Hey soil screening builders

[Wayne County Hose]

Boy, too bad we all couldn't get together and have a screening plant build party! A barbecue, some welders and a pile of steel, it don't get much better!

 

[MrJimi]

Boy, too bad we all couldn't get together and have a screening plant build party! A barbecue, some welders and a pile of steel, it don't get much better!

All hydraulically operated

 

[chickenman]

here's my answer to the hydraulicaly operated towed screener

 

[SkunkWerX]

here's my answer to the hydraulicaly operated towed screener

ChickenMan, your machine is approaching "legendary" status. I have stared at those photos quite a bit.

Question for you, Are you shaking the grate mechanically, if so, how?
Or is it just the conveyor with mostly gravity doing the sifting work?

 

[chickenman]

after sorting out the bugs im pleased at how well it cleans

it picks up all but pea sized stones 1/4 to 3/8 inches

 

[StrangeRanger]

I think it is possible!! I think you will want to run the the pulley in parallel with the direction on slope to reduce side-side motion, which would be hard on your frame. I don't think a vertical shaft is that much of a problem, run a long enough belt to put a 90 degree twist to put the pulley shaft on horizonal plane. Good Luck!!

I was thinking that a long belt would allow me to twist it to 90*. Just needed to hear someone say it's ok

I'm not too worried about side-side motion. The design in my head (haven't even made it to paper yet) is basically re-enforced screen box/frame that will be suspended by some big honkin heavy duty springs from the 4 corners. The frame will of course be angled. The motor will be mounted to a post on a stand w/ a long belt running to ??? mounted on the screen frame. The ??? will basically just shake the piss out of the screen box in all directions I'm guessing.

I've got grass/weed clumps etc that I've got to deal w/ so I'm sure it will take some hand work too.

My only bummer so far is I located a fee mower engine to use, but it's the type w/ just the safety cable attached to it, no throttle control. Gotta figure out how to rig up a throttle b/c I don't want that thing running full tilt. Should be interesting
j

 

[chickenman]

a better and easier way to mount the screen is with rubber isolators

McMaster-Carr

page1350

that is what i used and comercial makers use them

 

[StrangeRanger]

a better and easier way to mount the screen is with rubber isolators

McMaster-Carr

page1350

that is what i used and comercial makers use them

Good idea, but how much "give" do they have. Do they allow the screen to shakr rattle and roll?

Also, guys, I need your help. I'm a very literal thinking person (I think inside the box) and I'm having trouble envisioning the shaker part of this thing. Can any of you jump start my imagination please? I'm thinking of using a 3.5hp vertical shaft mower engine for power and a belt to drive something. But I'm just having a total brain fart on what to do. I think what I'm having real trouble with is that I'm thinking of making the screen angle adjustable. Ideas please? Thanks,
**EDIT** Ohh... I just had an idea. I've been making this much harder on myself I think than I needed to! If I have the patience I'll post some drawings
j

 

[StrangeRanger]

Dang, ok, so my idea only helped w/ the angling part of the issue. I still don't really know how to shake the screen. Please, I'd love to hear ya'll's ideas. Thanks,
j

 

[SkunkWerX]

Some of the commercial units I have seen have coil springs.

I like the idea of an eccentric disc/pulley mounted to the shaker tray.
Or, if not eccentric, weighted so that it creates vibration. The good thing about a weight (Like a bolt and bunch of washers) is that it can be dialed in, by using a smaller bolt, and/or adding or subtracting washers.

Speed can be adjusted via RPM, as well as pulley diameters, but i think you want it running above 1/2 the rated RPMs of the motor, because that is where the power is.

What you need to adjust for is proper harmonics. Each and every thing has a frequency at which it will resonate and feedback causing harmonic vibration.

The trick is to find that spot, where the entire tray assembly is acting like a tuning fork.

 

[chickenman]

I made a crank from a 1" cold rolled rod welded to a 3/4" bolt with head cut off offset to one side mounted in 2 1" pillow block bearings

then mounted the pitman arm in the sketch to crank and to bolt welded to angle welded under screen frame

a v belt pully on shaft and engine or motor and your in business

the chain and bungee cord are to stabalize pitman arm
an eye will have to be kept on bungee, you may want to have a spare handy

 

[AlanB]

My thought, if I ever get mine together, was car coil springs, free and easy, and using my plate compactor mounted in a frame as the "shaker" Might not work for all, but I already have that peice of equipment and already have to keep that motor running anyway.

 

[StrangeRanger]

My thought, if I ever get mine together, was car coil springs, free and easy, and using my plate compactor mounted in a frame as the "shaker" Might not work for all, but I already have that peice of equipment and already have to keep that motor running anyway.

Aren't car coil springs over kill? I mean, that's gotta be one huge screen fully loaded to make a spring that size move much doesn't it?

After more thinking I think I'm gonna focus on getting the thing working and vibrating and worry about being angle adjustable at a later point in time. Baby steps, KISS method
j

 

[chickenman]

if it vibrates it dosnt have to be as steep as the waste will work itself to the lower end

 

[SkunkWerX]

My thought, if I ever get mine together, was car coil springs, free and easy, and using my plate compactor mounted in a frame as the "shaker" Might not work for all, but I already have that peice of equipment and already have to keep that motor running anyway.

AlanB, you are absolutely on the right track. I would build a "shelf" like a little parking place for the plate compactor, and something to bolt it down.

You'll have a good bit ofthe problem solved, it puts you well ahead of the building curve.

 

[Luremaker]

here's my answer to the hydraulicaly operated towed screener

Chickenman, I need you and your screen at my place this weekend. It is finally dry enough to till my garden and I'll have a fresh crop of stones for your screen to pick up!!

 

[chickenman]

you'll have to get in line behind my stones

i have a half mile track to destone

 

[StrangeRanger]

Do you guys have any idea how much weight it would take spinning around to get it vibrating? I'm trying to do this w/ what I have on hand or can readily obtain. That means going from my mower output shaft w/ probably a 2" pulley to the largest pulley I can get, probably like a 5". I'm thinking of using bolts or bolting weights to the 5" pulley, but have no idea how much weight to start with. Any ideas?
j

 

[chickenman]

my screen takes no weight at all to shake just the crank

its more important how fast than how far

mine has a total travel of under 3/4"

 

[StrangeRanger]

my screen takes no weight at all to shake just the crank

its more important how fast than how far

mine has a total travel of under 3/4"

Ok, good to know. Guess I'll just experiment.
j