NatureMill - Clip Fix
Tuesday, July 1. 2008
This weekend I replaced the broken clips which had caused a problem with the NatureMill. The machine had stopped transferring waste from the top compartment to the bottom.
The replacement clips arrived via UPS from the States, sent directly from the clip manufacturer. NatureMill had emailed me the instructions for replacement. Before starting the repair I dumped it's contents on our compost heap and hosed the machine down to try and make the job as pleasant as possible.
The instructions were mostly fine, and taking the machine apart went OK. The only 'issue' was how the new clips actually fitted. The old ones had completely broken and there was no hint as to how the new ones went in. In the end I had to refer back to the photo's I took when the unit arrived and luckily there was one which gave the answer.
Fitting the clips was OK once I'd managed to free up the trap door. The main thing is not to accidentally throw out the small plastic grommets which help secure the clips with a friction fit. The instructions also suggest ensuring the trapdoor 'arms' are parallel, so I checked and bent them as required.
Reassembly is disassembly in reverse. Because I'd hosed the unit down I decided to restart the composting process from scratch and I reset the NatureMill when I powered it up. I added some chippings and soil and eventually the machine went in to 'Mix' mode. The the clips seem to have held OK.
The real test will be if the transfer function works and how long the clips last for. 4 months is the record so far. Fingers crossed !
Photo of the original clip which broke after 4 months causing the transfer tray to fail.
Disassembled transfer tray with new clip fitted.
Inside view of the NatureMill reassembled with the new clips.
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Hello from Dallas, Texas. Thanks for posting your experiences with your composter. I just bought the same one about a month ago, and its still in the mixing phase. I have yet to transfer it, but soon! I'm finding that it takes a lot of compost to fill up since most of it evaporates! THe smell has gotten better as more of it gets mixed in and it smells like coffee brewing now. It still makes a loud popping sound, which I hear is normal, so we'll see. I got sawdust at the local hardware store. The employees thought I was crazy, as they had to dig it out of their trash to give it to me. I'll be checking your blog from time to time to see how your experience goes!
#1
on
2008-07-02 11:39
I urge anyone reading this not to ever consider buying this piece of garbage "so called composter". This whole thing is a scam. My compster has never worked and they do not support the product at all. They refuse to talk to you unless you carry your composter serial number wherever you go. My composter leaks some sort of toxic juice all over my kitchen floor and has never worked. This product and this company are the worst. They ripped my off for $400 don't let the same thing happen to you.
To be fair, we've received updates and parts by post, and I have the clip update here to fix.
More on the NatureMill / Composting soon
More on the NatureMill / Composting soon
#1.1.1
on
2008-10-28 16:49
Thats odd that Samuel is having problems with the company. When I emailed them to say that my composter wasn't working they sent a replacement circuit board. When that didn't work, they promptly sent out a replacement unit, which seems to be working fine. I don't think I gave them my serial number at all. The "juice" you say is leaking is explained in the manual, did you read that? I think its an excellent product and company and I would be happy to recommend them to anyone. It took me a while to get used to the "grossness factor" but since I got the composter I've made some great mulch to add to my outdoor plants and flowers and their vibrant growth through 3 seasons with my doing very little otherwise, seems to be working! Glad I can put my kitchen scraps to good use!
#1.1.2
on
2008-10-28 22:02
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