stones my stone picker picked up

chickenman · May 28, 2008

When it works it works great not fast but faster than any other method I could implement, and there were some bugs that had to be worked out. I have most all worked out but one last one, the pitman arm on the reciprocator keeps breaking but I think I have a solution for that I知 working on today, I think.

Under the soil conditions I have it can pick up half a cubic yard in about 40 mins to a depth of about 2 inches. The machine is capable of going down about 4 inches but in stages.

The big advantage this has is the dirt is left in-place and only the stone is picked up to be carried off.

tree grower · May 28, 2008

I agree with Egon--those stones don't even count. If that's all I had, I would rejoice. That said, how big a stone will your machine pick up, Chickenman--the size of a grapefruit or cantaloupe??

chickenman · May 28, 2008

those stones count when horses have to run over them.

and i could probably handle stones of up to 5+ inches, but those arnt a problem here

Kendrick · May 28, 2008

I would love to see the rest of it a tad better. I like the idea. here we could run in to half a mountain or a pea you just never know whats sitting an inch under the dirt

that would be half way tempting to run on my driveway expecally if it smothed it out a tad

AndyG · May 29, 2008

For someone who wants a garden or horse arena made from clean dirt those stones definetly count. Good job on your mobile rock picker/screener.

StrangeRanger · May 29, 2008

Kendrick,
Where you located?
To go along w/ your never know theory... I was helping my neighbor-to-be clear his lot for the excavator to come in. I hit a "rock" w/ the FEL and figured, dagumit, and started to pry at it thinking I'd pop it out and be on my way. Nope. Dang thing turned out to be about 15' long, 8' wide by about 8' deep. This was after picking up pepples to giant water melon sized rocks all day. But we had fun, we built a huge fire all around it w/ some pallets and scrap and before you know it, that sucker blew apart to more manageable pieces. Cool.
j

Kendrick said:
I would love to see the rest of it a tad better. I like the idea. here we could run in to half a mountain or a pea you just never know whats sitting an inch under the dirt that would be half way tempting to run on my driveway expecally if it smothed it out a tad

crankin76 · May 29, 2008

come up to burke no shortage of rocks to be picked up

Redbug · May 31, 2008

Just wondering Chickenman,

This is a very interesting topic. After you have gone over an area with your stone picker, do more stones work their way up after the next winter? Do you use a subsoiler to loosen things up further down so you can reclaim more rocks before they work their way up on their own? What about one of those rock rake buckets?

chickenman · May 31, 2008

I made it primarily to clean up an oval training track for race horses.

I'm in the process of doing it now, I'm having some developmental problems along the way but when I get it working it does a excellent job, I just have more breakdowns than I'd like but im getting the problems sorted out.

As I work the track for use it will require occasional maintenance to keep clean.

Right now I'm replacing the complicated flights I made with something lighter, simpler and cheaper, cut up sections of ventricle posts for steel shelving 1/8" thick by 1.5" by 3" angle and with all the holes in them , they help sift the dirt out and what's more all I have to do is cut them to length and bolt them on the conveyer chains and they turn out to be cheaper.

I was having problems with the pitman arm that shakes the screen breaking but I think I have that solved now by going from square tubing to a heavier round tube. All in all not unexpected developmental bugs.

I am pleased with the results, when it runs.

When I have the bugs worked out maybe I can hire out with it, don't seem to be many like it around.

The great advantage it has is that it leaves the dirt in place and only removes the stones and other trash.