On Mon, 22 Jun 2009 00:21:28 -0700, Daniel Prince
wrote:

I am going to build a compost sifter. It will be a shallow box
three feet long and two feet wide with wooden sides and a hardware
cloth bottom. I bought two five foot long, five inch wide, redwood
fence boards for the sides. I have a circular saw.

Should I miter the ends of the sides, or would a butt joint be
adequate? Should I use steel corner reinforcements? Should I put
the hardware cloth on the outside of the frame or on the inside?

Thank you in advance for all replies.


No need to use expensive redwood, I used regular 2x4 lumber and made
it so it sits over my wheelbarrow. I used rabbet joints on the
corners secured with waterproof wood glue and two long deck screws in
each corner. Butt joints are weak. Cut hardware cloth slightly
smaller than the outside of the frame and nail a wooden strip over the
hardware cloth edge. The hardware cloth may need to be replaced some
day. My sifter is 20 years old, still going strong.