"Grizzly" rock screen

[wings5j]

Hi to all, Say, I am about to manufacture a rock screen and have been gathering parts and pieces from the scrap yard, craigslist, etc. I ended up with some woven wire cloth for the screen itself and the holes will be about 2" by 2". Ends and back are some framed in sheet steel and the basic frame will be made from 4" channel. Does anyone have any thoughts, plans, or advice before I actually get started? I have looked at quite a few designs on the internet but will end up with something a little different just based on the materials that I have been able to gather. Our ground is quite rocky and this is primarily for a landscape project at home so it doesn't have to be on a production scale. Thanks a bunch, John

 

[Tazza]

How are you going to mount it? like cutting the bottom out of a bucket and have the mesh inside for the rocks to be retained by the bucket and let the dirt fall out?
Use nice heavy gauge steel, the thicker the better. Its best to over build it, than having it bend when in use.
As always, picures are required

 

[TriHonu]

How are you going to mount it? like cutting the bottom out of a bucket and have the mesh inside for the rocks to be retained by the bucket and let the dirt fall out?
Use nice heavy gauge steel, the thicker the better. Its best to over build it, than having it bend when in use.
As always, picures are required

For smaller projects I have two 12' X 4' frames with heavy expanded metal welded to them. I sink two posts on site, attach a crossbar and lean the frames on it.

Take a bucket of material and dump it on the screens. The rocks will roll away from you off the back, and the soil will fall through the screens on your side. After the first couple buckets you can start loading out the soil under the screens.
Roots and branches tend to hang on the screen and you or a helper will need to rake them off occasionally.
It is a low-tech solution, easy to set up, and best of all the screens take up very little space when not in use. I just lean them up against the fence until I need them.

 

[wings5j]

For smaller projects I have two 12' X 4' frames with heavy expanded metal welded to them. I sink two posts on site, attach a crossbar and lean the frames on it.

Take a bucket of material and dump it on the screens. The rocks will roll away from you off the back, and the soil will fall through the screens on your side. After the first couple buckets you can start loading out the soil under the screens.
Roots and branches tend to hang on the screen and you or a helper will need to rake them off occasionally.
It is a low-tech solution, easy to set up, and best of all the screens take up very little space when not in use. I just lean them up against the fence until I need them.

Thanks guys, I will try to post a picture or two when it is done. Basic dimension will be 8' wide 4' deep and the screen will start at seven feet high (That's all I can clear wilt my bucket tilted) at the front and about 30" at the back. It will be sturdy but I want to keep it at or under 1300# so that it can be portable. John