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laurelzito

Exaco Trading Aerobin 400 Insulated Composter

Laurel Zito
9 years ago

I have the Exaco Trading Aerobin 400 Insulated Composter, but the side pieces won't snap together.

Comments (14)

  • Lloyd
    9 years ago

    Are you talking about the second level panels?

  • Laurel Zito
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    The first level panels when it very easy, but the second level one won't go in. So I was going to return it to Amazon, but now I can't get the first level panels off to get it back in the box to return to Amazon. I don't know what to do now. I feel awful about this. I wanted a bin with a bottom because there is a raccoon situation and I don't want to attract any further raccoons. The dug under the bins and pulled out all the food stuffs.

  • Lloyd
    9 years ago

    The bottom panels should have been pre-installed. The second level 'three sided panels' snap on over the door openings of the first level and then the small top side panels slide down and hook into the three sided panels. Did the assembly instructions come with the unit?

    Lloyd

  • Laurel Zito
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Yes, I read the instructions over and over, but it looked like from the diagram and the photos, that the upper lever panels should snap into the lower level panels, and they just won't go in that way. So, the lower panels are in now, but they were not preinstalled, so now I put the doors on the bottom first then the top level side panels? Or the second level panels and then the doors?

  • Lloyd
    9 years ago

    The upper level '3 sided panels' do connect to the lower panels on the angled part but not directly above them. I'm looking at step three. Is this where you are having difficulty?

    Lloyd

  • Lloyd
    9 years ago

    I guess I should have asked if I am looking at the same instructions as you.

    Lloyd

    Here is a link that might be useful: Assembly instructions

  • Laurel Zito
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    Thank you those are better then the ones I got. It has more different steps in the diagram, that were omitted. My diagram has only three pictures of the stages so it is not clear. I was able to do the inter lung perfectly.

  • Lloyd
    9 years ago

    The link I posted did have "aerobin400-USA" in it so maybe there are different models/instructions based on which country it is shipped to? Just a guess.

    Lloyd

  • Laurel Zito
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    I did it, I got it put together. Thanks very much, now I have to see if it make good compost.

    This post was edited by tropical_thought on Fri, Sep 12, 14 at 23:30

  • PKponder TX Z7B
    9 years ago

    Bravo for the assist Lloyd! Where is the "like" button?

  • plaidbird
    9 years ago

    Hi Tropical Thought,

    I'm not a frequent poster here, but have been with the group for a long time now. I remember your garden and composters from photos you posted back some time ago.

    This is a great looking composter and possibly perfect for this situation. Looks like fun learning it's strengths and weaknesses.

    I remember you are the one that has two of the old, no longer sold, Rubbermaid insulated composters. I have two also. Best composters ever. It's that extra insulation and my mild weather ( I'm north of you in Portland OR ) that makes these a star.

    The reason I'm writing is I did an experiment with one of my Rubbermaids this year. I had not completely emptied it one year, then the next year I just started with a mostly empty bin. So this spring it looked like way too much work considering all the spring projects one can have going. Anybody that has kept a volunteer vegetable growing out of their compost pile knows the super powers that compost adds. so why not do this on purpose I got to thinking.

    I was also looking to expand my tomato selection. In a moment of brilliancy I filled the remaining top of one composter and planted three tomatoes in there. Three was too many BTW. Best tomatoes of the collection ! The insulated sides kept the soil consistently 10 degrees warmer than the other beds and containers, holding the warmth nicely at night when soil temps dropped. Early on I pulled a sheet of Remay over the plants when it was getting too cold for tomatoes at night, and the sides of the composter, plus the warm soil held everything well with cooler over night temps. The basil in there is better than any I've grown in the last 40 years in this garden.

    We have one more week of warm tomato weather here, then my experimenting with this maybe helping me extend the season a bit happens. Hey, it's not a thing of beauty, but without the lighter green top pieces, it doesn't look bad. The dark green color with tons of plant material up, out and over is okay. Definitely one garden experiment that was very successful and to be repeated. I need to think of what might be perfect in there over winter now.

    So if at some point you find yourself with extra composters, I highly recommend this plan. You may not like tomatoes but most of us have some plants that are marginal for our growing zone. Just the seed of an idea for you.

    Oh, racoons. Me too. In case you haven't seen it, I'm going to link to the full version of Raccoon Nation, a PBS documentary. City racoons are pretty amazing creatures. This helped me understand them better.

    Congratulations of your great new composter !

    Here is a link that might be useful: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/episodes/raccoon-nation/full-episode/7558/

    This post was edited by plaidbird on Fri, Sep 12, 14 at 23:55

  • Lloyd
    9 years ago

    That's great! Let us know how it works out for you.

    Lloyd

  • Laurel Zito
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    No raccoons can get in, but the drainage will not be good. I can tell. It's half full. I will have to naturally remove the stuff and put in a curing bin on the ground. I also found the drainage on the area of ground is very important. I am working a new garden and the drainage is awful since it does not have any compost yet. I will end up moving the compost to the other garden, which is not that far, for curing, because using a regular bottomless bin is not making nice compost in a poor drainage area. But with this bin drainage won't matter in the soil. There is a tiny spout to also liquid to drain out, but I have not seen any liquid drain out yet. When I add starbucks coffee it is sure to be over wet. I may have to drain the coffee ground first in a regular bin to make them less wet.

  • Laurel Zito
    Original Author
    9 years ago

    So, far it's working, but the process is slower in this bin compared to an open to a ground bin. I guess the worms were my secret to making two week compost after all. I put all of needles from an atlas cedar tree in there and that seems to have slowed things way down. I did add coffee twice. The temps are no higher, but no lower then any cheap bin of mind. The only selling point is raccoons can not get in. I don't think the so called lung does anything. It is not too wet as it seems to drain to the lower area, but I don't how to open that and remove the waste liquid. I want some compost right now, and I am annoyed. I never had to wait this long before. Note that I transferred all my already started compost to this bin, so I could have a bigger bin so I could get hotter.