a plastic bin with a lid and holes drilled for aeration and drainage works perfectly. a minimum capacity of 18 gallons with a 3-4' surface area will accomodate 2lbs of red wiggler worms, an ideal amount to decompose 1lb of daily food waste in approximately 2 months' time. red worms live and eat in the top 6-8" of material so a depth of 12-18" allows for 6-8" of bedding and 4-8" of organic material combined with a shovelful of topsoil for grit to aid the wigglers in digestion.
the bin i found is 1' deep x 1' wide x 3' long giving it a 3' surface area with a 22.5 gallon capacity and is made of clear plastic. perfect. let the drilling begin! that'll be tonight when the drill gets home from work.
the bedding consists of 1" strips of newspaper dampened with dechlorinated tap water. you can dechlorinate tap water by filling gallon containers and leaving them sit out uncovered overnight, this allows the chlorine to dissipate. i've done this for years for our drinking water. the bedding is the the right moisture when it feels like a wrung out sponge. it should be loose and fluffy in the bin so the worms can move through it freely. right before you add the worms, toss that shovelful of topsoil, manure, or finished compost on top of the bedding.