Compost screener for WORM CASTINGS, Part I

The first of a multi-part series showing the process of designing and building a screener/trommel for compost, for use in our vermicompost/worm compost/vermiculture/worm casting system.

The goal is to put a 1/2 hp Smith + Jones electric motor from Harbor Freight onto the screen to have it turn automatically.

We currently have two existing trommels to screen our hot compost before we feed it to worms, and then another trommel for screening the worm castings out of the worm bedding. These trommels are turned by hand, and require two people for optimum speed. Now, we are building this new trommel to turn the compost screening process into a one-person operation. We bought 1/4" hardware cloth, and use pop rivets to attach it to some old bicycle rims. Once attached, I built a wooden frame out of scrap 2x4s and 2x6s, with casters from Harbor Freight to mount the trommel inside the frame. To turn the trommel, I will attach a third bicycle rim to the trommel that will be attached to the Smith and Jones electric motor with a belt and pully.

In this video, I am installing an axle to put the bicycle rim's spindle on, to be able to mount the rim to the axle.

The axle is made from two surveyor stakes that I drilled out, and tapped threads into. I then purchase some grade 8 steel all thread bolts, and placed the spindle onto the all thread bolts. This is then placed in the center of the trommel, and we will attach the bicycle rim to it in a later video.