Sand as a cover for compost toilet?

CesumPec · #1 02/14/13, 12:06 AM

has anyone ever used dry sand as the cover material in a composting toilet? I have an unlimited supply of sand, but would have to make or buy sawdust. But if I don't make this a non-stinky operation, there is no way it will be accepted by the fam in the barn toilet. And there is no way I'm paying to connect the barn to the septic system.

Paquebot · #2 02/14/13, 07:00 AM

Not a good idea. Human manure C:N ratio is in the range of 5:1 to 10:1 and will not compost by itself. It must have more carbon.

Martin

Forerunner · #3 02/14/13, 08:21 AM

I wouldn't be so concerned with the composting aspect.
C-Pec has wood chips for the pile outside.

But the immediate lack of carbon to absorb odors inside would be a major problem for his significant other.

Any carbon source would be better than no carbon source.

CesumPec · #4 02/14/13, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forerunner

I wouldn't be so concerned with the composting aspect.
C-Pec has wood chips for the pile outside.

But the immediate lack of carbon to absorb odors inside would be a major problem for his significant other.

Any carbon source would be better than no carbon source.

right you are. The composting can happen later, I just need odor control while the bucket is filling. My big chipper just doesn't get things fine enough to be an odor block. It takes more than a foot of chips to block smells of dead animals in the compost pile.

One idea I'm tossing around in my head is to take a PTO powered funnel shaped box that would have several saw blades in it. Purchased saw blades and everything else made from scrap and it could be done for under $40. I could shovel in a few scoops of chips and have them grind away till sawdust falls out the bottom. I know I can build something like that, with my help of my neighbor the welder/fabricator, it just seems like there should be an easier way to do this.

littlebitfarm · #5 02/14/13, 09:01 AM

Before you get to making new machines, why not advertise that you are looking for sawdust? Put an ad on craiglist looking for a bag of sawdust. Try freecyle too. Somewhere there is a guy with a radial arm saw and a pile of sawdust. Would take nothing for him to save it in a clean feedsack that you provide. I suspect a warm loaf of homemade bread and they will happily save you more!

Kathie

CesumPec · #6 02/14/13, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by littlebitfarm

Before you get to making new machines, why not advertise that you are looking for sawdust? Put an ad on craiglist looking for a bag of sawdust. Try freecyle too. Somewhere there is a guy with a radial arm saw and a pile of sawdust. Would take nothing for him to save it in a clean feedsack that you provide. I suspect a warm loaf of homemade bread and they will happily save you more!

Kathie

not a bad idea and it costs nothing to try. I could trade surplus eggs until the DW moves in full time and my bread baker is in full production.

Forerunner · #7 02/14/13, 09:18 AM

That's assuming that Cesum can bake a good loaf of bread.........

The 40 dollar gizmo might be handy to have around.

Sawdust really is a commodity.

ETA...... Oh, right.....right.......SHE will be baking the bread.

Had me worried.

CesumPec · #8 02/14/13, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Forerunner

That's assuming that Cesum can bake a good loaf of bread.........

The 40 dollar gizmo might be handy to have around.

Sawdust really is a commodity.

ETA...... Oh, right.....right.......SHE will be baking the bread.

Had me worried.

hey, Hey, HEY! I can bake bread. Especially if you like a beautiful crust with the insides still be mostly raw.

DW has an Amish recipe that uses a sour dough process. She makes several versions, cran-raisen, lemon-poppy seed, cinnamon raisin, banana choco chip, apple cinnamon. People love that stuff. Mine..., well..., i was asked not to bake anymore.

Paquebot · #9 02/14/13, 02:13 PM

Check Craigslist for sawdust. Just saw an ad several days ago here. Always chuckle when I see ads for free manure and free sawdust very close on the list. Someone could go into business of making commercial-grade compost with very little cash outlay.

Martin

CesumPec · #10 02/14/13, 03:58 PM

I'm looked on Craig's list for months and I haven't found any close supplies of manure and zero sawdust. I'll try posting ads on freecycle.

