Everyone Hates Cat Litter, so I Built This

[@dfxmonkeyhead]

You're a true renaissance man. I really enjoy the concise way you speak and your courageous honesty about what works and what doesn't, as well as your complete thought process. Plus, I have two great cats. The litter thing isn't too big a problem, as I live in a temperate climate, so they are able to do their thing mostly outside 9 months out of the year. The sieve looks like a Lexan floor tom... Maybe you can figure a way to make it "double doody"...

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Thanks so much for the thoughtful comment! I’m jealous of your climate!

[@jimhenson3088]

I've been in IP law for about 10 years - all the patent application related stuff in this video is spot on. Generally, civilians tend to be way off about that stuff XD Well done

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Thanks so much! Lots to learn still but I’m hoping my experimentation with this stuff will shed some additional light on the subject

[@jackbaxter-williams8059]

Do you like the Muppets?

[@TJThomas116]

I am not sure why KZbin recommended this video to me. I do not own cats, nor do I watch much design content. But boy was this ever entertaining and well-made. Really neat solution!

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Thanks so much! The KZbin algorithm works in mysterious ways but I’m glad it found you! More videos to come!

[@Meikulish]

I just happened to go down a rabbit hole about stage lighting and found myself on this channel a few hours after your second video drops. I totally have the same brain bug for iteration and prototyping, and your plans for channeling that here are exciting! Cool projects!

[@Jr_chesney]

First the stage lighting design and walk thru ..now this?? 🤯 🫡 Bravo good sir! 👏 👏 Thanks for sharing

[@kristindirks4086]

Thank you! This is the only thing online I've seen that describes my cat litter problem! We have 4 cats and grew tired of throwing away over 10lbs of clay clumping litter a week. We switched to pine pellets and use horse bedding pellets and cedar sawdust mix. We scoop the turds and use a sifting litterbox, it is a 1 hour job for 4 litter boxes, producing lots of dust. Before I came upon this video, I've been designing a similar contraption using a 12 inch diameter bingo cage as the sorter. Also using a larger drum used to spread compost as a rock/ garden dirt sorter trommel. So again...I totally get and appreciate your thought process and solution on this.

[@SuperValidDesigns]

I knew there would be other people in my position that needed a better solution! It’s definitely an over engineered solution but it was a ton of fun to figure out

[@null.psyche]

I love this, but I need something that's a bit more apartment sized.

[@KyleBevis-u7j]

Mate. This is incredible. You’re a genius. You answered every question as they popped into my mind. You’re so talented! I am in awe! Lights, Litter… What next??!?!

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Thanks so much! I really appreciate that! I’m uploading a tutorial video for the lights in a day or two and then after the holidays I’m going to focus on much more frequent uploads!

[@KyleBevis-u7j]

@@SuperValidDesigns Well I’m a fan! I thoroughly enjoy the nitty gritty engineering parts of the process. I have lots of ideas and take on lots of little projects, but my skillset isn’t a patch on yours! I’m look forward to whatever you do next. Take care!

[@janethatsmyname]

I was helping my sister who is a cat breeder and uses wood pellets. As I cleaned the litter trays I imagined a better way, perhaps a rotating cage, with an inner cage for to larger poop. Like a lottery or bingo ball shaped basket placed over each litter box. Light enough to carry from box to box. I thought, if I’ve thought about this then someone has made it already and I searched and found you. I am not an engineer but I will try to make such a thing with wire mesh perhaps. Thank you for your work. It’s brilliant. My sister is disabled and breeds her cats as companion animals. She needs this machine to help her.

[@75mooner]

This is fantastic! You built a way more modified version of what I want to build for our furkiddos! Ahhhmazing! Mine didn’t have plans to separate the 💩too, just wanted to build something simpler…a hand crank barrel sifter of sorts. Great job, super inspiring! Thx for sharing! 🙏🌻

[@teikjoon]

Thanks for making this video, the next time my kids ask if we can get a cat, I'll just make them watch this 20 minute video about how hard it is to clean kitty litter, and they'll probably never ask me again! :)

[@BarnabyCajones]

Hahaha let us know how that works out for you😂

[@FrostedJr]

2/2 banger videos man. You have quickly made yourself a lot of fans. 😊

[@iainmurphy9101]

Great video. Never heard of using wood pellets for cat litter before, but now I might have to give it a try

[@SuperValidDesigns]

I highly recommend it!

