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Seeking saw dust for composting toilet as well as our garden beds.
Does anyone have a serious lead other than... try a wood mill.
I’ve read the other posts from years past and have been reading the post that are current (since puna web came back up)
I will drive to it (you), barter, work for what ever is needed to be able to have a steady supply of sawdust.
Mahalo
Wago@bigislandtinyfootprint
Wago@bigislandtinyfootprint
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05-19-2021, 05:33 PM
(This post was last modified: 05-19-2021, 05:42 PM by terracore.)
I would be surprised if you found any free sawdust. There are too many people willing to pay for it. It's not a waste item here, it's a commodity. I think the mushroom places buy it all and when they are done using it they sell it as compost.
For a composting toilet, I suspect your cheapest option is going to be the compressed sawdust pellets that walmart sells for animal bedding (usually against the wall near the layer feed etc). They are about $6 for 40 pounds, but being kiln dried and compressed probably expands to the equivalent of over 100 pounds of sawdust. They don't always have them in stock, so when they do you'll want to stock up. They store well. When they are out your other option is getting a different brand of the same product from tractor supply, I believe it's about $15/bag. They also frequently run out, especially when it's been extra rainy.
As for your garden beds, most people use mac nut compost or the free mulch from the dump, if that is still available. They also had free chipped pallets. It's not sawdust but it breaks down quickly.
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Great information!
the mushroom places snagging it makes sense. Maybe I can chat with Dave in Laupahoehoe and see if we can get in on the scraps ! Wife works at the market for years and could probably gain an audience. . .
I don’t mind tractor supply(del’s right?) ... I try to stay away from Walmart if I can.... lol
pallets...? Hmmmm so de-nail, then wood chipper?... interesting... wonder about the levels or chemical treatment...
my only worry is fire ants... I really want the mulch to make several huge piles for mycelium and then some fine saw dust for compost toilet ...
I’ll check into all these options... mahalo for your reply
wago
Wago@bigislandtinyfootprint
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FYI we did the compost thing with leaf debris/compost from the forest floor as well. It's not as efficient breaking down but it does keep the odor in check. And of course pee under trees and plants that will benefit, instead of always in the bucket.
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Dels closed. The new location is Tractor Supply and is located in Safeway's old location next to Longs in the Mall complex.
Treated pallets aren't supposed to make it into the ground up pallet supply but I'm sure some slip through. They don't take the nails out. I've never seen the Hilo operation but most places grind them whole and powerful magnets in the chute grab most of the nail chunks. We've only fetched one pickup load of pallet mulch (because they were out of regular mulch when we went) and I never saw any nails. It was actually pretty clean stuff. I didn't see any fire ants either, but we treated with Siesta just to be sure.
No ants in the mulch. They compost it too hot for them to survive.
