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Post by Alan on Sept 30, 2007 23:51:14 GMT -5
 after looking at $1,500 to $3,000 worm harvesters the past couple of days, I broke down and made one. I just took a five gallon bucket, cut it in two, cut the bottom out of it, bought some 1/4 inch hardware cloth, rolled it around one end of the bucket and drilled some holes to and used tie straps to attach it securely and taught, took the other half of the buckett on the other end and did the same, I hold the "harvester" at a slight angle, leaning on a container, add the worms and bedding and turn, the castings fall through the mesh and the worms and unfinished bedding falls out the other end, it works pretty well and the castings are beautiful and a terrific fertilizer! If you look on the net you can find the instructions for this exact same harvester, when I get a chance I will post a link.
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Post by colinje1 on Sept 29, 2008 7:15:17 GMT -5
Hi Alan
I have just come across your site and think it is absolutely great. I have also looked at the pix on Picasa of your harvester and I have one or two questions about it's construction. 1) How are the buckets and mesh attached to the central pipe please post a pic showing this? 2) The central pipe or axle goes through two uprights did you drill an angled seating in them and is the axle on ball bearings. Sorry but I am not mechanically minded so need to see things (I am a retired photographer living in a retirement village where I collect all the BDW about 30/40 lbs pw) I have 5 bins about 50 liters each and really need a harvester as I am 70yrs old. Carry on the good work. Colin edwards
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Post by canadamike on Sept 29, 2008 22:46:39 GMT -5
Hello Colinje1!! Welcome to our little bunch of plant explorers. Your e-mail gives me the impression you are from South Africa. Am I right? We share a lot here, ideas, seeds and anything else we can. There are a lot of very knowledgeable folks and even more very generous people. As someone said, we are like a big italian family. So, don't be shy to pitch in and give us slices of your knowledge and experience. And if you need seeds, just say so. I would like you to consider the seeds in my possession as part of your personal extended genebank, just ask for anything I have , or anything for that matter, and if I don't have it somebody here will probably, or try to find it for you. I probably have the largest collection of melon seeds in this happy bunch, and I would LOVE to send some your way for trials...I have been trying to find somebody in Africa for quite a while, we have members on all other continents. Welcome again, enjoy, and know you just extended your family  Michel |
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Post by grungy on Sept 29, 2008 23:54:12 GMT -5
Hi Colinje1,
Just pop in here to repeat what Michel wrote, except we are more into tomatoes. Feel free to ask if you are interested in tomato seeds.
Cheers,
val / grungy
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Post by colinje1 on Oct 1, 2008 8:51:43 GMT -5
Hi Alan/Val
You are absolutely right I live in Cape Town and I won't bore you by waxing lyrical about the City and Country. Val I love tomatoes but in my country the only ones you can find no longer have that wonderful "Tomato Red Colour" but are Tomato Pink.
Thanks for the contact
Colin in Cape Town (You might have heard in school about the Cape of Storms well thats us.
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Post by colinje1 on Oct 1, 2008 8:57:50 GMT -5
Hi Alan
I am interested in seeds but am very limited by space as I live in a retirement complex but i will certainly ask my friends with more space to give some of your seed a go. I am not sure what the legal requirements are for sending seed all over the place. And yes I would like to try some of the tomatoes I have seen on your site especially the many coloured (the spelling is correct it the Americans who have got it wrong) ones, I do grow some plain red ones at the moment in pots.
Colin
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Post by Alan on Oct 1, 2008 13:18:49 GMT -5
Hello friend,
Just for clarification Mike is the one offering seeds, I am Alan. I'll try to get some pics up of the harvester shortly but for clarification the wire is held to each end of the trash can using plastic lock straps, you could also use those u shaped nails to hold it in place by insertiing them over the wire and through the trash can and then bending them down flat with a pair of pliers.
The bar that goes through the trash can I drilled a hole in (to the inside of the brace) and placed a koetter pin to hold in place, I basically allow the trash can to roll around the bar, no bearings or anything like that.
I hope that answers some of your questions, as soon as I finish up getting everything finished up for winter I'll be posting a bunch of pictures including those of the harvester including the inside.
By the way glad to have you here friend! We look forward to cultivating great friendships with you!
Your friend,
Alan
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Post by grungy on Oct 1, 2008 21:22:32 GMT -5
Hi Colin,
Boy do we have tomato seeds for you.
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Post by canadamike on Oct 1, 2008 21:49:13 GMT -5
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Post by colinje1 on Oct 3, 2008 1:33:14 GMT -5
Hello All
Thanks for the welcome and I await the images of the harvester which seems to be fairly simple to construct not as I envisaged a complicated piece of machinery. As far as the seeds go I would like to try some as spring is trying to start here in the Southern hemisphere, we have just had our wettest winter in 50 years and the ground is waterlogged. Just let me know and I will give you my home address.
Regards
Colin in Cape Town
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Post by Alan on Oct 13, 2008 14:39:30 GMT -5
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after looking at $1,500 to $3,000 worm harvesters the past couple of days, I broke down and made one. I just took a five gallon bucket, cut it in two, cut the bottom out of it, bought some 1/4 inch hardware cloth, rolled it around one end of the bucket and drilled some holes to and used tie straps to attach it securely and taught, took the other half of the buckett on the other end and did the same, I hold the "harvester" at a slight angle, leaning on a container, add the worms and bedding and turn, the castings fall through the mesh and the worms and unfinished bedding falls out the other end, it works pretty well and the castings are beautiful and a terrific fertilizer! If you look on the net you can find the instructions for this exact same harvester, when I get a chance I will post a link.
