Dan.gerous 2,696 #1 Posted May 3, 2020 (edited) We have been sorting out a new garden on some very rocky ground, so bad that my poor rotovator wheelhorse has taken a hammering getting it prepared. We started hand sifting the rocks after each pass by the wheelhorse, which got boring quickly! I made a board up with chicken mesh that works quite well, but after an hour or so it gets quite tiring. It's also very slow. So I started wondering if it might be possible to build something driven off the wheelhorses PTO.... At the moment have only assembled the bits and done a bit of work stripping down some bikes for the wheel rims, and sourced a plastic drum for the trommel body. Hopefully get some more time tomorrow - trying to do it just with things I have lying about the place as COVID 19 make it a bit harder than usual! I did strip the motor out of a bench drill to use as the power source, but I keep thinking it would be so much cooler to use a wheelhorse. The 26" bike rims were too small for the drum so I have had to cut the drum down the middle and remove a section to reduce its diameter. Edited May 3, 2020 by Dan.gerous Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 9,975 #2 Posted May 3, 2020 I'm watching. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #3 Posted May 3, 2020 1 minute ago, Stormin said: I'm watching. Don't expect miracles! This is going to be a MK1 - I always take a while to perfect things, also will initially have a wooden frame until I get a bit braver with the welder. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 63,095 #4 Posted May 3, 2020 26 minutes ago, Stormin said: I'm watching. Me too 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Stormin 9,975 #5 Posted May 3, 2020 1 hour ago, Dan.gerous said: I like your little helpers, Dan. 1 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #6 Posted May 3, 2020 (edited) 3 minutes ago, Stormin said: I like your little helpers, Dan. I was wondering if anybody would notice them. We have seven sick piglets being nursed back to health by the kids - it's quite entertaining as they are all toilet trained now and move in a big pack. If you sit in the floor you get mugged by them. The dog is playing mum a lot of the time, we keep them mostly in the cage otherwise it's chaos in the lounge! Edited May 3, 2020 by Dan.gerous 2 4 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #8 Posted May 4, 2020 Everyone warming up after going to the toilet this morning. None of them have done any work on my trommel though! 1 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #9 Posted May 4, 2020 Have made some progress this morning in between other jobs. The basic unit is now mocked up and rotates as it should inside the framework. Have had to trim the sides of the wheels as they don't fit into the bike rims, but the locate the drum nicely. Next step is to screw the drum back together and permanently attach the bike rims to it. Still not sure on final drive option, but the wheel horse PTO lines up nicely so I don't really see any reason not to use it 🙂 need to have a think about rpm for the drum as don't want it rotating more than about once a second, less if possible. The bike rims are about 21" diameter, so need to work out what that will be off the small from on the PTO. If it's too much will need to put in a secondary pulley to slow it all down. 2 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 63,095 #10 Posted May 4, 2020 I don't have a PTO near me to measure but assume it's 5" - 21". That's about a four-to-one ratio. At idle speed that would bring your barrel down to 400 RPMs. Maybe.....?? Certainly will want a jackshaft or even a gear reducer somewhere in the middle. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #11 Posted May 4, 2020 33 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: I don't have a PTO near me to measure but assume it's 5" - 21". That's about a four-to-one ratio. At idle speed that would bring your barrel down to 400 RPMs. Maybe.....?? Certainly will want a jackshaft or even a gear reducer somewhere in the middle. Yes that would be scary fast! I have a 16" bike wheel that could be used to reduce the speed just need to figure out how to get the gears of it... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #12 Posted May 4, 2020 The basic unit is now functional, even tried it in the garden by hand and it works fine. Biggest problem now is lack of junk laying about to convert into drive components. Going to have to have an extra gear reduction somewhere in the system to get the speed down 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #13 Posted May 5, 2020 Took the trommel out for a test drive, the drum is ok, but going to ditch it and get 1/2 inch mesh instead. The soil has to many chances to end up where rocks should. I have powered it with a drill press, geared to its slowest speed (600rpm) that then goes through a 3" pulley onto the 20" bike rim. This gives about 90rpm at the drum which is still too fast. Centrifugal force at that speed sticks the dirt to the solid part of the drum. Anyway, worth the trials as the basic concept works fine and it sifted some good soil out. It's just not very efficient at the moment. I have run out of time now as heading back to work for two weeks, but the mk 2 version will be under construction when I get home and will try and stick that to the wheelhorse. Just need to source a bunch of pulleys, shafts and bearing blocks.... 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 63,095 #14 Posted May 5, 2020 Looking forward to the next one... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #15 Posted May 5, 2020 5 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: Looking forward to the next one... It needs to be steel, going to have to be brave.... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #16 Posted May 8, 2020 Look what I just managed to buy! This will be the start of the MK2 version to be powered by the wheelhorse Its a PTO unit for a tractor, but it as a lot of the components I need, was very cheap, and the seller is happy to post it to me. 3 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #18 Posted May 8, 2020 4 minutes ago, ebinmaine said: You will be waiting a while, I am back at sea for two weeks so can't do anything ☹️ Using the time to try and get some more components. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ebinmaine 63,095 #19 Posted May 8, 2020 I guess that's acceptable. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dan.gerous 2,696 #20 Posted June 1, 2020 A small update, managed to aquire some weldmesh for the trommel body. Should be better than the plastic drum - at least it looks the part 🤨 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
