Compost sifter

[JMCKG]

Anyone bought a large compost sifter? We are looking for one for our allotment to sift large batches of compost we get from council, usually a lot of twigs included. Found this one via google, any one got something similar? Must be hand turning, no electrics or generator on site.


Steel Fine Composter - Manufactum

[lottie dolly]

Cannot help you,but,son got an old cement mixer barrel,cut out 4 large holes,welded in some suitable mesh,this has been used loads of times,to sift out the soil heap in our garden,it was originally done for sand,just change the drum for mixing cement,it's a brilliant idea he had,all it cost was a 10ner for the drum,the rest was from the man stores,just to add and claify the drum was used on the mixer to turn it,whist you shuvel the stuff in,

[Bigmallly]

260 Squid for a sifter?........................You must be made o' money...........Spend 20 squid & let your imagination run riot...................

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nr6nWoNPVU

[Jay-ell]

I watched that one last night and think I may have a shopping trolley frame somewhere.

Could always add a cordless reciprocating saw or a drill with a cam shaft.

[Bigmallly]

There's loads of info on Utube if you don't mind putting the work in.

[Jay-ell]

I've been looking through quite a few of them - need something to do at work.

Might give a project over winter.

After I've rebuilt the beds in the New Territories.

Which is after putting up the frame to the polytunnel.

Which is after digging out the junk at the back and levelling the ground for the polytunnel.

Which is after clearing the area to actually get to the ground where I'm going to out the polytunnel.

Which, of course is after I've burned that pile of manky wood (keeping any decent enough to make a sifter) so I can move the stuff on the ground into a new pile to burn.

Which will start in November.

Between now and November I can try and find that shopping trolley.

[Baldy]

Whitley Bay... that'll be the place to go... last time I was there (20 plus years to be honest ) noticed a lot of shopping trolleys. (That was quite a night)

[Snadger]

Its the bigger pieces that give the air gaps in the soil/compost.Theres moisture under every stone. Sometimes sieving for fine-ness can cause the ground to set like concrete once it rains!
People gather mole hills then wonder why there plants are concreted into the soil and they can't get them out!

[JMCKG]

260 Squid for a sifter?........................You must be made o' money...........Spend 20 squid & let your imagination run riot...................

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Nr6nWoNPVU

It's for use by all 30 allotment holders. We get 14-15 tonnes of council "pod compost" delivered at a time. It's ok for some areas but requires sifting for others.

[Baldy]

Snadger sounds very knowledgeable doesn't he...

[Baldy]

That's how you get to be MOM i guess....

[Baldy]

Back on topic - I've got a series of mesh / chicken wire that I have framed with pallet wood and 'shake it baby' works quite well - cost me nowt but I'm lazy so compared with the weeds and slugs and wind damage and all that my (sometimes) finely sorted compost gets good seedlings that then only go on to disappoint due to everything else I've done wrong.

[Bigmallly]

The only time I would consider sifting is if I needed a bit of seed compost.

[ESBkevin]

Yootoob has a selection of inventive 'trammel' devices, essentially a drum made of mesh wrapped around two bicycle rims with solid end sections added on. placed on a fram horizontally and angled down in the direction of flow. feed in the high end while the drum is turned and the large chunks fall out the other end while the sifted materiel gathers underneath.
In your case I'd be looking for something to provide the rotory motion. Cost should be under £50 for hardware.