage can in order to stack it.ontop of the continuous flow.one and to up the hight for.bigger volume composting
Whoa... sounds like an experiment waiting to happen! I'd love to see that built and tested.
You look so excited.
Hey Carlos! Sure beats the opposite!!
I think that would work great using a 55 gal plastic barrel. Thanks for the video. I'm just getting started with my worm farm interest.
I think so too… and I’d love to see it, David!
You could use hand trucks to move barrel around.
Wonderful tutorial. Would this work outdoors in North Texas - concerned about the heat in summer and occasional freezing temps in the winter. No basements where I live and garage space is very limited. Thanks
Hey Prakash... you might have to insulate/shade the bin a bit - but could likely work. For very hot days... some folks freeze large bottles of water and place in bins.
Great worm bin idea 👍🏾Subbed
Hey OG! Great to hear.
genius
WOW! very smart use of a trash bin! I want to build this! dumb question but i see most people raising red worms,etc. would night crawlers do well in this also?
Hey Bret, We’ve got African Night Crawlers in one of these bins right now in the basement… just have to keep temps up. European Night Crawlers are more temp tolerant and can fatten well. Most of the red worms you see sold for bait are ENCs.
PVC can go shrapnel on you on a power saw, one of the few times I wear my safety glasses in the shop
Thanks for helping everyone stay safe, John!
LOVE Seth's t-shirt!! GO YANKEES! 17 games ahead of boston as I write this. 🤣
🙌🏻 Free RX!
What volume of finished material would you estimate this bin to hold? In gallons or lbs for example
What about air holes. The worms will climb with out them. I would put in some around edge and top. 1/4 inch is what I suggest about 3 inches apart. It allows for airflow, dry top and sides but doesn't dry top too much.
I would just built one similarly and put a 6x6 square hole with a screen
@@redbearfarms9164 I have found that window screen as a precaution is pointless. I have seen fruit flies and fungus nats can crawl through the screen to get at what they want unless you use bite-me screen which is impossible to find in my area.
Agreed... good point, On the Rocks. I think we'll make ventilation when we fill the bin.
I have been using this kind of a garbage can for a while and have had no problems with the worms getting air. May try putting in the pipes for continuous flow. I live in a very hot climate and like that the worms can move further down into the castings when things get too hot or cold for that matter. We can get a horrendous freeze as well.
Great video. Is it possible to re edit the end showing a working product? I am sure it works well but i always tell my kid if you see a youtube build and it does not show the final working product chances are it didn't work or it needed tweeking. I did like how you showed the first can idea got scrapped due to support and sturdiness issues. Keep up the good work.
For this improvement it would be more efficient to have a PVC cutting tool that isn't abrasive. Anyway, when you cut quarter inch (6mm) rings from the same size pipe, and then cut up those rings into shorter separate pieces, you can glue those shorter pieces on the PVC pipes that are already installed inside the bin with PVC glue, in such way that they form an auger. Or scoops if you will. Keep in mind that the PVC pipes need to be installed before you glue on the PVC pieces that are going to form the auger.
And then you do not have to reach inside the bin to scrape the compost. You can just twist the pipes from the outside of the bin and the compost will fall down. Or if it too much work to cut all those pieces to form a complete auger over the entire length of the pipes you can simply glue on some pieces here and there.
And maybe you can even glue on entire rings that have only a single cut instead of cutting them up into shorter pieces if you can twist them a bit with the help from a heatgun before you glue them on.
Or you can cut up another PVC pipe over the entire length several times and make thin strips out of them and glue those on the pipes that are already installed inside the bin.
You didn't mention what you would use for a "floor" to go above the pvc pipe. I've seen one that was just craft paper that would be cut to let the castings fall through. I know you have the large scale sifter to do all the separating with, but I don't have access for all of that. Could a 1/8" metal screen be used as the "floor" on top of the pvc pipe so the worms stay in the top of the bin when you're harvesting the castings?
A layer of cardboard is sufficient to hold into a pad forms. Red Wigglers would stay toward the top - African Nightcrawlers will likely come through with the castings a bit and need separation.
