Rotary Soil Sifter Idea
Wanting to use the natural resources around us for building materials, we looked to the wash. We can find everything from sand and fallen branches to deteriorating tires and whatever else the rushing water delivers during the monsoon season.
The harvested sand comes with larger rocks intermixed. Sifting sand by hand is a futile task for the amounts we need for things such as cob, mortar, and lime plaster.
Mechanical Soil Sifting
The boys came up with this mechanical method that we continue to use extensively today:
A Few Minor Adjustments
Depending on our application, we use varying screen sizes for sifting such as nylon window screen (aluminum stretches too much) and cloth bird netting for larger sized particles. We don't use the sun shade material anymore because it takes longer to sift.
The boys have also added 4 bolts to the cement mixer to help hold the ratchet strap on.
We’ve also discovered that the leavings from the sifted sand make for good concrete when combined with Portland Cement :)
Shelly
January 2014
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Resources
www.greenhomebuilding.com/adobe.htm
www.earthbagbuilding.com/articles.htm
www.earthbagplans.wordpress.com
We moved from the city to the country in 2005. Since then, we have been building structures, raising livestock and growing some of our own foods. We are crazy about family, nutrition and want the best for our growing family.