[@TheGreenBeanie8]

I also recommend!

[@lili-cl1zx]

ohh man i wanna one day be able to turn my ideas into actual builds like this, amazing work!!

[@SHRUGGiExyz]

After finding your channel from the Stage Lighting video I was convinced you had built this thing out of some cheap plastic kick drum lmao Looks awesome though! Having used both pellet and clay litter, I definitely agree that the cost savings alone is pretty bonkers for the pellets, plus you can compost the saw dust! (so long as you don't use that compost on any plants you plan on eating lol) Can't wait for the update on your modular stage lighting!

[@NHX610]

I love this.

[@MidnightUnity]

Man, I was not expecting this as your next video! But as a cat dad myself, I'm glued to the content of this new one as well! Amazing job!

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Glad you enjoyed it! Definitely a bit of a tangent from the lighting rig but I’m basically just making things on this channel that I need personally lol

[@MidnightUnity]

@@SuperValidDesigns Improving your life and helping us potentially do the same! Thank you so much for that!

[@GarreTTTurncoaT]

Beautiful turn out! I made almost exactly the same things about seven years back when our band still existed lol. Except mine all operated on the same four channels. I used four-pin locking connectors and four conductor wire. Each of the fixtures had a male and female connector wired together so I could link them all together and connect the last fixture to the first creating a full power loop so the voltage drop wasn't a problem by the end of the line. My stands were just sand filled 1/2" PVC fitted in an H.. Definitely admire your base design and versatility more though! I'd like to build some with sound reactive controllers and addressable WS2812s though.

[@AndriSoren]

Here’s the name for it: “Literally”

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Love it! Maybe “Litter Rollie”?

[@AndriSoren]

I forgot the double t in Litterally, doh! Litter Rollie has promise tho. I do then think of “Litter Rally” but that sounds like a race. 😅

[@brendarivera1112]

Is that's the way it's spelled?

[@AndriSoren]

@@brendarivera1112 it seems litterally is the obsolete version of literally - which is why it’s ripe for this product - to the trademark registry!

[@vickyginn7264]

I wish I had one of those machines to use for my cat’s used cat litter. Brilliant idea. A bit big right now, but I’m sure a smaller scaled down version would be brilliant. I’ve always used wood pellet cat litter in the UK.

[@SuperValidDesigns]

It's definitely pretty large and if I didnt have so many cats, it wouldnt be worth it but I'm happy to report that. months later, I'm still using this daily and it works like a charm! Perhaps I need to refine the design for a smaller version though

[@margaretclaypool]

I use wood pellets in a litter box that I DIYed. I bought 2 of the same litter box (a covered, top-entry model). I drilled a bunch of holes in the inner layer that are a bit smaller than the size of pellets, and raised the inner layer up with some feet so there's a couple of inches of space between the two boxes. I pick up any poop with a doggy bag and put it in a repurposed compost bucket that lives beside the litter box. (Kind of like a diaper genie...). Then I either stir or shake the litter box so the sawdust falls through the holes into the lower (not holey) litter box. Once a week I dump out the lower box and rinse it out, then add some new litter pellets to to the top box. (And empty and wipe out the compost bucket! 😛)

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Sounds like a good system!

[@ricardoherrera6038]

Thank you for sharing your video. You can cut a section out below the top rim and create a lip so that the good pellets can be dumped out

[@CyantistMusic]

Your approach is epic man, and quite unique. I don't have pets and don't give a shit about litter actually, but I love following the thought process and the openness and the honestly. Keep it up :)

[@SuperValidDesigns]

I really appreciate this! I figured the use case for this was pretty niche but I thought some people might appreciate the video for the build alone. Thanks for confirming :)

[@jillk3809]

This is pretty smart honestly!

[@majorhavoc9693]

I've had this idea ever since switching to wood pellets. I've been sifting by hand in a large screen bottomed box and it works well but knew a rotating cylinder would be much faster. Maybe someday.

[@SuperValidDesigns]

The rotating cylinder has been a game changer! Still using it everyday without fail!

[@michaelvereker4681]

this is actually sooo cool. you only have 2 videos and I'm already addcted to this channel :)) keep it up!!!

