I'm not a fan of these kind of composting systems...why?...you'll find that they are way too small. If you are composting any amount of tree leaves & other materials, a barrel will not begin to handle them. I have a wire mesh bin that is 6' in diameter by 4' high & I have space so I can set up 3 of them if needed. Once you start using compost, you will find that you can never make enough of it to go around.

Thanks for the input. Do you actually put food scraps in this compost system? I have done one like you suggest for grass clippings and leaves at my old house. But on this property I know I will attract all sorts of animals if it's open and has food in it.

You might want to do a search over in the compost forum.
Most of them don't like tumbler type composting. I do, but I tumble for a couple of weeks, til partially broken down, then turn it into a free staning composter. Less work on my back IMHO. I also have 2 tumblers and 2 free standers, so I have a lot more to work with!
The big problem with tumblers is adding and adding and adding and you can never really finish! That's why I do the partial in the tumbler and then add to the other to finish.
It works for me! Nancy

We have two tumbler composters and the problem is that it all mixes around in various stages of composting. I'm probably partially to blame -- I don't tumble them on a daily basis.

nancyjane -- I like your idea of moving the compost out once it's partially finished.

My husband wants to build a big worm bin instead, he seems to think that would be the best thing for us since we have a small yard and mostly food scraps to compost. Last year we bought a bale of straw to add to the compost, and it helped, but if we could keep worms going that would probably be better.

melle There is a vermicomposting forum here! Check it out! Nancy

I have given up on traditional composting.

Now that I know about hugelkultur, I am burying wood scraps at the bottom of my raised beds, and filling with my compostables making sure there is a lot of nitrogen as the decomposing wood can use a lot of nitrogen.

bury the woody debree, lots of coffee grounds or comfrey leaves, and the kitchen scrapes, and cover with 8" or more of soil, and just call it good. So far, the plants are doing fine planted almost immediately over this. but of course, nothing too advance, usually from seed so it is a while before the roots get down there.

The other thing I do is the vitamix - put in the days kitchen scapes and 5-6 cups of water and blend for a minute, just poor on the beds between plants.

Regular composting was frankly too much work.