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Harry Hopkins- We now have quick change screen inserts that include perforated aluminum screen panels with a frame that are inserted into the screen carrier and fastened with 4 bolts. Now a user can change between nightcrawler and red worm screens or a larger grid screen for pre-screening bedding to get sticks and clumps out. Takes about 4 minutes.
pure survival- It seems kind fast.*.*._ how many shakes per minute?
Harry Hopkins- No yes350yes, the Worm Shi*fter is not good with muddy mucky material.
pure survival- What is the bedding /feed mix in your buckets?
Harry Hopkins- The Worm Shi*fter cannot be ordered on line. I will only take orders on the phone or in person because I want to make sure that the Worm Shi*fter is a product that will work for the purchaser operation. It won't work with mud or muck so I wouldn't recommend it for that environment.
Classic Machinery- Thanks for posting I enjoyed your video. Cheers.
jetle25- where can you buy those black buckets
Harry Hopkins- Not as many as you may think Dan, a very small percentage of castings make it past the castings chute, an insignificant amount. Our customers are very satisfied with the seperation results. Visit our website for contact information of actual users.
Harry Hopkins- The bedding in the video is pre-screened dirt; sticks and stones are removed. The Shifter was designed with the help of an UNCO African Night Crawler farmer. The UNCO system is more of an exacting science where bedding, feed and moisture are under tight control. The Shifter will not work well with wet, muddy bedding. No adjustments are necessary for the machine when the bedding meets the moisture standards set by UNCO and is pre screened. Thank you for your question.
Harry Hopkins- If the Shi*fter is on a level floor it will not creep because it is on four wheels with equal forces applied in both directions. We have been using the 4 wheel design on our Shi*fters for over 12 years with no problem of a creeping machine.
yes350yes- Great for dirt not so great for muddy mucky vermicompost.
Harry Hopkins- We are happy to say that the Worm Shi*fter is now an international product. We shipped one to Queensland, Australia that is now in use at one of the growers for the largest worm farm in Australia, Kookabura Worm Farm. The owner is "completely stoked" with it. It has cut his labor by 90%. He now does in 4 hours what used to take him 40 hours; this is normal. Next week we are shipping one to the Philippine Islands and another to Germany. Vermiculture is a worldwide industry in its infancy.
alan30189- I don't even remember what I said. The comment seems to have been deleted. ?? That is a great sifter though.
Harry Hopkins- Excellent question. The Worm Shi*fter was designed to be used for bucket systems as shown in the video. Flow through systems are not normally sifted every two weeks. Depending on the type worm, cocoon collection can be a challange in a flow through. I don't have a good answer because I lack the experience of cocoon collection in flow through systems.
redfoot1958- Your worm bedding seems much drier than mine. What do you use for bedding and is this machine adjustable to deal with the different moisture levels of bedding?
Harry Hopkins- Thank you Alan I appreciate your comment and you are correct but this system isn't designed as a vermicompost solution. This is a commercial system designed to supply the market with much needed castings, cocoons and worms. This process is designed for those who want to save time and labor raising worms and harvesting their output for profit.
Scott Maher- What's the new feed you are putting in ? It looks like dirt
Jamison Brooks- can I order online
Harry Hopkins- We are now using custom cut perforated aluminum screens instead of woven wire hardware cloth because it is flat and smooth and easier to clean and keep clean. This change was made in the 2nd half of 2012. We also offer screen replacement inserts for those wanting to change from night crawlers to red worms and back.
yxcvmk- In case of a flow trough system, where/how can you harvest the cocoons?
Harry Hopkins- We are now offering a 1/8 mesh screen for separating red worms from castings and eggs. So far no one has come up with an effective method of separating red worm castings from eggs with a sifter.
Harry Hopkins- The feed is a special grain mix feed mixed with the peat moss bedding. Thanks for asking.