[@kalcyonandon]

This channel is amazing 💜

[@kaepotter]

personally beyond clumping litter's functional issues, its soo hard for me to even get past the dust. it smells so pungent to me, even clean and unscented! what a fantastic way for multiple cats to get their needs met on a regular basis without expending much energy.

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Yes the dust from clumping litter is brutal! Definitely another benefit for the wood litter! Thanks so much for the comment 🥰

[@William_Van_Landingham_III]

I firmly believe that the dust was the main culprit behind my developing lung problems after a couple years of use. I was given an 'asthma' diagnosis and a prescription for two inhalers. I got the inhalers, then switched to wood pellets and the chronic lung issues all promptly went away, so I never needed drugs after all. I also wonder how many chronic health issues experienced by our cats are due to them inhaling and licking this material off of their fur, both the dust and the chemical scents.

[@TaintedPenguin]

As a household with 13 cats I would LOVE to see a purchasable product like this. We use wood stove pellets and have for years but sifting 14 litterboxes daily gets old. I wouldn't care about "look" it's all about function and great if it could be hosed down outside to clean periodically. A sifter that could host multiple litter boxes worth of pellets would be amazing! Since you mentioned the patent would be $100 Canadian does that mean this would potentially be a canadian product if it takes off? A few years ago I wondered about a design where the "wall" of litterboxes could be elevated onto like a 2x8 strip of plywood with sifting litterboxes sunk into it that could slide from side to side such that you could essentially sift multiple litterboxes at once with a large funnel shape underneath where dust that fell through could be swept down a channel into a disposal bucket. Solids typical "float to the top" of the pellets frim shaking and could be manually removed. Not useful for many people but for those of us that have a "dedicated litter room" it's a thought I've had for years to try. I do really like this alternative though!

[@PatentsDemystified]

Excellent video! Thanks for the shout out 19:08

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Thanks Dylan! Your videos are amazing, super clear and have helped me out a ton!

[@ignaciorodriguezmelgarejo9526]

Conical sieves might improve it, i mean, if it worked for coffee, im sure it'll work here.😂

[@SuperValidDesigns]

I think you might be right!

[@DylanAdams-x2u]

Awesome video and super cute cats!

[@danl.2626]

Dude. Please patent this and make this happen. I need this so badly

[@SuperValidDesigns]

I definitely need to make it a bit easier to build but I’ve been using it since making this video and it’s still working great!

[@danl.2626]

@@SuperValidDesigns I have a different design but I wasn't able to proof it out. If you end up making this happen I will buy lol.

[@lukegordonharris]

I love the build of the prototype :D Very envious of you having the space to house a CNC haha. My main feedback is that from an outsider's point of view it just seems really big - when you pour in the load of litter, it just seems to not take up much room in the barrel. I figure that's just part and parcel of how you sift things, having the room for tumbling. My other smaller question was that I wasn't sure if that initial baseplate needed to be a grate? it feels like you could just rely on the mesh to be the filter, but you might just need to have a lid that closes. So the process would be: chuck in - close lid - tilt - rotate for a little while (sawdust comes out) - unlock lid - turn upside down for poo to come out - put litter tray under and push button for good pellets to get released. Again not sure if it's a good idea but might catch you on the discord some time to talk it through :D

[@MickeyMishra]

I went to the doctor the other day Found out I was 44 years old! WHOA! Being I had a Lyft Driver run over my foot, I thought what am I going to do for the next 2-3 years for recovery as surgery is now required. So I wondered what I was going to do for the time being as I really can't work on my Cars, or even go back to working as a L.V.E. / Data Center Architect. C.A.D / C.A.M. / 3D printing along with getting back into video editing along with using the new AI tools that I can upgrade the look of extremely grainy videos into something that resembles a standard definition video or even 1080p video has been my goal for the next few years. Previously, I was designing new devices and basically just giving them away as I'm pretty sure I never really wanted to get involved with the business aspect. Nor the lengthy patent applications which I honestly don't see much use for in my own experience. Fast Forward today and you have to make $25,000 a month in order to live that first world lifestyle where Medications can cost $25,000 dollars! And you kind of are taken back a Bit. Even going to go see the doctor is a $1,000 dollar expense before "Insurance kicks in". And Oddly enough? If you pay up front? THEY CHARGE YOU MORE??? W.U.T.! If the government is taxing you at close to 50% these days when you add up all the hidden costs, you start to understand the importance of having an extra 4-6k a month of passive income you set aside for Rainy days & retirement.

