New Lifetime Compost Tumbler..

Wanted to try a tumbler so ordered this double tumbler from Lifetime Products.

Was a trip getting as the first one delivered I refused delivery as the box was badly damaged and obviously would had had missing parts. Re-ordered the tumbler and although the package was damaged I was able to put the tumbler together and had no missing parts.

Tumbler has two 50 gallon bins and I believe is well made and strong enough to last a good while. Hardware was more that adequate and bin parts pretty solid. Don't get in no hurry to put one together as it did take a good while to assemble. A light rubber mallet and bungy cord helped..

Both bins rotate and can be locked in place in any position. Seems pretty sturdy.

If I can get the material 70% composted I'd be very satisfied and finish off in my main compost bins....

Thank you for sharing your experience with this new tumbler. Please keep us updated on the journey.

PS: I like your philosophy. If you can get the composting process well along, then it can slow finish in a compost bin. Is the bottom of your bin lined with bricks or pavers so that weed seeds in the dirt won't be introduced and the material can drain well? The worms will come and do their magic, also.

Both bins turn independently and has a spring loaded pin to lock the bins in place about anywhere you want them..My wife likes them as she can just walk out and put any raw veggy scraps in a bin instead of storing them in a ziplock bag in the refrigerate...she loves what I am doing  but didn't like the scraps in the fridge...  

Sanderson...I haven't lined the bottom of my regular compost bins with anything yet..that is on my list...I did somewhat clear the area off before building the bins but know what you mean..unwanted grasses can be a pain...I did partially line the bin I put my finished compost in with extra cypress boards I have..I keep that area covered with canvas so it doesn't get washed away..

When I get a little more finished compost put by I will build one of those worm towers with the pvc pipe. Kinda like to fool around with stuff like that...Seems crazy but 5 and 6 inch pvc is kinda hard to find abound here. I've got plenty of 4 inch stuff and  may just try those...

One question....I have loaded both bins with my shredded leaves and added a good amount of greens....how often should I rotate each bin?

Scottie

Hawgwild wrote:When I get a little more finished compost put by I will build one of those worm towers with the pvc pipe. Kinda like to fool around with stuff like that...Seems crazy but 5 and 6 inch pvc is kinda hard to find abound here. I've got plenty of 4 inch stuff and  may just try those...

Four (4") inch is fine.  I used 3" because I could fit my hand in it and it took up less space.   Drill in-and-out holes nearer the bottom so that they will always be covered with MM.  Put veggie scraps in the tubes and let them start getting moldy before you add the little red wigglers.  You want them to have food waiting for when they are added.

One question....I have loaded both bins with my shredded leaves and added a good amount of greens....how often should I rotate each bin?  Scottie

You mentioned your wife likes that she can just walk outside with the kitchen scraps and put them in a bin.  I'm thinking one barrel at a time.  Let her add scraps for a couple/ few weeks, then wet well and start the clock.  Move to the second one.  Rotate the bin around day 4 when it should be close to 140*F.  I'd check every other day,  Too wet?  Too dry?  Clumping?  You will learn by doing.

OhioGardener wrote:At Sam's Club and noticed they now sell the Lifetime Double Bin Rotating Composter (100 gallon) for $269.  I might be tempted to try one of them since my two Jora JK-270 tumblers aren't able to keep up with all of the compost I make.  I had thought about adding a third Jora, but that would be almost $500, so I might go with the Lifetime for half the cost. Probably can't use the Lifetime through the winter since it isn't insulated like the Jora are, but might be able to live with that.

Still getting the right combination of browns/greens but stuff is starting to break down in my tumblers.

If you decide to go with these, the barrels can be a little tricky to put together. If you will, notice those bands that go around the outside of each barrel. Well the screws that came with the tumblers just barely would reach the nuts to hold them together.

After a little frustration, I got the bands in place and then took a couple of bungy cords and rapped around the bands, then  took a rubber mallet and very gently tapped around the edges of the barrels. This gave me a little more slack and enough to get the screws started to tighten the bands.

I believe the the tumblers are very well made. Just give yourself plenty of time...and patients...to get them together..

Scottie

Are either of you worried about the reviews on LifeTime with problems with rusting metal parts?  I don't have a covered area, either.  Scottie, having assembled one recently, what do you think?  (Not sure if you got the black squarish ones or the big olive green ones.)

I would dearly like to have a four-tumbler system as Ohio Gardener has described.  If I understood, fresh kitchen waste goes into the first for one week, then moves onto the next...  compost is always coming out of one tumbler section? I found a simple design with "olive barrels" on Instructables.com (I think it was).  Not difficult to make, really, but I don't really need another project just now.  It would be nice to just buy a set of two at least, and we started disassembling our previous compost bins today. So I seriously looked at these.  I'm not ready to invest in the Jora.

Soose wrote:Are either of you worried about the reviews on LifeTime with problems with rusting metal parts?  I don't have a covered area, either.  Scottie, having assembled one recently, what do you think?  (Not sure if you got the black squarish ones or the big olive green ones.)

