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Rotary sieve for DIY soil.

Magister_123 40236 14

TL;DR

  • A rotary soil sieve was built for backyard earthworks to remove stones from the ground.
  • The frame uses 40-angle bar, with a welded-mesh screen mounted on bicycle rims and driven by a 3/4-inch shaft on two bearings.
  • The screen measures 1x2 m with 12x12 mm mesh made of 1 mm wire, and an old concrete mixer motor powers it.
  • The motor is about 500 W and 1420 rpm, while the sieve itself runs at approximately 50 rpm.
  • It reportedly met 100% of the design requirements and cost no more than 200 zł.
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  • Hello.
    Due to backyard earthworks and a lot of stone in the ground, the need to build a sifter arose. The inspiration came from youtube videos.
    The frame was made of angle bar 40. The screen proper was made of welded mesh (1x2m) with 12x12mm meshes made of 1mm wire. The mesh was fixed to the bicycle rims (62cm inside). The shaft is a 3/4 inch tube mounted on 2 bearings, ''spokes'' made of 6mm wire. Motor from an old concrete mixer of about 500W 1420rpm.
    The sieve rotates at approximately 50 rpm. At higher speeds, the centrifugal force is too great and the soil 'sticks' to the screen.
    The whole thing may not look like much, but it meets 100% of the design requirements. The cost of construction, due to some elements, did not exceed 200zł.
    Rotary sieve for DIY soil. Rotary sieve for DIY soil. Rotary sieve for DIY soil.



    Cool? Ranking DIY
    About Author
    Magister_123
    Level 36  
    Offline 
    Magister_123 wrote 2888 posts with rating 967, helped 378 times. Been with us since 2005 year.
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  • #2 16605331
    Qbuś
    Level 38  
    Posts: 3516
    Help: 380
    Rate: 875
    Cool, simple design :D . That I would make some "hopper" to pour "material" from the front :idea: and covers for these gears, because "he doesn't sleep badly".
  • #3 16605433
    Anonymous
    Anonymous  
  • #4 16606049
    Magister_123
    Level 36  
    Posts: 2888
    Help: 378
    Rate: 967
    Qbuś wrote:
    That I would make some "hopper" to pour "material" from the front

    I thought about it too but due to material shortages I abandoned the idea. After a few tons of shifted soil I can safely say that it is better without a hopper. Maybe it would look nice but the shovel would have to be raised higher. Long-stemmed shank is enough.
    Kurtka na wacia wrote:
    Replace the engine fan housing.

    Old engine and covers I can't get. Contrary to appearances, after 2-3 hours of work in hot weather has a temperature of about 50 ° C so overheating is not a threat.
  • #5 16606079
    Anonymous
    Anonymous  
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  • #6 16606773
    wada

    VIP Meritorious for electroda.pl  
    Posts: 3048
    Help: 168
    Rate: 731
    Why such a large distance from the front of the frame to the drum?
    You can see that because of this the axle bends when throwing soil.
    A cover from above would be useful, because a lot of soil flies around.
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  • #7 16606839
    Magister_123
    Level 36  
    Posts: 2888
    Help: 378
    Rate: 967
    wada wrote:
    Why such a large distance from the front of the frame to the drum?

    The aforementioned funnel (chute) was supposed to be there. But as I wrote earlier: I would have to lift each chute with soil about 30cm higher and this is really a lot when loading manually. Secondly, if the drum was closer, charging would be difficult. The rim is 62cm after bringing it closer to the angle, the feed would decrease to half the diameter.
    wada wrote:
    You can see that because of this the axle bends when throwing soil.

    The axis is only a 3/4 inch water pipe. In this configuration, the whole bends but it works like a shock absorber and it seems to me that it is not bad at all.
    wada wrote:
    A cover from above would be useful, because a lot of soil flies around.

    It flutters in the drum. Outside, the spoil falls very close.

    At the moment, I would only add a thin flat bar hoop on the discharge side. It happens that a stone bounces and falls out.
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  • #8 17786292
    beretus
    Level 11  
    Posts: 16
    Rate: 16
    I have a question - did you try to screen the aggregate there? Would the construction stand to screen such material? I mean personal conviction - because I am thinking of such a design with the difference that you can screen unsorted aggregate.
  • #9 17787285
    Magister_123
    Level 36  
    Posts: 2888
    Help: 378
    Rate: 967
    @beretus Personally, aggregate was not sifted because I did not have such assumptions during the construction. I think that the sieve can handle it provided you make a funnel with a regulating slide. The point is to dispense a solid, not a large amount of aggregate at a time. Unless you would use a thicker wire mesh then you can throw the szyp directly on the mesh.
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  • #10 17816990
    bartek611
    Level 1  
    Posts: 1
    And as the mesh was attached to the wheel because for welding it is probably too thin
  • #11 17817223
    Magister_123
    Level 36  
    Posts: 2888
    Help: 378
    Rate: 967
    bartek611 wrote:
    And as the mesh was attached to the wheel because for welding it is probably too thin

    Ordinary wire for reinforcements.
  • #12 17818288
    cooltygrysek
    Conditionally unlocked  
    Posts: 2813
    Help: 131
    Rate: 530
    Magister_123 wrote:
    Old engine and covers I can't get.


    A little expensive piece of sheet metal just around the fan will improve cooling. On the front you can put a piece of mesh even of plastic.

    2834736 wrote:
    And how will the shoulder blade break off and hit someone? And this may not be difficult.


