Return to the Soil Forum
| Post a Follow-Up
My $10 48' compost thermometer
| | |
Posted by bennypapa Ky (My Page) on Sun, Jan 29, 12 at 19:26
| Threw this together after choking when I saw what a 24" thermometer sells for.
1- $4 grocery store thermometer
1- pvc end cap big enough for your thermometer, drilled
1- length of pvc pipe to match end cap
2- screws
1- length of PVC pipe big enough for the above to fit inside
I first made the thermometer probe alone from pvc I had on hand. after bending 2 thermometers either inserting them on the pile or digging in the pile I grabbed the larger outer pipe to use as a protection tube. If you went out and bought everything you might spend $15. As is, I have $4 cash invested in the thermometer since they were on sale from $6
Thanks to craigs list and starbucks my pile was 130 degF this afternoon.
Have fun!
Ben |
Follow-Up Postings:
RE: My $10 48' compost thermometer
| | |
48", not 48 foot
fumble fingers |
RE: My $10 48' compost thermometer
| | |
| Ingenious! I woulda never thought to do that! Do you leave the outer pipe in place between measurings, or remove and put in place each time? |
RE: My $10 48' compost thermometer
| | |
| Very nice appropriate technology. |
RE: My $10 48' compost thermometer
| | |
| I leave the whole thing in place 24/7. The thermo is stainless and the PVC is, well, PVC. The added benefit is that I don't have to wait for a temp reading. I pull it, get a reading and shove it back in. I bet you could even avoid the complication of the twist on end cap I made. If you used bigger pipe that the thermo could slide in and out of for the inner pipe you could glue on and end cap and slide that whole mess into an outer tube. To check it you could pull the inner tube, turn it up to retrieve the thermo and get your reading.
I'm planning a second pile now to take advantage of the supply of old hay I have on hand. I'll make another thermo probe for that one in the new style. |
RE: My $10 48' compost thermometer
| | |
| I like the twist-on cap, frankly. |
RE: My $10 48' compost thermometer
| | |
| "I like the twist-on cap, frankly." Thanks.
I like it too but I thought it might be beyond some folks abilities. I may run by the local building goods store this week and see if I can come up with a version that doesn't require the fabrication that the twist on cap required. Heck, some of those big box type places stock shorter lengths of PVC. |
RE: My $10 48' compost thermometer
| | |
| That is cool as the dickens. I have always wanted a long compost thermometer. Years ago they were only $12 now they are double that. I have the pipe, the thermometer and all I need is an end cap. I spent $10 on a soil thermometer to only find out I could have bought it at WalMart for $4, same thing. Would you mind if I shared this with another website? |
RE: My $10 48' compost thermometer
| | |
| I'll wait for Bennypapa's response, but if he says yes, why don't you put a link to this thread on the other web site. That way folks there can learn about GardenWeb. And GardenWeb will get due credit as the original forum and benefit from the traffic. That would be better than copy/pasting the photograph and words into the other web site. Here's a copy of the link to this thread: http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/soil/msg011926206305.html If you want to make it a hot link (where folks can simply click it), insert this code: [a href="http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/soil/msg011926206305.html"]http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/soil/msg011926206305.html[/a] Replace the 4 square brackets with < and >
[ with <
] with > If I had used < and > above, you wouldn't be able to see the code. Your web site may require a different system, though. GardenWeb allows pure html. |
RE: My $10 48' compost thermometer
| | |
| I wont post until I hear and when I do I will use the link you posted, that is what I was going to use. That is the greatest idea ever..for sure. I just love it. |
RE: My $10 48' compost thermometer
| | |
Please feel free to share but please share the link with us too. Never know what else we might learn.
Ben |
RE: My $10 48' compost thermometer
| | |
Here's the latest version.
no fittings, no glueing, no cutting twist lock slots.
Just cut to length, drill an attachment hole and tie the thermometer on. I used some stainless steel multi strand fishing leader that I had on hand to tie the thermometer to the pvc but anything that won't rot or rust will work. 
|
RE: My $10 48' compost thermometer
| | |
| ingenious design! I have a suspicion that it's not your fault that you're bragging about a 48 foot thermometer (show-off!) I think GW turns inches into feet (" into ') in thread titles. ~emmers |
Post a Follow-Up
Please Note: Only registered members are able to post messages to this forum. If you are a member, please log in. If you aren't yet a member, join now!
Return to the Soil Forum
|
|
|
