Soil Screener

TractorGuy · May 22, 2020

I'm about to embark on building a soil screener. I've looked at several designs on You Tube and decided I am going with a stationery design with a fairly steep angle. Most of the models I've seen work but a couple stood out as the simplest and those worked as good as the vibratory models.

I spent a little over $250 on the metal. Had to pick and choose in the rack because he was sold down on stock and the truck wasn't coming until tomorrow. I didn't want to go back to town tomorrow so I ended up with some 1-1/4" 11 ga square tube for the perimeter of the frame with 3 sections of 1" 11ga square tube for the 3 extra screen supports. Going to use regular flat expanded metal for the screening surface. I bought two sheets of that so the area will be about 8' by 8'. I bought some 2"x2"x1/4" angle to use for the skids and upright supports. I may make it so the angle is adjustable but gonna start around 45*. It's gonna be heavy. Will post pics and give a review after I have it assembled and tested.

My soil is clay/sand mix and I have piles of dirt with wood debris in it. I've been just spreading it out and hand raking the trash out.

Big Barn · May 22, 2020

Instead of using sheets of expanded metal I would check with any rock crushing plants in your area. Used screens are always cheap and plentiful and will last forever for your application.

TractorGuy · May 22, 2020

Too late for that. Metal is bought and on the trailer.

That woven wire stuff looks very heavy duty but I have a feeling my wood debris would stick in it too bad. I am hoping the flat expanded metal will allow the unwanted stuff to slide down better but we'll see.

I think the woven wire would work better for rocks but would probably require vibration to work effectively.

Here is one built from wood and expanded metal that seems to work okay.

I haven't found many that are screening wood debris. Most are just screening rocks which would be easier to screen IMO.

CalG · May 22, 2020

TractorGuy said:
Too late for that. Metal is bought and on the trailer.

That woven wire stuff looks very heavy duty but I have a feeling my wood debris would stick in it too bad. I am hoping the flat expanded metal will allow the unwanted stuff to slide down better but we'll see.

I think the woven wire would work better for rocks but would probably require vibration to work effectively.

Here is one built from wood and expanded metal that seems to work okay.

I haven't found many that are screening wood debris. Most are just screening rocks which would be easier to screen IMO.

If you are screening clean dry sand, that video is good during the last few minutes.

A complete waste of time if you live in the north east.

Vegetative material does not just separate out. At the angle shown in the video, over half of the desired screened material would not pass the screen.

I use an expanded metal screen for active compost and aged forest litter piles. 45 degrees and about 3 passes does the job. Got to love the FEL ;-)

The screen still takes manual raking to clear the debris.

fatjay · May 22, 2020

I need one of these. I live in hte north east, and have a lot of rocks. I have no topsoil, only clay. a stationary screen would be useless. I need something that moves. I have about 50-60 yards of soil that needs screened. I have a TLB and a bobcat without high speed hydraulics.

BukitCase · May 22, 2020

Here's an older thread if anybody wants some ideas

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/119273-screening-plant-project.html

HTH... Steve

TractorGuy · May 23, 2020

Got it put together. First test looks promising. I welded a couple of cut up chain hooks to the underside to move it with. I carried it real slow but it seemed stable enough during transport to the back of the property.

Only dumped 3 buckets through it before a storm threatened so I high tailed it back to the house. I forgot to pick it up and clear the screen before taking the photo but I can rock it straight up and get most of the debris to fall off. I imagine I will have to pick up the debris side and dump it through again but a good amount of dirt fell on the clean side.

TractorGuy · May 24, 2020

Here's a video.

Soil Screener - build details in text description - YouTube

shaeff · Jun 3, 2020

TractorGuy said:
Here's a video.

Soil Screener - build details in text description - YouTube

Not sure how I missed this. I was wondering how well expanded steel mesh would work. I've already got one full sheet laying around. For the price of some decent angle iron, (what did you use? 1/8"? 1/4"? thick?) but I'd need to make mine at less of an angle, maybe two stage, big screen on top of finer screen, and vibrating. I've got lots of stuff to sift through, I'm tired of all the raking...