A better way to sieve

[Waltron]

came here from the nebari board thread, haha nice, bellville wire is one of my customers! good folks, they buy specialized perforated stainless steel from me a few times a year. in another pointless comment, WMU my alma mater coming down to Dallas this year for the cotton bowl! lookout! I miss Texas, I love tex mex, some great spots in Houston I used to frequent. I like that you use charcoal and little bit of granite. I've been doing that too.

 

[wireme]

So I'm curious - did anyone ever try this? I couldn't imagine making soil without it and I'm starting to think about generation 2.

I did yeah. First box sits on the wheelbarrow, second box has wheels and nests into the first on a rolling surface. Third box nests into the second with the screen up to allow space for stuff to fall through.
Works well enough for me, shook a few nuts and bolts off the wheelbarrow at first, had to go around and reinforce it a bit.

 

[markyscott]

I did yeah. First box sits on the wheelbarrow, second box has wheels and nests into the first on a rolling surface. Third box nests into the second with the screen up to allow space for stuff to fall through.
Works well enough for me, shook a few nuts and bolts off the wheelbarrow at first, had to go around and reinforce it a bit. View attachment 125337

Looks great, but what the heck is all that white stuff?

Scott

 

[barrosinc]

white stuff

 

[Shima]

I think your idea is well worth exploring. However; let me remind you, especially you young whipper-snappers just getting into bonsai who think you are bullet proof, soil issues can in latter years kick your ass; so please wear a respirator or at the least a dust mask to protect your lungs. I cannot express how important I think this is understanding the "interesting nature" of some of the components we use to make bonsai soil.

Well said. I use mostly pumice (glass) and am always aware of which way the breeze is blowing.

 

[Ipheek]

Hey @markyscott

I’m looking for the wire mesh on the https://www.bwire.com/ website but can’t seem to find the ones you use! 1/8, 1/4 and 3/8. Could you please help me find them? What size do you recommend when building the boxes?

I’d like to build a sifter and add a motor!

Thanks!

 

[markyscott]

Hey @markyscott

I’m looking for the wire mesh on the https://www.bwire.com/ website but can’t seem to find the ones you use! 1/8, 1/4 and 3/8. Could you please help me find them? What size do you recommend when building the boxes?

I’d like to build a sifter and add a motor!

Thanks!

Here are the plans - I’ll take a look at the site and see if I can figure out which ones I used.

https://www.bonsainut.com/attachments/image-jpg.41935/

 

[markyscott]

Hey @markyscott

I’m looking for the wire mesh on the https://www.bwire.com/ website but can’t seem to find the ones you use! 1/8, 1/4 and 3/8. Could you please help me find them? What size do you recommend when building the boxes?

I’d like to build a sifter and add a motor!

Thanks!

Here is one combination that might work:

Galvanized Steel Wire Cloth | Versatile & Durable

Choose our galvanized steel wire cloth for a versatile and durable solution to your screening and fencing needs.

wirecloth.bwire.com

 

[Ipheek]

Here is one combination that might work:

Galvanized Steel Wire Cloth | Versatile & Durable

Choose our galvanized steel wire cloth for a versatile and durable solution to your screening and fencing needs.

wirecloth.bwire.com

View attachment 517047

Thanks!! Are you looking at the decimals and converting them? Thanks for the help!!

 

[markyscott]

Thanks!! Are you looking at the decimals and converting them? Thanks for the help!!

Yes - look at the “width of opening” column and find the approximate decimal equivalent for the sizes. That was galvanized wire - but there are other material choices you can make. You can call them also - I found them very helpful.

- S

 

[Ipheek]

Yes - look at the “width of opening” column and find the approximate decimal equivalent for the sizes. That was galvanized wire - but there are other material choices you can make. You can call them also - I found them very helpful.

- S

Awesome thanks for the help!!!

 

[milehigh_7]

Here is one combination that might work:

Galvanized Steel Wire Cloth | Versatile & Durable

Choose our galvanized steel wire cloth for a versatile and durable solution to your screening and fencing needs.

wirecloth.bwire.com

@markyscott So I contacted the place you recommended and they quoted me $200 for a 2' x 3' piece. I was more than a little stunned. I am really hoping to figure out a solution I can take with me to the gravel pit and sift before I buy. I have their permission to do it I just need a better sifter.

 

[markyscott]

@markyscott So I contacted the place you recommended and they quoted me $200 for a 2' x 3' piece. I was more than a little stunned. I am really hoping to figure out a solution I can take with me to the gravel pit and sift before I buy. I have their permission to do it I just need a better sifter.

Unfortunately, I can’t recall how much I paid. They have a ton of different material options and mesh types = maybe ask them if there is a more cost effective option for what you’re doing. Also - take a caliper and go to your local big box store and look at their hardware cloth options. Perhaps you’ll find some options that may work for you for at least one of the sizes. In the meantime, I’ll reach out to another friend of mine and see if I can find what he used.

- S

 

[milehigh_7]

Unfortunately, I can’t recall how much I paid. They have a ton of different material options and mesh types = maybe ask them if there is a more cost effective option for what you’re doing. Also - take a caliper and go to your local big box store and look at their hardware cloth options. Perhaps you’ll find some options that may work for you for at least one of the sizes. In the meantime, I’ll reach out to another friend of mine and see if I can find what he used.

- S

Thanks, brother! It's the 6 mesh that I need. The scoria at the place where I go is quarter minus but has a lot of fines.

 

[BrianBay9]

So it seems to me that any large amount of soil mix containing akadama will magically generate more dust after sifting and then sitting around for a while. I've taken to mixing soil, but only sifting enough for the tree I'm currently working on. Saves me working too hard for too long on a big bulk of sifted material. Saves me sifting it twice. Saves me creating machines to help with the job. Am I the only one?

 

[Grunge_Bonsai]

Bumping this thread as it still comes up to the top of google in relation to sieving soil for bonsai.

I’m new, and have pretty bad asthma, so sifting perlite, akadama, and pumice to inhale all of that silica dust almost sent me to the ER, even with an N95 mask on.

This post may hopefully save me 20 years of breaking my back and lung damage, so thank you kindly.

That being said, to avoid dust billowing UP out of this setup, I will consider using a dome of some kind over the top container. But my father-in-law should have no problem showing off his bandsaw to make the wood pieces from scrap pallets sitting around his yard full of Ford F100s.

Thanks again for this decade old and still useful tip.

- Grunge

 

[Wood]

P100 respirator masks are frequently available at any big box hardware store. Might be worth picking up one of those instead of a N95, they’ll create a better seal around your face. Cheap ones are only $30, which is at least 20x cheaper than an ER visit