...And there is really no reason to spend that kind of money on your worms.

For that money.... It would have been a regular source of entertainment for myself.... Like a mini gameshow. "What can we shred today?"

... I just got one on amazon for $30. I won't be able to entertain myself with "what can we shred today?" unless you limit it to paper, and paper only.

Did ya know? Shredders do better with oiling. Either a few drops on the cutters or run a sheet of paper through that you drew a line of oil across. Do this frequently. More often than you want. Any oil. Especially with volume. If the shredder over heats put ice packs on it. Space out your shredding to keep things cool. Be nice to your shredder and it will... ... ... be nice to you?!?

".And there is really no reason to spend that kind of money on your worms."

Amen, vermicompost person!!!

Only I would amend that statement by changing the words "that kind" to "any".

One of the absolute funnest parts of wormin' for me is doing it for nothing. (I DO use plastic totes but I haven't bought one in about 5 years......ever since I became a true recycle radical.

Besides, as small as most of our worm operations are, we don't need a shredder. Newspaper tears easily by hand (only top to bottom for a "straight" tear). And cardboard: a box cutter. If you can hijack an airplane with one, it'll work great on a cardboard BOX. (picture to follow since I plan on doing a little boxing later today)

cb2

Pic as promised.

OK, I used a sheetrock knife (utility knife), and that one piece of cardboard took 30 seconds to slice (easiest way is on an old piece of carpet as shown).

Had I wanted more, just cutting 2 or 3 stacked sheets at the same time would take the same 30 seconds.

Shredders seem a little over-thinking it to me.

chuckiebtoo

True you dont have to have a shredder to do paper and it depends on the cardboard. I usually like a little shredded paper to mix in with my bedding so it doesnt get too much like mud. I have a fellows 10w shredder which will do cardboard no problem and will also do paper to mix in with bedding. When I first started I also covered my bins with this crosscut shredded paper to keep gnats and flies away. As you know that becomes quite a mess if moving it. So I find the best way for covering the bedding with paper is tear it in lengthwise strips which makes it easier to move around . I find this to be the best method for paper movement and of course dampen that paper glob leaving it a little airy, anyway works for me. I still use some homemade stacked plastic and a factory 360.

I grabbed about 30 garbage bags full of shredded paperwork from the office last winter. The worms were living large until I moved.