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Carnation

Tool - Soil Filter Trommel  

Motorized Trommel

Trommel Drawing End

Trommel Drawing Side

Trommel Drawing on trailer 

 

Wire Mesh

A half inch mesh is a good choice.

Wire Mesh Half Inch  Wire Mesh Half Inch

 

Cycle wheel rims

Need three of these.  The outer two on the drum are what the wheels with bearings run on and the center one is for the drive belt.

Ideally use cycle wheels from old broken push bikes.  Cut out all the spokes because you only want the rims.

The size of available wheels will determine your barrel size.  I only had 25" bike wheels available so my barrel is a little smaller diameter than I would ideally like.  25" wheels only actually have an outside diameter of 22.75".  Typically the outside width of the rim is about 1-1/8" and the bit where the brake shoes used to act on is about 1/2".

 

Wheels with bearings

Scooter Wheels Pair 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FDFCPA?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00        $9.99 for two

The center hole is 5/16" to allow fitting onto 5/16" threaded rod studding.

 

Threaded Rod

Threaded Steel Zinc Rod 5/16in  Threaded rod 5/16"

 

Motor (and Speed Control)

The best bet is to find an old exercise treadmill  in a yard sale and pull out the motor, electronics, and speed control panel.  This is ideal because the motor's ability to run at a slow speed means that you can avoid having to add a pulley stage to reduce the speed.

Treadmill Motor And Control

 

Drive belt

You can use a grooved drive belt directly to the middle cycle wheel rim.

http://www.amazon.com/Dayco-5060885-Poly-Rib-Belt/dp/B000C0WKMY/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1435099542&sr=8-16&keywords=Grooved+Drive+Belt&pebp=1435099622847&perid=07P6S81NPH0M48N0C9W5  88.5" long by .82" wide with six ribs     $20

The rough estimate of the required belt length is 78" so this 88.5" belt makes the motor about 5" higher than is ideal but that is ok.

 

Manual Sieve

If you don't want to build a motorized trommel, it is still worth building a manual sieve.  Make a frame from 2x4s that has outside dimensions of 3'9" and a length of say 6'.  Wrap the wire mesh over it so that it folds down the sides by 1.5" all the way round.  Use lots of big headed roofing tacks to hold it nice and taught.

 

 

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