Rock Sifter?

[Stitchit1]

My projects are progressing well. The grapple is working super. The one I have is perfect for what I am doing. It gets everything I throw at it done. The only thing I need to do is try to figure out how to fabricate a rock sifter for the approximately 8" rocks and under that go thru the grapple teeth due to the gap between them. I'm not looking at altering the teeth. At least I'd rather not. Has anyone here dealt w rock sifters? I have plenty of trees to use and was thinkjng about using some kind of fence mesh like material. Any advice would be great appreciated.

Thank You!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

What you want is expanded metal.
You can get it in all different thickness's and holes.

 

[Stitchit1]

Ahhhhh! Bingo!! I knew I was at the rite site. Thanks Wolfman!!

 

[ShaunRH]

The only drawback to expanded metal is the varying grid size. It catches a lot of pebbles and hangs onto them, especially when pushing or pulling. You might consider a strong welded grid for the size you want to pass as well. They are about the same price as expanded metal and have a more consistent pass quotient without the pebble jams.

Just an option, expanded will work too.

 

[Stitchit1]

Thank you! Any idea what these cost? How bout how to support? I have oodles of trees. I'm thinking I may use them for supports. Somehow

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

The grids would be nice too but dang they are pricey!

You would get expanded metal or grates at a steel supply, the price varies from area to area.
It would be way too pricey for supports for trees!

You would just want one piece to bolt into your rock bucket to resize the slots.

 

[Tooljunkie]

Dont know about your location, but around here we have rock crusher screen, its a heavy wire mesh, used in quarrys and places that deal in sand/ gravel.
Think it come as big as 6" squares.

 

[ShaunRH]

Here's a roll of 1/2" from Home Depot.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/HDX-1-2-in-x-4-ft-x-25-ft-Hardware-Cloth-308226HD/204331883

If the mesh isn't under any lateral pressure it should work fine. Hopefully the rock bucket will be doing all the lateral pushing and pulling.

As it wears, you just pull more off the roll and away you go!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'm sorry but chicken wire is not going to screen rock, sand maybe but not rock.
That wire would hold up about 2 seconds and then fold like tin foil.
Even the concrete reinforcing wire grids would work better but again just too light.
You could use chain link fence, but it can be a pain to work with.
Here is woven wire screen, it will handle the abuse.

If you have a lot to do rent or build one of these!

 

[Tooljunkie]

Yup, step one for getting the coconuts out of the gravel, run it through the Grizzly. Good stuff falls inside, stones stay out.
There are all kinds around here.

 

[Stitchit1]

Great info ! Thanks guys!! I guess I never thought about attaching something to the rock bucket itself. I do like the looks of the one Wolfman shows the picture of. I take a grizzly is the motorized version of it ?

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

No technically the this pic is a grizzly, (like the third pic in the other post) they have bars for the rocks and are static.

This second pic is a static rock screen.

Motorized rock sorters are typically shaker screens or vibrating screens but some have a grizzly that feeds them rock.

 

[Stitchit1]

Very helpful! Thanks wolf man! I've been thinking of buying a good welder. I have a Hobart now but don't think it'd get hot enough.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

What model do you have??
I can do some serious welding with my little miller wire feed welder.
I can weld 3/8" and a little 1/2" with mine.
I too would like to get a bigger unit, never enough tools.