How big a screen for sifting compost?

Here's a web link to the plans I used to make my compost screen/sifter.

http://www.nifty-stuff.com/compost-sifter-screen-sieve.php



http://www.ci.glendale.ca.us/public_works/compost_screens.aspx

I like that sliding sifter! It seems easy enough to get one of my children to help me and not appear like it's work. My husband is finishing my sifter similiar to the first picture with handles, but it looks like he'll have to add the tray that straddles the wheelbarrow!

Thanks for the references.

This is my sifter:



I fill it and shake it up and down, and side to side over the wheel barrow.

CC

CapeCoddess wrote:This is my sifter:



I fill it and shake it up and down, and side to side over the wheel barrow.

CC

Now that is as simple yet efficient as it gets. Perhaps I am over thinking the screening process

@Rose

Don't forget to varnish the bottom and top frame, and rubbing the candle wax on the two. Makes operation much easier.

Bill

CapeCoddess wrote:This is my sifter:



I fill it and shake it up and down, and side to side over the wheel barrow.

CC

Leave it to a New Englander to come up with a thrifty solution. I was just getting ready to buy the materials for a sifter when I came across this!
TY TY TY CC!!!
Now to find one! LOL Used to be able to find them everywhere.

BTW, CC - where on The Cape do you live? I may have asked this before but I have a sieve for a brain lately.
I have a former student who now is a librarian in Denis (?). I'll have to check.

I've used the milk crate method myself and if you want to break it down a little farther, you can cut some hardware cloth and push it down in the crate for even finer sifting.
I must confess however, I've pretty much stopped sifting my compost altogether. A couple of times in my laziness I just added unsifted compost to my beds. After a good watering or two, I noticed I couldn't tell a difference from the sifted stuff I haven't sifted at all since.

[quote="SwampCatNana"

BTW, CC - where on The Cape do you live? I may have asked this before but I have a sieve for a brain lately.
.[/quote]

1/4" or 1/2"?

RoOsTeR wrote:I've used the milk crate method myself and if you want to break it down a little farther, you can cut some hardware cloth and push it down in the crate for even finer sifting.
I must confess however, I've pretty much stopped sifting my compost altogether. A couple of times in my laziness I just added unsifted compost to my beds. After a good watering or two, I noticed I couldn't tell a difference from the sifted stuff I haven't sifted at all since.

Now I like that idea even better, just add it in as is kinda like mother nature would do.
So here is my question if I decided not to sift, would it be better to add it in the fall and let it break down in the garden during the winter?

FOR TOP SOIL here is what I made to fit my wheel barrow. I used 1/2 in hardware cloth, cut to fit inside the outer rails, stapled to hold in place covered w/ firing strips for a better hold screwed to frame for strength. Note the beveled cut at front of firing strips; I messed up on my measuring. The firing strips keep the rig from sliding off the sides of the barrow, the end 2x4's hold it in place front to rear. Note the handle at the rear of the screen edge, there is another in the front rail, makes it easier to handle esp emptying.
I found the 1/2 in too large for screening topsoil so I added another box that just fits inside the first one with 1/4 wire. It is built the same as the first
To use the smaller I place it inside the first(the screened material falls through the larger holes just fine with out any special aligning of the screens). The firing strips keep it raised so it pulls out easily to empty.
Of course it can be used seperatly.

@Pepper

I like you set up and must consider revisiting my sifting box. It too is suited for a wheel barrow but I like your handles

@SCNana - I'm in Harwich, next town over from Dennis. I'll say hi to your friend for you next time I'm in that library. She's the photographer, right?

I have about 5 milk crate sifters. I also use them to collect harvested veggies in and then spray the whole batch with the hose to rinse them off outside. And I use them around the gardens with me to fill with garden wastes as I clip and deadhead, then dump onto the compost pile. They're also great for hauling anything to anywhere, like taking recycles to the transfer station, etc. KMart use to have them a while back, don't know if they still do.

CC

RoOsTeR wrote:I've used the milk crate method myself and if you want to break it down a little farther, you can cut some hardware cloth and push it down in the crate for even finer sifting.
I must confess however, I've pretty much stopped sifting my compost altogether. A couple of times in my laziness I just added unsifted compost to my beds. After a good watering or two, I noticed I couldn't tell a difference from the sifted stuff I haven't sifted at all since.

How odd you should mention the hardware cloth in the bottom of the crate. When I first read this thread I thought of doing the very same thing! WOrks for me!

Kelejan wrote:[quote="SwampCatNana"

BTW, CC - where on The Cape do you live? I may have asked this before but I have a sieve for a brain lately.
.

1/4" or 1/2"?[/quote]

Not sure what this post is all about! Why am I quoted?

@SCNana - I think they're asking if your brain seive is 1/2" or 1/4".
It's rather funny!

CC

CapeCoddess wrote:@SCNana - I think they're asking if your brain seive is 1/2" or 1/4".
It's rather funny!

CC

Guess it's more like 1" cuz I just didn't get it!

CapeCoddess wrote:@SCNana - I'm in Harwich, next town over from Dennis. I'll say hi to your friend for you next time I'm in that library. She's the photographer, right?

I have about 5 milk crate sifters. I also use them to collect harvested veggies in and then spray the whole batch with the hose to rinse them off outside. And I use them around the gardens with me to fill with garden wastes as I clip and deadhead, then dump onto the compost pile. They're also great for hauling anything to anywhere, like taking recycles to the transfer station, etc. KMart use to have them a while back, don't know if they still do.

CC

I cannot believe it but I posted a reply to this re the librarian and it has just disappeared!
Well, I'll try again!
Yes, she is the photographer! I had her as a student in grade school. I taught a group of intellectually gifted students. She was super! Just don't tell her I said so!
I thought she would be a reporter as this is what she said she wanted. Either way, she gets to share knowledge which is ALWAYS good!

I first used 1/2" plastic hardware cloth (I already had some) when I first made my sifter. I used it to screen about 18 cubic feet last September from my first big batch of compost. Things grew really well over the winter in 2 new 4x4 boxes . Today I tried using 1/4" hardware cloth. It's a lot more work (it takes longer for the stuff to drop through), and you have to dump a little more of the stuff that didn't fall through the screen back into the new pile, but I really like the results.

It feels weird getting excited over home made dirt.

Yeah, Toledo! Be careful who you share this obsession with... this information in the wrong hands.... well... it could get ugly, LOL!!!!