Paquebot · #11 02/14/13, 04:22 PM

Right now there is one listing for sawdust and shavings but only North Central Florida location given. Free manure is listed in Chafee, Jonesville, Middleburg, and Old Town if any of those are close.

Martin

Sparticle · #12 02/14/13, 04:54 PM

We've been using a composting toilet for several years and an outhouse in the summer. I only like sawdust for the outhouse. For the composting toilet, leaves are the only way to go. They are cleaner, don't stick to the side of the bucket, they are abundant and break down. Sawdust is so messy for a system you have to clean.

If I had an unlimited supply of sand, I would grow some killer root crops! Make you some really deep beds and make a very sandy soil mix. Your carrots will love you.

**highlands** · #13 02/14/13, 05:11 PM

Sand is not a solution. Lacks carbon which is what you need in the composting. Just spend the $4 to get a bag of wood shavings. Experiment with that.

CesumPec · #14 02/14/13, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparticle

We've been using a composting toilet for several years and an outhouse in the summer. I only like sawdust for the outhouse. For the composting toilet, leaves are the only way to go. They are cleaner, don't stick to the side of the bucket, they are abundant and break down. Sawdust is so messy for a system you have to clean.

If I had an unlimited supply of sand, I would grow some killer root crops! Make you some really deep beds and make a very sandy soil mix. Your carrots will love you.

I'm working on the carrot beds as we speak.

As for leaves, I have none except for pine straw. That would probably work if they were finely ground, but they just shoot out my mower. We do have 3 seasons here (no winter) but all the trees are basically evergreens. The oaks do drop a few leaves in the fall, but nothing like up north where you end up with a yard that is a foot deep in fallen leaves.

CesumPec · #15 02/14/13, 05:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by highlands

Sand is not a solution. Lacks carbon which is what you need in the composting. Just spend the $4 to get a bag of wood shavings. Experiment with that.

I could do that, but it goes against my Scottish heritage. If I'm going to spend $4 on shavings that get "flushed" down the toilet, I would rather spend $40 and make a chip grinder that I'll have forever.

bassmaster17327 · #16 02/14/13, 05:40 PM

I buy the big rectangle bale of peat moss and use that as a cover material, it is packed very tightly in the bag and lasts a long time. It does a great job of keeping the smell down

CesumPec · #17 02/14/13, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paquebot

Right now there is one listing for sawdust and shavings but only North Central Florida location given. Free manure is listed in Chafee, Jonesville, Middleburg, and Old Town if any of those are close.

Martin

Look Martin, I know we've had some disagreements about composting, but there's no reason for you to be stalking me.

All those locations are 1 - 2 hours away. I've found closer places with manure to give away. Ocala, which claims to be the horse capital of the world, is the closest large town. But even those places at 40 - 60 minutes away are problematic. If I have to haul my tractor to load, a pick up truck's load is not enough to justify the trip when I get 10 MPG on diesel.

I tried to buy a 10 ton dump trailer at the auction last week but it was in bad shape and the bidding got away from what i thought was a fair price. I'll try again next month because there was another one there that didn't meet the reserve. Sometimes the 2nd month the reserve comes down. If I can get one of those and someone will load it for me, I would happily drive an hour each way.

Tabitha · #18 02/14/13, 06:48 PM

I have friends who use grass clippings. but they have a bigger set up utilizing a 55 gallon drum. I recommend sawdust. I can't imagine you can not find sawdust somewhere near you. Shredded leaves maybe? We have a sawdust toilet in the house, and no odour. We have to drive about 45 minutes to pick up sawdust, which is free if we load it, which we do. We get enough to last us a year.

Honeymoon Acres · #19 02/14/13, 08:20 PM

You might try a local cabinet shop for sawdust. We got our truck loaded for free at a small shop with a big pile that was already composting! The guy was happy to get rid of it and our garden soil is happier for it.

Paquebot · #20 02/14/13, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CesumPec

Look Martin, I know we've had some disagreements about composting, but there's no reason for you to be stalking me.

Nothing more than the usual "Neighborly help and friendly advice."

Martin