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Hi Allan,
In Schumacher's terms the issue of small sifters
has been pretty much 'killed', I think.
I will wager that with a Cantopper ( a sifter made
to fit snugly on top of a trash can) I can sift compost manually faster than it
can be sifted with an A-frame, or any stationary screen. As a one man no power
added system I would bet it to be unbeatable.
See the images at
And directions at
If you have access to a front end loader consider
building something like Leon's sifter
Or if you want to spend an extra G-note and ten
hours of your time, you can convert a PTO cement mixer into a <ahem> 'low
cost compost screener'---provided you have a tractor to run it
from!
Brad Schnittjer, creator of the Satellite Screen
(now owned by Fecon, (www.fecon.com) has
leased back the rights to make smaller versions (www.orbitscreens.com ) and once made a
run of really small garden scale versions of this concept which, he claimed,
would screen materials about as fast as one person could load them with a shovel
or fork.
But, he couldn't make it work, marketing wise, and
when I went to him to purchase one the run was sold out. That was my inspiration
to make the Cantopper, which I do believe is the best bang for the buck manual
sifter in town, and more 'ephemeralized' than Jeavons' big thang, to boot. (Ode
to Bucky for this word!)
Probably, the best one man no tractor set ups are
the worm trommels (Jet harvesters, www.kazarie.com ) with a hopper and conveyor
belt set up, but they will set you back a few grand as well---only worth it when
you are screening something fancy like castings with a nice market price waiting
in the wings, I think.
Plans for a small trommel are available at http://www.vermitechnology.com/products/graders.and.harvesters/worm.grader.htm,
Larry Martin's site.
So while I think the problem is almost solved, or
killed, in Schumacher's sense (see Guide for the Perplexed) I would like to see
one more evolution and a product plan developed with the following
characteristics:
Will handle materials as fast as one or two people
can load them;
Will sit on a yard cart or wheelbarrow, and feed
overs to another yard cart or wheelbarrow;
Electric or gas powered, but light enough to be
moved by one healthy person from a full barrow to an empty one.
Quick release clamping for solid attachment to cart
or barrow.
Shaker screen, trommel or satellite type technology
are all options. Even a small starscreen might work. But ideally, several speeds
or settings, for gentle worm separation work all the way up to getting rough
stuff out of a bit less rough stuff.
In the meantime, I am championing the Cantopper and
will take on all comers in comparison manual screening trials.
Don't be siftless, and do use those woodchips, the
fungi are among the best bioremediators and humic substance
producers...
Frank Teuton
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