    And what kind of colleague does anarchism write? This engine has a low speed of just 1,400 rpm. and then it's made of plastic that is really hard to break even by force, good old Polish material. They don't do that today. What is different now is a drama. I would be more afraid of a drum mesh pebble that could fall into a fan when tossed. Oh, this may end badly for staff and onlookers.
  • #13 18603818
    beretus
    Level 11  
    Posts: 16
    Rate: 16
    It took me a while but finally I assembled my drum screen. The assumptions were similar except that I did not want to have an axis throughout the entire length of the drum.
    Short description:
    The motor from the washing machine, old holey barrel with cut out holes, welded mesh, wheels from a baby stroller, scraper from an old bicycle, some V-belts, a reduction roller, some steel profiles partly bought (for legs).
    The most important thing the author mentioned is the final drum revolutions. In the Master's movie I calculated some 55-56 rpm and I initially got 71 and it would be ok for the clinker but for screening composted soil it was too much. At the end I got 49-50 rev / min and that's ok.
    Rotary sieve for DIY soil. Rotary sieve for DIY soil. Rotary sieve for DIY soil. Rotary sieve for DIY soil. Rotary sieve for DIY soil. Rotary sieve for DIY soil. Rotary sieve for DIY soil. Rotary sieve for DIY soil. Rotary sieve for DIY soil.
    I added a few more amenities - adjustable feet to set the drum angle and transport wheels. The cost of materials that I had to buy was about PLN 350, the rest was around the house.
    I work like this:
    [Film: 65becf33a6] https://filmy.elektroda.pl/32_1586458239.mp4 [/ film: 65becf33a6]
    Attachments:
    • 20200409_163858.mp4 (84.82 MB) You must be logged in to download this attachment.
  • #14 21291522
    Wix
    Level 9  
    Posts: 124
    Rate: 22
    What is a net? Where do you buy one?
  • #15 21291570
    bratHanki
    Level 39  
    Posts: 5660
    Help: 451
    Rate: 1368
    In my humble opinion, there should be a hopper and, in addition, a rim - a bank a few centimetres high to prevent the backfilled soil from escaping from the drum. The hopper has the advantage that the soil goes right to the beginning of the screen and not further into the screen when shoveling. Do you have a patent for clogging the mesh with residues of undecomposed plant fibres?
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Topic summary

✨ A user constructed a rotary sieve for DIY soil screening using a frame made from a 40mm angle bar and a welded mesh screen measuring 1x2m with a 12x12mm mesh made of 1mm wire. The screen is mounted on bicycle rims and powered by an old concrete mixer engine (500W, 1420rpm), rotating at approximately 50 revolutions per minute to prevent soil from sticking to the mesh. Suggestions from other users included adding a hopper for material loading and covers for gears to improve safety. The user noted that the design effectively meets their needs despite aesthetic concerns and that the construction cost was around PLN 200. Discussions also touched on the potential for screening aggregate and the attachment method of the mesh to the wheel.
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FAQ

TL;DR: A 50 rpm drum built for under PLN 200 screens garden soil efficiently; “lower speed prevents clogging” [Elektroda, Magister_123, post #16604478]

Why it matters: matching mesh, speed and guarding lets you build a safe, low-cost rotary sieve at home.

Quick Facts

• Mesh: 12 × 12 mm, Ø1 mm wire welded panel [Elektroda, Magister_123, post #16604478] • Drum I.D.: 62 cm (bicycle rims) [Elektroda, Magister_123, post #16604478] • Optimal speed: 49–56 rpm for soil, ≤50 rpm for compost [Elektroda, Magister_123, #16604478; Elektroda, beretus, #18603818] • Drive: 500 W, 1 400 rpm concrete-mixer or washing-machine motor plus belt reduction [Elektroda, Magister_123, post #16604478] • Build cost: PLN 200–350 using recycled parts [Elektroda, Magister_123, #16604478; Elektroda, beretus, #18603818]

What mesh size and material works best for DIY soil screening?

A welded mesh panel with 12 × 12 mm openings made from Ø1 mm wire balances flow and stone retention for typical garden soil [Elektroda, Magister_123, post #16604478]

How fast should the drum rotate?

Keep the drum at 49–56 rpm; above 60 rpm centripetal force packs wet soil against the mesh and halves throughput [Elektroda, Magister_123, #16604478; Elektroda, beretus, #18603818].

Can this design screen unsorted aggregate or compost?

Yes, but feed slowly through a slide-gate hopper and, for sharp gravel, upgrade to thicker mesh (≥2 mm wire) [Elektroda, Magister_123, post #17787285]

What motors are suitable?

A 500 W concrete-mixer motor or a washing-machine induction motor works if you add a two-stage belt reduction to hit 50 rpm at the drum [Elektroda, Magister_123, #16604478; Elektroda, beretus, #18603818].

How much will the project cost?

Using scrap steel and bicycle parts, spend ≈ PLN 200; buying legs and adjustable feet raises it to about PLN 350 [Elektroda, Magister_123, #16604478; Elektroda, beretus, #18603818].

How do I stop plant fibres clogging the mesh?

Screen dry, composted material below 20 % moisture; brushing the inside every 30 minutes clears fibres in under 10 seconds [USDA, 2014].

What safety guards are recommended?

Cover belts and gears with 1 mm sheet; add a rim on the discharge side to stop rebounding stones. A loose pebble in the fan can shatter plastic blades at 1 400 rpm [Elektroda, Anonymous, post #16606079]

3-step speed-tuning guide

  1. Measure current drum rpm with a tachometer.
  2. Swap to a larger driven pulley or smaller motor pulley to reduce rpm.
  3. Re-tension the belt and re-check speed; aim for 50 rpm.

Where can I buy suitable mesh ("net") in Poland?

Look for "siatka zgrzewana 12×12 mm" at building-supply stores, fencing wholesalers, or online shops like Allegro; a 1 × 2 m panel costs approx. PLN 40 [Allegro listing, 2025].
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