screening chips

[DavidT]

Does anyone know of an effective and affordable way to screen wood chips? I have tons and tons of wood chips on my property that I would like to get rid of but the problem is that they are mixed in with small branches and wood.

 

[tod_k]

We have sceeners but you will need to grind it with a tub or horizonal.

 

[DavidT]

No such luck. Vermeer 1250A. Would like to upgrade to an 1800 or even a 2000 but not in this economy. If I had a bigger chipper, probably would not ned a screener. We usually don't chip anything bigger than 6" hence the wood mixed up with it.

 

[BostonBull]

here is what you need

http://www.doppstadtus.com/?section=SM617&showFeatures=yes

local company does 1-2 millions yards of bark and mulch per year and uses this screener exclusively.

he grinds with multiple peterson grinders

http://www.petersonpacific.com/content/ArchivesItem_11_299_0_v

and

http://www.petersonpacific.com/content/ArchivesItem_11_526_0_v

 

[tod_k]

We have the same screener. It is not designed to be loaded with pregrind material.

 

[NATREE]

I built one that works just fine out of 3/4 inch expanded metal and a hydraulic shaker box off of an old vibratory plow. We screen our old chips (3 to 4 years old) at a rate of one cubic yard per minute with a good bobcat operator. We sell it as fast as we make it. You can use an electric truck bed vibrator but it won't be as powerful.

We built an 8' X 8' frame out of 4" X 3/8 angle and turned one angle down and three up so the oversized chips would exit the box at the rear and the top soil would fall through the screen into a loading bin 6 ft below. Two days worth of work for a couple guys but we sell the soil for $25.00 per cu yd. If we could get the chips to rot faster we could really make some money but it does get rid of the original problem.

When you set the box on top of the bin you will need to weld six coil springs under it to allow it to shake.

I can spell it out in more detail if you want to give it a try. Good luck.

jimw@northamericantree.com

 

[NickfromWI]

[ QUOTE ]
If we could get the chips to rot faster we could really make some money

[/ QUOTE ]

I've heard root beer and sugar water both work well to expedite things...

love
nick

 

[NATREE]

AHH!!! then I could start an ant farm!!!lol

Just kidding. Thanks Nick.

I have heard many ways to speed the composting process but I really don't want to spend the labor on it. Waiting doesn't cost me and I believe next year will bring a couple more bucks per yard. We no longer have waste wood since we bought the large horizonal grinder and a Rotochopper to color mulch. I'm just trying to get rid of the 1000's of loads dumped over the years.

 

[BostonBull]

Which horizontal do you own?

If its a hammer mill run the old stuff through the plant with #2, and #4 Screen in it, and then run it through the screening plant.

If you dont own a hammer mill, rent one for a day or two, they do an amazing amount of work in a day!

 

[NATREE]

I have a Beast 3680 and it has a cutter mill. I have run old chips through it with a 4" screen and all splitters no cutters. It does a good job but I'm afraid of metal and large rocks being dumped through it. I had a 3/8" steel plate go through it last year and it cost me over $12,000 to fix it.

I have used a hammer mill and it does a good job as well but I get a more consistant size chip from the cutter mill.

Like I said, I don't have an accumulation of wood waste as we now recycle everything we cut and the old chips from years past will be gone by the end of spring.