Am I composting wrong?

Makes no difference here whether on soil/turf or on a harder base like gravel/slabs or a combo, which is what mine are on. It stays wet because that's just the way it is, and soaks up moisture from the surrounding areas, regardless of how much cardboard and brown material is added. Inners of loo rolls, boxes torn apart, any paper are all added. The green material is often damp when added, so there's not much I can do about that.
I add a mix of everything, with plenty of card/paper, and no food waste that's meat based, as already said, and for those reasons. Similar to @Pete8 with tea [bags though] and all lawn clippings, and no weed roots.
A home bin is never hot enough to break meat/bones down, and you risk attracting vermin. The card breaks down more quickly than anything. Slugs again!
I have 3 bins [plastic now as the wooden ones don't last] - two are together, also west-ish facing, tucked into the corner of two house walls, with a purpose built enclosure so that they don't look too hideous, as that's the front of the house. The other one is in the back garden as a day to day bin.
I hand chop quite a lot of spent stems [don't have a shredder] to help speed up breakdown. I'd like to turn them more often, but other things get in the way, so it doesn't always happen.
Mine takes quite a long time, but they say cold compost is far better anyway.
It looks similar to @Pete8 's, but wetter. I'd never need to wet mine in summer!

 

Or maybe we're both doing it wrong

 

We are very similar to @fairygirl , but only went to black plastic bins this year (suitable holes drilled for air). Only other difference is ours stand on left over wood decking, which I know will collapse in time, but has been there over 3 years and is easy to replace. It gets a dollop of horse manure at the start of the year. Not too sure how we will turn it this year, may resort to a 3rd bin. Surely it also depends on the type of waste e.g. we have a small amount of coffee grinds, quite a bit melon skin (chopped), these are quite wet. We did have a dilemma over seeds (especially melon) but decided they were fine as at worst we had to pull out a few seedling - we were neve going to get melons here!

 

I compost as others have said, same contents, my plastic bins are on the soil.
If the compost is too dry add water, if its too wet add paper/cardboard.
I get lots of Red worms.
I never turn the compost, well perhaps give it a poke and get lovely dark
compost each year.

 

I forgot to add, those little red worms are clever, holes in the bin are quite small, but there were lots at the top of the bin within days.

 

If there a lot of brandlings who have climbed out on to a lid, then its probably too wet. Its a good idea to have a litter layer to give them shelter/gather them up for relocation, such as a newspaper.

 

Just to add a few thoughts, as said its worth dividing your large bin into two, as a smaller deeper heap will warm up quicker, and you can then Turn it over into the other bin.

Lining the rear and side walls with polythene will help preserve your timber.
Making the fronts using planks that can be slotted or as hinged doors so you can easily dig out the compost, digging out from that big bin will be a back breaker !
Make the fronts with gaps of about 10mm between each plank to let air circulate, but keep out rats etc.

Find the right worms will come into the bin if its on a soil base, but as your is not, add a layer of garden soil over the compost which should introduced them, plus lots of other compostng critters,

 

Good spot @ricky101 re the front! Definitely make the front into sections that can be removed easily. When divided, it would be very hard work getting the compost out, but tricky even with the bigger space.
Lining's always helpful for timber, although it doesn't stop it deteriorating from the outside in poorer weather. I always had timber bins, but it was always difficult getting a site that offered some protection from bad weather, and I didn't want them in the sunniest bits of the garden either, as it meant fewer areas for summer planting. It's fine if you have a big enough plot and have various areas that will suit.
That's why I switched to plastic bins. Solves one of the problems!

 

I too have switched to plastic bins and used to line my wooden ones with old plastic sacks.
I just dump weeds, kitchen waste and paper in one of my 2 bins and turn one into the other when it gets full, but they do sink down. When I do this I take the bottom layer which has broken down to a large extent and fill tubs which I top up with soil and grow veg in them or use it as a mulch. You get a lot of weeds coming up which I weed or hoe off. Later the pots can be emptied onto the greenhouse beds or pots for more delicate things. I get lots of worms coming in and big green slugs which only live on decaying matter. This method I have developed because I don't have room for a shredder or another bin to make the hot compost. It's not ideal but works for me.

 

I have a smaller garden now so just one compost bin. For this reason I've looked into accelerating it. worked well for me over one summer

Firstly I am turning regularly with a plastic pole with two upward prongs.

I am using an Elixir organic accelerator which I found on ebay. There are other non organic versions such as Garotta

I have a Biotal product to accelerate grass clippings (in moderation to keep the proportion lower.)

Here is another free accelerator:

I can't yet post links but a search of urine on compost heaps on Google reveals?? all

Well it saves taking muddy boots on and off just to pop into the house for the loo!

 

I've never used a commercial compost activator/accelerator and I get good compost in a reasonable timescale - it's useable in about a year or so. It does get turned twice though (I have three bins) and then the finished stuff (good enough for mulching which is what I use most of it for) gets turned into bags from potting compost etc if I'm not ready to use it straight away, and it does continue to break down and get finer.

Weeing into the compost bin is apparently great for activating the compost, but I haven't tried it for two reasons - firstly my compost bins are in the side section of the front garden, visible from the street and overlooked by one of next door's upstairs windows, and secondly I don't have the anatomy for easy application. If it works for you, go for it - it might save you money on buying commercial activators.

 

Its all a question of scale