Making A Garden Soil Sifter for $16

UPDATE: For everyone saying this is too much work, or they don’t have all the tools… here’s a link to a similar item in Amazon’s “Hand Made” section: amzn.to/3Qb0QuF and a mass produced version: amzn.to/3KgXx16
So if you enjoyed the video and just want to buy Aime thing like it, hit those links. Personally I prefer to make my own stuff if I have time and resources.
Thanks for watching. :)
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I needed some rich topsoil to use for spring seed sewing/potting mix, but the forest floor is full of roots and twigs and stones and other stuff, so I needed a sturdy wooden sieve or soil sifter to make quick work of sifting it, and getting it down to the perfect texture.
Good, sturdy, non-plastic sieves are in the $50+ range, so I decided to make one myself. Cost of materials, all the way down to screws was just $16!
I went with 18" x 18" size. Big enough to get the job done fast, but not so big that full loads are exhausting to work with. I used half-inch hardware cloth for the mesh, since the forest floor is a pretty great natural mix at that filter size.
I chose to do this video ASMR style, so there's no chit-chat or explanation, so if anything is unclear, or if you have any questions or suggestions on the project, go ahead and leave them in the comments below.
If you got some value from it, please give it a thumbs up!
Thanks for watching!

[@nopenada3449]

Sooo refreshing to see someone build one of these PROPERLY. Many of the videos that I just watched had people using nails (they can split the frame), screws with no pre-drilled holes (those can definitely split the frame) and wood left untreated in any way. Best video I've seen yet on how to build a simple screener. Thank you, sir.

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Oh that’s very nice of you. Thank you for taking the time to let me know. It’s funny, I just unearthed this sifter after apparently leaving it outside directly on the forest floor all winter. It survived remarkably well, and functionally as good as new. :)

[@krackbaby8517]

This just overkill

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Krackbaby85, you may be right. I think it probably depends how long you expect a tool to last, how you’re going to use it, even the soil type, its level of moisture, gravel content, clay vs loam etc. One needs the tool one needs. If you need this one, the video shows you how to make it. Either way, thanks for watching. :)

[@PatrickJoseph007]

An OUTSTANDING video that was clear, concise, and easy-to-follow. Thank you for sharing your exceptional work with us!

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Thank you so much for watching and commenting. I’m glad you enjoyed it. :)

[@ashleytate3339]

This was VERY helpful, thanks! My dad has all the tools. I now have a video to reference after coming across the same issue searching for a decent sifter.

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Yay! I’m glad it helped someone. It’s crazy how expensive it sometimes is to buy something so simple.

[@thetrashytexan]

Thank you for making this Colin! The finished product is incredibly helpful.

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Glad it was helpful! :)

[@stacyclark5910]

Clamps are SO helpful on SO many projects! Great job!

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Clamps are the best!!! Thanks for watching. :)

[@alpscraftshack599]

Good video. Nice simple & sturdy design. Relatively easy to build. Plan to add a frame & some tracks to mine, to make sifting easier.

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Tracks would definitely help. I improvised some rails as you saw, live and learn. :)

[@bigbuddha123]

Thank you for this video! I just finished making mine and also after a few shakes, I had to pause haha. Mine was 12x24 since that was the size of the screen material and I didn't want to cut it. I ended up placing the sifter on top of my planter and just used gloves to sift the soil through! Arms are very sore today :).

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Right!?! Soil is heavy! 😂

[@Gotmehotnot]

Just what I was looking for, thanks for showing a woman how to get this done. The tip at the end with the two sticks making it easier to sieve the dirt …… brilliant! Thank you for making and uploading this video, good job matey. 🙂

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Glad I could help! Thanks for watching. :)

[@christineingram7513]

If only we could really make one so quickly!

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Hahah. The magic of editing! But all told it probably only took a couple of hours, and I was making it up as I went along, not to mention filming. Quicker than waiting for a $50 one to be delivered! 🤓Thanks for watching. :)

[@45valk]

Awesome, now you just need someone to pull the buggy 😂

[@lumberingshenanigans]

I’m sure there’s a joke in there somewhere… but nah I’ll just use my ATV. Thanks for watching. :)

[@markeroon]

Very nicely done, thank you

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Thank you for watching. I used it again the other day, working in my food forest, and it’s as solid now as it was when I made it, even after spending winter outside in the elements. I’m still very pleased with the project. :)

[@akaski777]

I’ll have to buy a chop saw and a drill ang on I’ll use a hand saw and hammer and nail a and sand paper

[@lumberingshenanigans]

😂 yup, you would definitely not be the first person to use hand tools to make something out of wood. Fun fact, while carpentry has been around for 780,000 years according to archaeologists, the hand saw wasn’t invented until about 3,500 years ago, power tools started appearing in the early 1800s with the first electric drill in 1889, and the first electric miter saw wasn’t released until 1966.

