FBG...more intrigue, can you give me Readers Digest version of what you have planned? I have been doing searches for small town organics collection just to see how others are doing it. Both from a collection point of view and the composting process (in-vessel, windrow, bunker, ???) Lloyd Well my friend, (if I may be so bold) I visited Portland, Oregon in October to see the newest grandson. Portland has a trash/recyling/composting program that is very close to world class. The company I work for is a participant in this public/private partnership. I'm reading and modifying contracts and such to suit the locale. Having been formally in sales, I intend to pitch this idea to county, municipality, and the company I work for. The absolute worst that can be said is no. I have presented outlines of plans already that would start a composting site of the magnitude I think needed, and have requested a capital investment of $10 million dollars for land aquisition, buildings, equipment purchase, and the first years labor costs. This would be thermophilic composting in windrows with forced air to increase the oxygen levels deep in the windrows. I have also been reading about remediation of contaminated soils using similar methods. There seem to be many branches of this tree that can be applied commercially, if only I can get corporate backing. I've been told I'm being very bold for an employee with less than 1 years tenure. I am also preparing a proposal to use the methane gas produced by our local landfill(s) to produce electricity to power our local offices. Currently, it is just burned off. I was told at orientation to think green. 'They' may come to regret that. I wish to thank the others that have 'butted in'. please continue to do so.

Well, the guy is clearly into woodworking, not sales. I asked him if he brought pictures or samples of his work, and he said that he just gets busy and forgets to keep a portfolio. He'd rather be in a shop. Instead of picking out things I like from his portfolio, I'm supposed to find magazine pictures and such show him what I like so he can build it. If I didn't have acquaintances who rave about his work, I'd be really nervous about that, but for now it's OK, though I may check an extra reference or two and see if I can get into their kitchens as well before I sign. He works with another contractor who manages, basically, everything but the cabinets so that he can do what he loves. So, his other contractor needs to talk to me about how much the rest of my kitchen is going to cost to see if I can afford custom cabinets. That being said, he was very easy to talk to. He asked a few questions about some unusual aspects of my drawings (For example, I have a couple of cabinets specified as open shelves, no doors.) But, once he was sure I had thought through things, he didn't try to talk me out of my ideas. And, where he did have prejudices, at least they seemed to mesh well with mine so far. His boxes are made of birch plywood. He suggested alder for the doors as looking nice with my existing oak floors, and he's going to run some numbers and get back to me. I'll have to wait and see if this is something I can afford! Thanks for all the advice. We didn't go into details on hardware and such, except when I showed him where all my dish drawers were and said I needed the heavy-duty stuff there, he said all his drawers have full-extension and high-weight-rating glides, so those wouldn't be any problem. But, I will be sure to look over all the spec's carefully before I sign up. I think at this point, I need to see where his numbers are going to be and so I know if this is worth pursuing further. I have heard everything from "custom costs three times as much" to "custom doesn't cost as much as you might think" -- and he didn't quote me any numbers yet, so it will be interesting to see!

Bedroom furniture does not take nearly the same abuse that kitchen cabinetry does. The durability of the finish should not be much, if any, of an issue.

Mine leaks rinse aid so I just don't use any or have used the baskets. Cant really tell a difference either way. For my KM Elite I was going to have to replace detergent/rinse aid dispenser because it is all one unit. Not worth that to me. Try turning yours down as low as it will go and see if it has to be filled as often. Mine would be dry in 2 days or less--had a wet streak running down the door.(inside)