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Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 3:36 pm
by TheTool
Hi r44flyer
I have seen those trommel screeners before I think they are priced at about £500 and I guess they do the job well enough.
The trouble with anything that has moving parts and soil/dust is wear, My machine has no moving parts except for the enclosed motor which needs no maintenance.
It would be interesting to see how long the rotary screener would last if used daily/weekly for a number of months and how much the spares are and where they can be scoured.
Looking at other machines that are on the market most are made from thin 1mm metal, my machine uses a minimum of 3mm steel.
All my parts come from the UK and I personally would prefer to do this as it keeps the money in the UK, so my machines would never get made in a sweat shop in the far east.
The other bad point is loading a rotary machine is a lot harder.
I looked at a lot of machines over the years and I think the vibratory screener is really the most cost effective over its lifetime.
Hopefully once I have my production version completed I can maybe go to a few tradeshows and exhibit and give people a bit of hands on the product.
What would you say is the best show to exhibit at ?
Tony
Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 6:12 pm
by dig dug dan
Saltex, first week of september. Trade show for landscapers
Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 7:03 pm
by TheTool
Thanks Dan, I think I will probably miss any shows this year but I would like to get to at least one at some point in the future.
Really I would be going to give people a chance to try out the screener and see it in the flesh.
Nothing beats hands on.
Tony
Posted: Sun Aug 18, 2013 11:58 pm
by mickg
I can't for the life of me see how having one of these can be cost effective, it would mean loading this for hours and hours to get if your lucky a couple of tons out of the debris you have dug off, it only costs £25 a ton for graded black peaty top soil
the cost of the labour totally out weighs the saving, not being negative just stating a fact
your video shows it being used with very sandy type soil and a few small clumps of grass mixed in, how would it work with wet soil and clay mixed because that's what we have in the north west ?
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 6:50 am
by dig dug dan
Its a time saver. You have to barrow out all that soil , skip it, then barrow all the good stuff back in.round here we are not blessed with being able to buy in decent soil. Its all rubbish, unless we pay 60 for a tonne bag.
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 6:58 am
by lutonlagerlout
pinewood do good stuff for £45 a metre which is around 1.5 tonne
maybe on a specific job with bad access it might work but it just looks too slow to me
a bit like easybarrow
LLL
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 7:39 am
by GB_Groundworks
Maybe a DIY toy for ppl got loads of time, I've gotta be done and onto the next job, can a load it with my 3 ton machine? Nope and to be fair it's very rare to be digging dry soil in the uk it's always wet and claggy.
I've looked at the viper screens but at £10k+ secondhand you need to be doing lots of soil work. I can buy ok soil screened for £20 a ton loose
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 11:21 am
by TheTool
Well I am not making a machine to suit everyone, if you can get screened soil great, but where I am based its basically screened rubbish that sets like stone.
I was sick of wasting time taking away good unscreened soil and bringing back rubbish.
The machine in the vid is not the finished unit, its just a prototype that I made to show how the idea works
All I am doing is giving someone the choice of saving money and cutting down on the material they need to dispose off.
If you would not find a need for it then that's fine, I am not expecting that it will appeal to everyone.
I guess I am just trying to give people an alternative.
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 4:21 pm
by bobbi o
Tool, i've got one of the 3k dick searle jobs,but it's for producing a 3mm down aggregate for bitumen slurry seal which i can't buy up here. i could produce a graded top soil, but it's cheaper to buy it from the big boys.
Your screener is a toy and you wont sell any !
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 5:26 pm
by TheTool
The Screener in the vid is not the final product, it is merely a small prototype to show the basis of the idea.
This is why I have gone to the trouble of asking people first before I even think of going into production, this is purely market research.
What I would say to you though is not everyone has the luxury of an area where they can screen there own product.
If you are selling tons of product then its pointless buying a screener at the size I will be selling, its a question of scale.
What I am producing is a machine for guys who can reuse the soil they usually dispose off.
If you have large machinery your probably going to have a screener bucket or a £30k+ screener and a yard to store it all.
I am just trying to appeal to the small guy who might find it useful.
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 5:56 pm
by lutonlagerlout
I think we can agree it will have limited potential then
it wouldn't be used enough for me to warrant the space in the slaughter
and its too small for the big boys
but, on certain bad access jobs it would have potential
i wouldnt take it on the apprentice put it that way tony
best of luck
LLL
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 6:06 pm
by dig dug dan
Your screener is a toy and you wont sell any !
thats a bit harsh, and i disagree totally. Whilst it may not appeal to you, i can see a market for it, and there is a diy hire market to tap into in the first instance.
At the right price, i can see these being sold in the same way as the belle mixer mounted one has done in the past.
lets not knock the guy for trying what in effect is a simply idea.
I could have done with one today to screen out a bit of soil instead of riddling with the digger for an hour or so
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 6:30 pm
by TheTool
Well thanks guys, and hey I don't mind negative comments, its why I came on here for a balanced opinion.
I know its not for everyone and hey if I sell one a month I would be happy, I am just trying at the moment to do some research on its potential.
All I am trying to do is provide a alternative, what I would say is I have not released the final version for the simple reason is someone might want to copy it before I have even got it into production and beat me to it, you don't play poker with your hand showing now do you :p
I have made 3 prototypes so far and when I did use it when landscaping I was amazed how many times I got it out of the van, and how many times I let others borrow it.
Not everyone has the luxury of being able to buy good topsoil, the stuff you get here is rubbish and mainly screened tailings that set like concrete and nothing grows in it.
Yes I think your right this isn't a product for the dragons den lol, but like I said if I sold a couple and people got the use from them then I would be happy.
Posted: Mon Aug 19, 2013 10:12 pm
by bobbi o
dig dug dan wrote:Your screener is a toy and you wont sell any !
thats a bit harsh, and i disagree totally. Whilst it may not appeal to you, i can see a market for it, and there is a diy hire market to tap into in the first instance.
At the right price, i can see these being sold in the same way as the belle mixer mounted one has done in the past.
lets not knock the guy for trying what in effect is a simply idea.
I could have done with one today to screen out a bit of soil instead of riddling with the digger for an hour or so
Give the man an order then !
Posted: Tue Aug 20, 2013 6:45 am
by dig dug dan
Once he has the final product 
Edited By dig dug dan on 1376977560