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  Claire Brown August 16, 2013 at 1:04pm

  good idea, but there is already something that does this, if you have an electricity source. http://www.recycleworks.co.uk/scheppach-rs400-electric-rotary-sifte...

  I use this for my compost bins in my garden, and it is excellent. - but i'd like something to do the same on my flower field, which has no electricity, and where I don't want to use a generator.
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  Tony Skillicorn August 16, 2013 at 1:31pm

  Hi Claire

  Thanks for the reply.

  Well I have seen those trommel screeners and to be honest with you there is a lot more moving parts on them compared to my screener, my product is more industrial and can be loaded with a small digger.
  This is just a small prototype and not the final version, its basically a test to see if there would be interest in the product and if it would be viable to produce them for manufacture.

  I have designed mine to be folded down within about 2 minutes for easy storage, something the product you mentioned isn't able.
  also my product would probably screen twice as much as the one you have mentioned.

  If your using the product nearly everyday I would like to see which would breakdown first ?

  The motors I use are industrial and designed for a long life.

  Yes the one you mentioned is cheaper but I will be making mine myself and use a lot stronger metals and all the parts of my machines are sourced from the UK and not made in a sweat shop in china.

  If you look at any quarries you will see they use vibrating screeners for a reason reliability.

  Thanks for the feedback Claire, I welcome anyone's view on the product, this is why I have posted here.

  Tony
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  David Cox August 16, 2013 at 7:00pm

  I like it - the problem with rotary screens is the inability to load from the top. you have to load by hand Into an open end, which slows the process down, and also roating parts mean bearings, and the nature of screening means these will wear.

  I would be interested in one perhaps 50% larger than that in the video, that with some side sheeting to stop overflow could be loaded by mini digger or two man team shovelling.
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  Thermo August 16, 2013 at 7:46pm

  pretty much as david says, dependent on the price, but anything that cuts down what goes in a skip is a bonus, and getting decent screened topsoil down here is a nightmare
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  Tony Skillicorn August 16, 2013 at 8:39pm

  Hi David and Thermo

  I have came on here to get responses from guys and girls who would actually use a screener in their day to day work.

  The screener in the clip is only a small prototype that i built as a way of getting people to see if it would be something they would buy and use.

  I myself wasted time running to and from waste stations getting rid of soil then at the end of the job bringing in screened soil to finish of for turfing etc.

  I once did a fencing job for a customer and all the soil I dug out for the posts at the end of the job I screened it and spread it out over his lawn to fill in any low areas.

  Its amazing that what was waste to you can actually turn into an asset, you can even screen it and sell it in small quantities if you wanted.

  The machine I am looking to manufacture will be 50% larger and will have side extensions on and a chute for the waste/oversize.

  Also there will be a range of screen sizes also, I have spent years working on ideas and prototypes for this machine and am finally getting to a point where I needed to do some market research.

  I am hoping it will turn into a piece of kit most people see as essential.

  Thanks again for the replies

  Tony
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  Paul Elby August 17, 2013 at 3:32pm

  I currently use the rotary sieve mentioned earlier. But would always be interested in something that takes up less space, that's the big nuisance with the rotary one for me. Let us all know when you go into production.
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  Tony Skillicorn August 17, 2013 at 6:14pm

  Hi Paul

  I think we all know space is a problem for all tradesmen, cement mixers, barrows, etc. they all have to be stored and take up room in your van or garage/shed.

  My main priority was storage and I have totally cured that problem.

  People will be quite surprised once I bring it to market how simple it is to handle.

  I will keep you posted once it gets to the production stage.

  What I was wanting to know is if I was to go to a trade show which one would be the best to exhibit ?
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  Brendan McHale August 17, 2013 at 7:40pm

  good idea but a few points
  if is electrically operated youll need to meet what ever the british standards are as it will need/should to be pat tested each year unless you can use a 125cc (4stroke) engine and some other way of moving the top part of the screen.
  in my experiance small, light and portable doesnt last
  to be used with a mini digger you'd ideally need a conveyor underneath otherwise you will waste a lot of time having to clear out or moving the screen every few buckets

  this is no real help for you but if my digger is on the job most of the soil can be tracked in and if needed quickly rotavated after so faster than using a screen plus i take my spoil away on my van and the screened soil is in the same place.
  the other thing is if I had to get some screened soil the extra cost would be nowhere near the cost of labour screening let alone the aditional cost of the screener
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  Tony Skillicorn August 17, 2013 at 8:18pm

  Hi Brendan

  Well the motors are industrial and designed to be run constantly for a lot of hours, and a PAT test is only £20, me personally would buy a small generator.

  I did think about petrol motors etc. but the cost of them and belts and designing a agitator just wasn't worth while for a smaller unit.
  I wanted something small with zero maintenance and these motors do that.

  I am not going to bring out a unit with a conveyor as yet because I want to start with a basic unit and in time develop a range of machines, the first unit will have room for a barrow underneath and how hard is it the move a barrow of soil?, plus a conveyor is probably around £2000 alone.

  There are screeners on the market at the moment but are £2000+ and I am hoping to bring my machine on the market below £1000.

  I am not trying to compete with large screeners, if you need tons of screened soil for a big job then yes it is worth while buying it in.

  but if your doing jobs where you are moving just a few tons about then this will save you money digging out and bring in soil.

  I am sure you probably have your own ways of working and my machine might not suit you, but when I was doing the job I hated running around in a van, your only making money when your on the job and once you add up diesel and labour and extra costs you will start to see that screening it yourself is the way forward.

  Thanks for your input Brendan

  Tony
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  Tim Bembridge August 18, 2013 at 12:04am

  Looks simple and effective, it's something I've thought about myself. It really boils down to how many tonnes it can process in an hour. If your looking at a high hundreds price tag, it sounds good value for money, as long as it does what it says on the Tin.. let me know if you launch.