Portable rock soil recycler for tractors

[DeSite ASM]

Hi Bill
I am out of the country on business at the moment so probably Peter will assist you. I will replace the two spring at no charge to you if you are going to buy a couple more. Just let him know.

I am probably bias, but I am always amazed at what they will screen. These machines cost half of any comparable screener in its size. I have worked in and around dirt most of my life. I used to be in the logging business and always wanted my own small machine to be able to screen bank gravel to rock my roads. A static grizzly screen worked ok but plugged up to easily.
I always wanted to build a compact screener to work in confined areas. I knew that I wanted the screen deck to vibrate and to be able to manipulate the deck slope for different screening conditions.
My first production design was the PVG 12v series screener. They worked ok but I could see room for improvement.
It was kind of funny, I spent about 2 years just thinking about making a new design but when I finally put the pen to paper it only took me about 2 hours to draw the machine. I fact I was on an airplane when I drew the conceptual design.

The unit you bought weighs about 2100 lbs. It is a simple but strong design.

As I mentioned before, I am making an adapter that will go onto a three point hitch on the back of a tractor for moving the SLG-78 machines.
This will allow tractors to move the screener quickly and efficiently without having to change the bucket to forks.
When I get it done I will post some pictures.

Thanks
Brad

 

[BGigHarbor]

Brad,

I can tell there is a lot of experience and thought that goes into the machine. That is why I bought it. I only buy tools that grab me.

I showed the pics to a friend that spent years in the heavy equipment industry and he immediately related to alot of the ideas (and had some of his own). He was used to fabbing dirt equipment of a much larger scale, but appreciated how little and cute the slg-78 was.

In terms of the 3 pt hitch adapter, I am sure for some it would be handy. For me when I am working aggressively with my fel I prefer to have my 1100 lb boxblade on the back for counter weight. I don't have a quick hitch, so swapping the BB in and out would not be ideal for me.

What I think would be interesting (except for the dirt that would get on it) is if it had a standard FEL quick release style mounting system on it. I could drop the bucket in seconds and pick up the screener very securely.

I'll see if Peter will send me some springs. I am hoping you are saying $40 a pair rather than each.

Thanks, Bill

 

[BGigHarbor]

That would be each.

 

[DavesTractor]

I just bought one of these Desite 78" vibratory screeners. I am quite impressed with the way it works, and the way it is built. We assembled it ourselves and every hole lined up, everything went as designed with no hammers or reamers. It is heavy.

I was sorting through an old mulch pile with a bunch of sticks and crud in it. Other than the occasional stick that caught in the screen, this worked great. If I go through such nasty stuff again I may try the finer screen with the idea that less sticks might get trapped in the screen, but even with that issue I made 15 yards of perfect mulch out of a messy pile in an hour. I tried it with the vibrator function off and then on. For this application, it made a huge difference. I'll try to post some pics.

 

[DavesTractor]

The first picture is the end result. This is what came through the screen.

Here is the cast off that rolled off the screen. I'll let it mulch and sort it again next year. This is the ugliest "mulch" pile I had. I never really intended to sort this out, it was just a pile of clippings and trimmings on the back of the property. My new mulch piles are chipped, so I'm starting with a better product. To sort this by hand never would have happened. Although I am leaning on a pitch fork in the first picture, I have no idea how to use it.

Here is the tool I used to get it done.


The next job is a gravel drive behind our shop. The forklifts have ground it down to too many fines and it is really dusty. We will sort this through a 3/8" screen and get rid of some of the fines. Then reuse the rest right back in place. Makes more sense than to haul it off and buy new.

 

[SSweet9c1]

Hey I realize this is an old thread, but I am interested in hearing more from people who have owned these for multiple years...

I have a small composting business in upstate NY and am looking to purchase a screener. The Desite dealer is about 2.5 hours from me and is willing to rent one to me, which is the plant to try it out.. I just downgraded from an 84" bucket to a 78" for my Kubota M9540 so I can go with the 78" instead of the 108"

Has anyone had any experience running compost through one of these?
Thanks
Jonathan

 

[shaeff]

No shame in bumping an old thread, I'd personally prefer to have all the info in one thread rather than scattered across many!

How small of a business are you running? (You don't actually have to answer this, but answer for yourself), is it worth the expense to buy a commercial unit if you can weld/build one?

I'm planning to build one this summer if I can find the time (ha!). The plan is to use two sheets of expanded steel mesh or heavy duty screen like the above unit supported by angle iron. There really isn't much to these things. Throw a small gas motor on it, get the screen angle right (make it adjustable?) and sift away. Commercial units are expensive. Might be worth it to build one cheaply for now to see the demand?

For my use, I have large piles of whatever it is that the local town could drop off for me. It's got chunks of blacktop, rocks, road debris, all sorts of nasty stuff. It's great fill for now, but I can't use it as top in any area without using a steel rake on it. For every 4 buckets I dump, I have to rake off 1 bucket of oversized junk lol.

Anyway, just at thought!

 

[SSweet9c1]

Shaeff, Trust me I am the king of "let me try and reinvent the wheel myself on a shoestring budget..."
This is my side business in addition to working for my family's farm and my wife's full time job which has the health insurance/pension etc..
Also we have 2 kids that are currently being home schooled due to the schools being closed....
So to say the metrics of my "jon's projects" time has changed dramatically is an understatement... lol my spare time is currently at an all-time premium and spending a week building my own screener that probably won't work nearly as quickly and effortlessly is a definite deal breaker....

I probably wouldn't be looking to purchase till this fall, or even next spring.. But I'd like to have it in time for spring garden planting season... I can sell un-screened compost but it is much to chunky and non-uniform to claim top dollar, which I need to do at my scale...

I am most interested in hearing about he guy with the broken springs on the screener... Is he still breaking them? Is it a frequent problem? Thanks
Jonathan

 

[TractorGuy]

I built a simple one a couple of weeks ago. Knocked it out in a couple of days including going to town for materials. Made mine 8'x8' so my 84" bucket fits under it if I want to use my backhoe. Not near as heavy duty as that but it works for me.

https://www.tractorbynet.com/forums/build-yourself/425831-soil-screener.html

 

[shaeff]

Shaeff, Trust me I am the king of "let me try and reinvent the wheel myself on a shoestring budget..."
This is my side business in addition to working for my family's farm and my wife's full time job which has the health insurance/pension etc..
Also we have 2 kids that are currently being home schooled due to the schools being closed....
So to say the metrics of my "jon's projects" time has changed dramatically is an understatement... lol my spare time is currently at an all-time premium and spending a week building my own screener that probably won't work nearly as quickly and effortlessly is a definite deal breaker....

I probably wouldn't be looking to purchase till this fall, or even next spring.. But I'd like to have it in time for spring garden planting season... I can sell un-screened compost but it is much to chunky and non-uniform to claim top dollar, which I need to do at my scale...

I am most interested in hearing about he guy with the broken springs on the screener... Is he still breaking them? Is it a frequent problem? Thanks
Jonathan

Jon, I gotcha! Just figured I'd make a suggestion is all!

Stay safe and healthy, these are crazy times we're living through right now!