Great idea.
Captain Matt,
Do you think that it would work well as a breeder bin?
Hi Rusty, it could if you continue to remove worms so the bin does not reach capacity. Breeder buckets might be a bit more efficient for that goal, though.
Wheelie bin worm farm has been commercialised for some time already now :)
It makes me happy to enable folks to DIY recycle an old bin for a few dollars rather than ship giant products around the world.
@@CaptainMattsWorms absolutely! I think they don't ship entire bins for that reason, they'd probably sell converting kits (which have ventilation and the drainage kits) so all the person needs is a drill and maybe a jigsaw. :)
Does the bedding material and castings fall out on their own at times? I feel like when I fill it for the first time, everything would just fall through as I dump material in
Cody
You need to start off with cardboard covering the pipes that will hold the bedding in place until a pad of castings forms (about 4-6 months)which will be eaten by the worms or rot when you are ready to begin retrieving the castings.
What did they do with the wobbly bin?
Hey Lydia... we might try to strengthen it. Definitely wouldn't want it to go to waste.
How do you get out the csstings
Hi captain - did you add air holes around the top or is the opening at the bottom sufficient?
Might be necessary - we’ll see when we start the bin.
@@CaptainMattsWorms I have just completed mine :) Added material, but should I leave it a week or more before adding worms?
Cutting blade on a grinder in place of multi tool.
Wont the liquid run out of the front with the big hole in it?
Do you have a follow-up on how the garbage can worked.
Will share an update soon - it’s going strong in Jude’s basement.
It's been more than a year. Can you make a video of this in action, how well it has held up, condition now, what you may of done different or let us know if it ever worked at all or how well. Thanks Cpt. Matt
Worked well… unfortunately did not get footage. Only change would be to reduce gaps between pipes and sides - since there was some fall-through. Practically, I needed more volume - so we ran it for 9 months or so and then moved to the 1 ton bags.
How do the worms get air? From the bottom?
Hey Dora... we drilled holes around the top ... and there is also air access from bottom.
How many worms would be good for this size worm bin?
Hi Aubrey... You can start with as many or as few worms as you’d like. The fewer you get the longer it will take for the worms to reproduce and the bin to get to full herd. Meme’s Worms bit.ly/34F0OW4 sells as little as ¼ lb which would be a fine start.
I have a dumb question, how does everything not fall down between the tubes?
1st you put down cardboard to hold your bedding then slowly build with food and more bedding, if you keep it moist the bedding will create a pad after a few months the cardboard will rot or be eaten by the worms and then you can start harvesting worm castings
Update on the bin please.
Ran a couple cycles and it worked great - just had to shift to more volume approaches. Have you made one?
Just got a bin, need to get the supplies. Pretty excited.
Appreciate you guys, keep it up. I have enjoyed the interviews of other farmers.
Why are you going above the lifting bar in the front, rather than below?
Hey Anniem M, Bin was already deep enough for usage at that height... would love to see a sketch your design modification ideas. Feel free to email me at matt@captainmattsworms.com
There's a company in Australia that used a garbage bin...various iterations until he can up with the Hungry Bin - Continuous Flow Worm Composter. Here is a video if you have not seen it yet... see at 42:12 minutes. ruclips.net/video/o7_qJY3BPBk/видео.html
Let the kid(seth) talk! Before he explodes with excitement :)
Cmon bro. Did you really say we should make a worm bin out of this bin? The idea and instructions to make have been around for years b4 this vid was mad. Love your vids but now question your honesty.
Would love to see earlier examples… no one idea is new, however this combination of ideas was an adventure for us!
Hey Matt, Ive noticed all your worms are in a climate control area. How do people raise worms/castings who do not have a climate control environment? I have outbuildings but with no electricity.
Nice Krocs, but what a Horrible T-Shirt!!
This is the first video I’ve seen from this channel and it’s absolutely precious! 🥹🥹 who knew a worm trash can would be so exciting!
I did get pretty excited about that trash can!