DIY small scale seed cleaner

[New Puritan]

I'm vaguely thinking of knocking one of these together: http://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedcleaner.html.

Has anyone else done anything similar?

It's only got a small throughput, but it could be useful for doing small runs of stuff that I have grown in what are more-or-less trial plots. I've been growing small areas of different legumes and one of the hardest things is finding the seed in the first place.

According to their video clip, it cost them less than a fiver to make using bits of an old wardrobe. Apart from my time cocking about with a saw, I don't have much to lose, but just wondered if anyone else on here has ever made something of this nature?

My landlord has got a seed cleaner somewhere in his shed, but apparently using it involves removing part of the roof of the shed, and even he described it as a "bit Heath Robinson", which hasn't tempted me to explore that option much further tbh.

NP.

 

[Kiwi Pete]

I haven't but thanks for putting that link up, now we have a school holiday project for us boys...
In theory, you could make it a lot deeper to increase the volume you can put through at a run; or if it didn't need to look as pretty then you could kink the right side wall out to hold more chaff (like a K shape) if that makes sense? That 'funnel' capacity is the limiting factor with this design, but I like it!
We have a couple of caged birds so it will be good for the kids to be able to clean the seed, they are drawn to simple machines!!

 

[RagnarHairybreeks]

That open source thing is a lovely bit of simple, elegant design. There was me merrily thinking I could start building and selling them - until I got to the end and realised that I can't due to the way it is published.

 

[Clive]

I'm vaguely thinking of knocking one of these together: http://www.realseeds.co.uk/seedcleaner.html.

Has anyone else done anything similar?

It's only got a small throughput, but it could be useful for doing small runs of stuff that I have grown in what are more-or-less trial plots. I've been growing small areas of different legumes and one of the hardest things is finding the seed in the first place.

According to their video clip, it cost them less than a fiver to make using bits of an old wardrobe. Apart from my time cocking about with a saw, I don't have much to lose, but just wondered if anyone else on here has ever made something of this nature?

My landlord has got a seed cleaner somewhere in his shed, but apparently using it involves removing part of the roof of the shed, and even he described it as a "bit Heath Robinson", which hasn't tempted me to explore that option much further tbh.

NP.

we made one of these to clean OSR this year - it works very well but is slow / too small

over winter we plan to make another at 4 -5 x scale

 

[New Puritan]

@Clive - How long did it take you? It's surprising what I learn on this forum, the above machine looks far too down at heal for the likes of you...

 

[SilliamWhale]

@Clive @New Puritan I'm about to start making one of these for OSR. Did you make one? Any tips before I do

 

[Clive]

@Clive @New Puritan I'm about to start making one of these for OSR. Did you make one? Any tips before I do

Yes it works well

But making a bigger one for this year as it’s quite slow

 

[SilliamWhale]

Yes it works well

But making a bigger one for this year as it’s quite slow

Do you reckon if its scaled up exactly it would compromise the suction effect?

 

[Clive]

Do you reckon if its scaled up exactly it would compromise the suction effect?

Not if I scale up the vacuum (ie use our big brute instead of a henry !)

Suction is choked / adjusted by the air bleed as well

 

[SilliamWhale]

Not if I scale up the vacuum (ie use our big brute instead of a henry !)

Suction is choked / adjusted by the air bleed as well

I'll make one scaled up as well and put a picture on of how it goes

 

[Mursal]

Good vacuum from the back pack leaf blowers, Ryobi one has electric start ...............

 

[cotswoldcs]

I think I've found another use for our Kongskilde sucker blower....

 

[New Puritan]

@SilliamWhale - no, I didn't. It's on the list of various things to get round to at some point... I'd be very pleased to see a photo of yours though, it might spur me on.

 

[joe soapy]

just blue sky thinking, a cyclone cleaner is good at taking out the light rubbish fast, then a perforated augur will sort the small dense seeds
leaving the diy cleaner with less work to do and run faster.
On a small scale, a dyson can supply some usefull components such as the cyclone.
for bigger throughputs, a master drier will clean up a sample, as will a combine fitted with a hopper instead of a header

 

[SilliamWhale]

just blue sky thinking, a cyclone cleaner is good at taking out the light rubbish fast, then a perforated augur will sort the small dense seeds
leaving the diy cleaner with less work to do and run faster.
On a small scale, a dyson can supply some usefull components such as the cyclone.
for bigger throughputs, a master drier will clean up a sample, as will a combine fitted with a hopper instead of a header

I use a cyclone in my woodworking shop. I think i might try it out on osr first to see.

You can also make up something to use a pedestal fan as your power

 

[joe soapy]

I use a cyclone in my woodworking shop. I think i might try it out on osr first to see.

You can also make up something to use a pedestal fan as your power

And people look at me and think i just a pretty face

 

[joe soapy]

 

[farmideas]

If anyone has made a scaled-up version it would be just the ticket for Practical FarmIdeas. Am going to alert readers to the real seeds idea which Clive kindly demoed to me the other day. Impressive how accurately it pulled out the small rape seeds and other trash.

 

[Dman2]

Yes it works well

But making a bigger one for this year as it’s quite slow

why not use your combine to dress seed
We use it sometimes for barley, have a box that sits on the front.
Tip trailer into it
fans on full, bottom sieve fairly tight
Makes a good job, and can just lift a dumpy under the spout

 

[Clive]

why not use your combine to dress seed
We use it sometimes for barley, have a box that sits on the front.
Tip trailer into it
fans on full, bottom sieve fairly tight
Makes a good job, and can just lift a dumpy under the spout

Have done so in the past but its not really practical for OSR as its usually more than busy cutting wheat when we would be cleaning the OSR seed

We have a big rotary cleaner in our dryer system that we use for wheat and barley and can dress if required as well using it

my comments re scaling it up were to increase OSR cleaning speed, I don't think this kind of cleaner would ever really be practical for large seed cleaning in any qty