I know what some of you are thinking. I would think the same thing:
"Why would I buy one of these when I could make the same thing but much cheaper?
That's just a tote on a tray with 2x4s under it!"
You can go to YouTube and find videos showing you how to set up a worm bin.
But will it work?
You can also google up "horror stories" of worm bin failures.
How are you going to make sure yours does work?
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The short answer is to buy a WormGin™ worm bin because it's all about making sure it works. You can pretend you made it yourself if you want.
A WormGin™ is much more than a tray under a tote. Do you think I put that Feed Shelf in there just for looks? You were going to skip that part, weren't you?
A Do It Yourself worm bin is a valid option for people who want to spend time on a new hobby. But why not just pay me a few bucks to not only build it for you, and work with you every step of the way? Is your time not valuable?
Well, the guidelines would still apply to your bin. But a primitive bin without the feed shelf is going to require a lot more maintenance to keep it well ventilated and healthy. The Feed Shelf establishes the ability of the worms to take care of the ventilation themselves. Yours won't.
Let me spell this out: You need the Feed Shelf, and that is not going to be cheap and easy. Without the shelf, you are going to have to work inside the bin a lot more. Two key features of a WormGin™ are the super low maintenance required, and the assurance of success. In a WormGin™ the worms are able to control the ventilation and the drainage automatically. Worms in a primitive bin won't have that luxury.
Look, I'm not making this up. The original concept behind these bins was NOT "as cheap as possible" but "as reliable as possible, but low-cost". If I could sell them cheaper (without the shelf and posts) and still stand behind the product as a reliable, foolproof setup, I would. But I tested bins with and without shelves for many months under various conditions, and I'm telling you that you gotta have it.
If it doesn't have a Feed Shelf, it's not a WormGin™
If it's not a WormGin™ it won't perform like a WormGin™.
Add $15 for worms and you are all set.
Do you see anyone else trying this hard to turn you into a happy customer?
Let's "talk turkey": The Standard Junior WormGin™ is sixty bucks. You cannot build the same thing for less than $20 unless you already happen to have all the materials and fasteners - Stainless Steel! - including the Feed Shelf and posts. Yes some of the materials I use are cheap, to keep your cost down, but only where that material is perfectly fine in that application. I could use more expensive wood that would look better, but the price would go up a lot.
So your home made worm bin will be a cheap imitation of a WormGin™ and that will matter to the success of the worms. Oh, and you're still telling me your time is not valuable?
Look, I need to make a profit if this is going to be an actual green job and not a giveaway program until I go broke. What I propose is that you pay me 20 bucks to make the thing for you and 20 bucks for the lifetime customer support. Upgrades are available from there.
Enough with the part where you just think about it. It's the perfect time of year to start a worm bin, so get started now!