I have the olive green tumblers. Not to worried about rust issues and most of the material will only contact with the plastic parts. There is a metal aerator bar that goes through the center of the drums so will keep an eye on that. Not positive but it may be stainless steel.

I do believe these are very well made and solid. I thought about going with the Jara but saw some review about problems with rust in high humid areas, and being in Louisiana we have high 90 to 100 summers and very high humid days..

Scottie

Thank you for the feedback, Scottie.  We can be humid here, too, in North Alabama.  Sam's Club appears only to have the black Lifetime and it's shipping anyway.  The olive green ones are only $30 more online, I think.

Soose wrote:Are either of you worried about the reviews on LifeTime with problems with rusting metal parts?  I don't have a covered area, either.  Scottie, having assembled one recently, what do you think?  (Not sure if you got the black squarish ones or the big olive green ones.)

My 80-gallon Lifetime was shaded between a crepe myrtle and orange tree. A simple blue tarp and 4 binder clips can keep the rain off.

I would dearly like to have a four-tumbler system as Ohio Gardener has described.  If I understood, fresh kitchen waste goes into the first for one week, then moves onto the next...  compost is always coming out of one tumbler section?. . ..

The compost in tumblers stay in their original tumbler until ready to use or store. It is different than compost bins where in order to turn the compost, it is easiest to just turn it back and forth between adjacent bins. OG wrote, "It takes me about two weeks to fill a section on my Jora JK-270 tumbler, and start filling the second section. After a section is filled, it takes 30 days to create finished compost. If I have an open bed available, I can put the compost directly on it. Otherwise I put the compost in the open compost bin to mature until needed."

Soose wrote:Thank you for the feedback, Scottie.  We can be humid here, too, in North Alabama.  Sam's Club appears only to have the black Lifetime and it's shipping anyway.  The olive green ones are only $30 more online, I think.

The ones listed at Sams Club says they are 40 gallon for each tumbler. But the Lifetime website says they are 50 gallon tumblers. Who knows.. The green ones like I have are 50 gallon compacity in each tumbler.

I am filling both of my tumblers at the same time. My plan is letting them get to about 70% composted then moving the material and finish in my main compost bins. Seems like it would be a little faster doing like that to me. Think they will take somewhat longer to get a completely finished compost in them.

Also I would cover them with a tarp if left to the elements. I have mine under a prefab metal shed where I keep my boat and truck.

Scottie

When I finish trommeling the contents of my current compost bins today ( I realized we're already set up there, might as well finish that job), I will need a new home for the compost. That's part of why I perked up my ears at Sam's having a tumbler. But the one I see is full of reviews saying both metal rust and confusion of capacity. No time to follow it up just now. Should probably just order your version but a big assembly time also is a cost I don't need right now...

Today, after the compost is temporarily sorted, I am going to try my new DIY trommel frame with a steel barrel, instead of the wire cage, to see if it'll work as a MM mixer. Then, when we aren't using it for this garden setup... depending on how that goes, I may just see how it handles a load of compost tumbling.

But that limits us to one compost container. We generate a 12 qt stockpot of kitchen waste, about every day and a half. Not all that is suitable for worms. I need to speed up composting.

Keep us posted on the performance, please. Thanks for feedback.

So glad you posted again with that ad, OhioGardener.  Last night and this morning, my phone was only showing the one smaller black tumbler. 
( Maybe the one was temporarily out of stock?  Or maybe I had my local club set to my sister's town I was drop shipping something.)  

I just looked here on the desktop, and they have both models: 



[Edit: 

I let my Sam's Plus lapse a bit ago - rarely carry it the whole year, wait for it to prorate or until I need shipping - but even if you didn't use a Plus membership, it says $16 shipping to my area, not bad. 

I see Lifetime has the 100 gal retail for $350 (shipping included) but on Amazon it's the same price as Sam's, $268.97 with free shipping.  The Amazon listing says "sold by Amazon" instead of "sold by Lifetime."  I've run into problems with warranties being honored sold by Amazon and Sam's both, instead of sold by the manufacturer. Will check. "Good service" is talked about in the reviews, would be better to not pass that up.

The other difference is in delivery times...  Sam's May  17;  Amazon May 2.  Quite a difference.

This is certainly enticing! My better half would be very pleased not to have to help me build one... though I could build a 4 tumbler for less.  Thanks for the heads up!]

Correct on the powder coated frame. The bins themselves are made of polyethylene but do have a few screws attached to the center of each panel where the meet.

Really don't quite understand why they would make two different twin tumblers with the same compacity. If I remember right, when I was researching these I believe one was 40 gallon compacity and the other 50 gallon compacity, and that was from the Lifetime website. That is why I bought the one I have..

Can't say which company would be better to order from. I ordered from Amazon and when the tumblers arrived I refused delivery. The box was mutilated and there were obviously missing parts. UPS returned the mess back to Amazon and I was refunded within a very short time and re-ordered the tumblers..

The next package was a little better but still messed up.