[@Random-rt5ec]

I need this to sift the fines out of each bag of heating fuel pellets for my pellet stove. If not sifted the fines clog up the auger. It would sit outside unprotected year round so the bearings would have to be weather resistant and I would add a cone for more accurate pouring

[@fabbe50]

Really interesting concept! Looking forward to more videos like this in the future. Keep this up and I'm sure you'll go far.

[@MastahKyler]

yo, this is a really high quality video just like the first one! keep up the good work!!

[@TheGreenBeanie8]

I’ll take one!

[@simenstroek7599]

I don't own any pets, and while I watch some DIY channels, this is pretty far off. No idea how this ended up in my feed. Still an interesting watch. It may be too space consuming/expensive for a typical home, but like you said, this looks like a good solution for a shelter or pet store. Well done.

[@saminix1]

i have no cats, but I watched the video until the end. Nice quality bro. I subscribed. See u in the next video

[@mcdavyg]

Can't wait to give you money for the lighting rig kit. :D

[@SuperValidDesigns]

It’s a priority for me to get the new version complete!

[@hikinghaani4213]

I really like this idea. A lot has probably changed since litter robots first came out but I've heard too many stories of traumatized cats to ever be interested in one. Have you had any issues with tiny poops sneaking through the first filter?

[@TheUnofficialMaker]

I had an idea for a tea maker long ago before there were any but didn't pursue it.

[@SuperValidDesigns]

I’d love to hear more

[@HygienistDentist]

Genius

[@paperbagg7134]

I use wood pellets too. my method in removing poops is to chopstick them LOL works really well, much easier too.

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Now that’s an innovative strategy!

[@paperbagg7134]

@@SuperValidDesigns 😆 I was thinking of using tongs but I didn't have extra one so I resorted with pencils instead. Great invention, btw. Before clicking seeing the thumbnail i thought cats had to get in, in that rocket ship 😆

[@Luke_Creatives]

Wow awesome intro!

[@karenfigueiredo6566]

Love your channel, keep up man...

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Thanks so much! More videos to come!

[@stephanierosefx]

Truly paw-some!😹 ❤❤❤

[@manasdeore5748]

what happens when the poop is gooey? will it not smudge all over the net?

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Great question, I haven’t had the opportunity to test this yet but I imagine that would be an issue regardless of the method used. If I get an opportunity to try this out, I will and I’ll report back with the results! The wood pellets do a remarkable job of drying things out very quickly so it might be okay

[@NEFdaily]

MORE VIDEOS

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Hoping to start uploading more consistently!

[@HygienistDentist]

Why not use a ramp so you just drop and the spinning happens by itself

[@SuperValidDesigns]

I originally was thinking of doing a ramp, but I wanted the ability to continue sifting as long as I needed to so I could be as thorough as I needed. With a ramp, you only get the length of the ramp to dictate how thoroughly you can sift

[@arnearne12345]

we used to have these pellets and they SUCK

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Interesting. What didn’t you like about them?

[@arnearne12345]

the simple fact that as the cats pee they dissolve into a nearly impossible to remove powder that just got stinkier and stinkier until you dumped the entire box and replaced it all@@SuperValidDesigns

[@SuperValidDesigns]

That’s exactly why I made this! When the sawdust can be properly sifted, the pellets can go a long way before needing to be replaced but it was also so annoying to properly sift using the trays. Tbf though, I have a lot of cats and the issues with the clay litter were just compounded

[@arnearne12345]

my guy i got a scoop that literally has the sand running through it while the lumps stay in it it is AMAZING@@SuperValidDesigns

[@MatsuyoRific]

It really doesn't look very good. If this design were to eventually get commercialized, it would need to be more attractive to fit in the modern home.

[@SuperValidDesigns]

Yeah it’s definitely function over form for this prototype. I honestly see this in more of a multi cat environment like a shelter or cat cafe but I’ve loved having it in my house honestly. If it got enough interest, I’d certainly design it in a way that’s more compact and visually appealing

[@charlieblvd5384]

Too large for apartment living.

[@SuperValidDesigns]

True, you probably shouldn't have 5 cats in an apartment anyways lol