[@abrown7860]

I luv it. Why buy it when u can make it yourself.😊

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Exactly. And I couldn’t find one locally that wasn’t made of plastic.

[@kiaya007]

Wow what a lot of work for the reward. Go to Joe Gardener's channel he shows how to make a really good one for far less work.

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Thanks for sharing. If anyone else wants to check out the video @kiaya007 is talking about it's this one: kzbin.info/www/bejne/noe3l5JpZrOqp6Msi=uoJVmwhwqmCQnAYr - it's definitely a simpler option if you want to just throw something quick together out of 2x4s. There's nothing revolutionary about a wooden frame with a wire mesh stapled to it, and you can do it however you like. I expect mine will last a little longer than Joe's, but then again... his is simple enough you can just make a new one every year or two. Thanks for the recommendation! And thanks for watching. :)

[@xMeta4x]

Apologies in advance for being the "negative nancy". The initial frame, nicely mitred joints, glued & screwed was great. Why add the brackets? I'd say it's an either/or situation. Mesh is stapled, but then the bottom supports get screwed on over the mesh, so why staple the mesh? And the bottom supports don't fit flush up against each other. Doesn't affect usage, but why both with nice mitre joints to start with, then bodge it? The rounding of the edges didn't seems necessary, and TBH looked pretty awful. Might as well have draped some mesh over a wheelbarrow rather than build that. Sorry.

[@lumberingshenanigans]

No apologies needed… I’m just makin it up as I go. Doing what feels right. Not following a plan. I had my reasons for all those decisions in the moment, doesn’t mean they’re right or even defensible. There are as many ways to do a thing as there are people doing the thing. Feel free to link to the video of how you made yours. I’d love to see it. Thank for watching! :)

[@nick5738]

No! It's too heavy. And large cell. 1/4 cell and plastic frame is the best.

[@lumberingshenanigans]

The wood I used was white cedar, a fairly light wood. I find the heaviest part of the process is the compost/soil itself, so the extra few ounces doesn’t bother me and I’d personally much rather make something out of wood than buy it when possible, but that’s just a personal preference. And yep can certainly choose any gauge of mesh you like, 1/4 is a great option for sifting certain soil types, for certain uses. In my case I’m literally sifting wild organic forest topsoil, so the 1/2 was the better choice for my needs. Thanks for watching! :)

[@susancollins7668]

Yeah right I have all those tools.

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Gotta have tools to make tools. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ But I feel ya. I don’t have 10% of the tools some of the favorite KZbinrs have. Like Kris Harbor! Wow. I hope you still enjoyed the video. :)

[@cory7260]

HELLLLLL NO...WITH ALL THEM MACHINES, WOOD U WASTED & OTHER PRODUCTS...U ONLY MADE THE TASK HARDER. ALL U NEEDED TO DO WAS MAKE SIFTER SAME SIZE AS WEAL BARREL. WHAT WAS ALL THAT U DID???? WAS U GONNA BUILD A HOUSE!?

[@lumberingshenanigans]

Huh?

[@jtredleg]

@@lumberingshenanigans Yea... he lost me at "weal". Nice work. Thanks

[@patriciacampbell2821]

I got carried away and ended up with a 5' x 10' chicken coop. the family's enjoying the fresh eggs and the chickens are sifting the dirt

[@fatboysflstbs]

Use discarded Pallets cheep.

[@lumberingshenanigans]

It’s funny, I did a whole video (never posted) about how pallet wood mostly isn’t great, but “dunnage” wood can be an excellent source of good free lumber, even treated 2x4s etc. It’s the wood that lumber yards receive between and on top of pallet loads from lumber mills, used to protect the stock. Usually free if you ask. No nails. No dismantling. Just free lumber in 3-4ft lengths. I made my wooden doormat with them in a very early video.