Fortunately all the parts were still inside..Sent Lifetime a message and pic but never heard from them..

Scottie

That box has been around the world a few times and back again! Whew! Many losing hardware along the route, it seems from reviews... The Sam's delivery date doesn't look so bad if factoring in returning and reordering!

I'm trying to call the customer service number for LifeTime... An hour into their business day, they say they are closed for business.
Will LifeTime honor a warranty if bought through Sam's Club or Amazon?  Amazon says in a general note, check with the manufacturer to see if they honor warranties bought elsewhere.

(Unfortunately, it's known to happen...  one of the reviews shows a very broken composter at 5 months, fell apart in the middle, and LifeTime says, "Talk to Amazon," but the Amazon return window is 30 days.   So an Amazon review reinforces the thought.  ) 

I had really decided to order this...  if I could get them to answer the phone.  I'd rather not pay an extra $81 for them to honor their warranty.

Yes, called just now. After 8am their time. Their phone msg gives 7am to 4pm MST office hrs..
I'm not complaining yet, just thought I'd mention the warranty issue since I kind of moved on from whether to buy, to where to buy, and someone had trouble getting any warranty coverage, buying through Amazon. I didn't realize I had hit send. I will keep calling.

Lifetime customer service answered. Real person. She explained that the manufacturing warranty will be covered regardless of whom you buy from, and you get a warranty card in the package to register... but if you buy from Amazon or Sam's or whomever... that she sends you back to that vendor for claiming a refund or customer service because "they are the ones who collected the money. "

I suggested she go add that comment on the reviews.

Pretty sure Amazon's response to the customer who has the composter fail (split in half) at 5 months would surely be talk to the manufacturer, our refund/return period is good for 30 days. And I've had Sam's do the same.

The reality is that a customer, as with many products, is going to get caught between the seller and Lifetime, unless it's obviously a manufacturing failure/mishap. Most companies can't fix design issues ad infinitum.

So I and my better half both are thinking extra care for assembly would be wise, to try for best case strength at known failure points. (Reading the comments gives good hints.I remember cautions about getting that center axle put together properly. ) And some preventative maintenance, like the suggestion that the bi-metal connection be oiled seasonally(steel to aluminum). Worth the investment, and possibly, find some stainless screws? Have to see the hardware in person.

Soose wrote:


Pretty sure Amazon's response to the customer who has the composter fail (split in half) at 5 months would surely be talk to the manufacturer, our refund/return period is good for 30 days. And I've had Sam's do the same.

Hope things go well for you. I can't see the one I have coming apart as long as it was put together correctly to start with. I'm thinking that customer with the problem left something out...nut/bolt, etc.

There are a couple of areas that I will be watching closely. There area a couple of screws that give the panels a little extra strength as seen in this pic.



They are not very large and suspect they will eventually rust through. They do have a little plastic keeper on the inside. You will have to drill a couple of tiny holes where those screws to through, then keep the screw turning and you are someone holds the little plastic keepers on the inside till snug, not over tight. I'll replace those eventually with stainless still small nuts/bolts.

All the nuts, bolts, etc. are very well identified that are shrink rapped on a piece of cardboard so easy to identify what goes where..I believe the instructions are adequate on putting things together...

Scottie

Ty very much Scottie, for the photos and lowdown on this composter. If you could put it together and feel good about it, I expect we could do the same.

Ohiogardener, thanks for feedback on Sam's.

I want a portion of what you have with compost routines and smarts. The Jora is tempting because they've worked so well for you... you're a lot colder and I am
thinking our winter temps are mostly above 20F (shorter periods less) and I could live without the insulation.

I need to consider ease of use as well. These Lifetime composters should be easy to use.

Taking out the compost is my son's chore. He let part of my previous bins go anaerobic while I was sick awhile, partly because I wasn't supplying enough brown matter, and partly because of location in the yard, soggy at times. We sorted that yesterday and it was only a little bit, not as bad as I feared.

I hope moving the compost will be a good thing, plus he's been reading about composting now, came and told me we need a different compost setup before I mentioned it, and interest is always key.

I would love to skim through some books on composting. ( I did watch a webinar on composting and paid attention to the section on speeding up the process. )

I'll read in the winter. Until then I need to keep to simple decades old knowledge. The right mix of greens, browns. Aeration. Moisture. Temp. (I bought a compost thermometer.) Frequently turning.

Where we need improvement is:
Location
Bigger bins,
Easier to turn over.

Think the Lifetime will be part of those improvements. Next...

Established care routine.
Mindfulness.

I ordered the Lifetime tumbler, same product as you, Hawgwild. From Sam's.

The website showed a June delivery date (two weeks longer than Amazon), but a day after ordering, and it's already shipped! Due here Wednesday! Aack! We're busy with the garden. I was actually planning on not scheduling a day to assemble it for at least two weeks! We're not ready!

I've decided on a location, I think a few feet from the stairs to the kitchen door. Should be shaded in the afternoon. Next to the rain water collection for the house. I'm hoping this composter won't attract any critters, and we'll be ok with it up against the house there.