Hey GC So recently I finally started building my compost tumbler using a 55gal plastic drum, only issue I am having is that the drum reeks of petroleum. I was wondering if I sand down the entire inside and the wash 3-4 times with diluted bleach water and rinsed vigorously would I have a save breeding ground? Also I have some metal piping from an old basketball hoop I will be grinding down to it's bare metal, I am not worried about rust and look forward to the added zinc and other minerals from it! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- My other current issue addresses using Smart Pots or any sort of fabric container in a SIP bucket. I have 4 18gal Smart Pots I could use, or I also have 10 free 150lb Coffee Bean Sacks I picked up. My worries are that the coffee bean sacks could leech off something foul and reek havoc on my soil life, but if not the soil decomposition might house some nice bacteria colonies if not. Thanks in advanced, I currently can't take any pictures but I will be sure to post what I am working with soon.
Dewwwde.... haggard man LOL dude don't use a fuckin' oil/petroleum barrel for anything except scrapping at the junk yard IF they'll even take it. I mean you know you can do whatever ya want but man. I don't think that is gonna work out real well for ya man. Maybe a burn barrel is a better use of the thing you got. The coffee sacks sound like good bags to grow in for one season. They'll decompose pretty quick if they're burlap. But surely these are bettern' anything useful you could get out of your composting barrel.
But its plastic? haha you mean recycle? Thats why I figured shaving the inside of it down would work alright, as long as I go 1/4inch down and smelled nothing I figured I would be alright?