Bulbs
Flower Basics
Flower Beds & Specialty Gardens
Flower Garden
Garden Furniture
Garden Gnomes
Garden Seeds
Garden Sheds
Garden Statues
Garden Tools & Supplies
Gardening Basics
Green & Organic
Groundcovers & Vines
Growing Annuals
Growing Basil
Growing Beans
Growing Berries
Growing Blueberries
Growing Cactus
Growing Corn
Growing Cotton
Growing Edibles
Growing Flowers
Growing Garlic
Growing Grapes
Growing Grass
Growing Herbs
Growing Jasmine
Growing Mint
Growing Mushrooms
Orchids
Growing Peanuts
Growing Perennials
Growing Plants
Growing Rosemary
Growing Roses
Growing Strawberries
Growing Sunflowers
Growing Thyme
Growing Tomatoes
Growing Tulips
Growing Vegetables
Herb Basics
Herb Garden
Indoor Growing
Landscaping Basics
Landscaping Patios
Landscaping Plants
Landscaping Shrubs
Landscaping Trees
Landscaping Walks & Pathways
Lawn Basics
Lawn Maintenance
Lawn Mowers
Lawn Ornaments
Lawn Planting
Lawn Tools
Outdoor Growing
Overall Landscape Planning
Pests, Weeds & Problems
Plant Basics
Rock Garden
Rose Garden
Shrubs
Soil
Specialty Gardens
Trees
Vegetable Garden
Yard Maintenance
How to Make a Trommel
How to Make a Trommel. A trommel is a rotary screen used for sifting coarse debris, such as rocks and large twigs, out of compost before spreading it on the lawn or in the garden. Sifting gives the mulch a more-consistent and uniform appearance, which is important in areas that will be easily visible.
A trommel is a rotary screen used for sifting coarse debris, such as rocks and large twigs, out of compost before spreading it on the lawn or in the garden. Sifting gives the mulch a more-consistent and uniform appearance, which is important in areas that will be easily visible.
Things You'll Need
2 large, surplus, bicycle rims
Heavy duty wire cutters
Measuring tape
1/2 inch hardware cloth
Plastic-coated #14 household wire
8 feet of 2-inch by 4-inch lumber
4 3-inch rollers
12 6-inch bolts
Remove the spokes from the rims with heavy duty wire cutters. The spokes can be extremely sharp, so exercise extreme caution. The spokes can be later used in the garden as plant support or to mark the location of vegetables in the garden.
Measure the inside diameter of the rims. This will provide one of the dimensions needed to properly cut the hardware cloth. The other dimension will be the length of trommel you want between the two rims (one will be attached to each end of the trommel). Generally speaking, having a trommel length that is about three times the dimension of the rim interior works well.
Cut the hardware cloth to the dimensions collected in the previous step. Add several inches to each dimension to ensure you have plenty of overlap as you construct the trommel. Roll the hardware cloth into a tube and place it in the inside of each rim. You'll want to end up with a rim about 6 inches in from each end of the rim.
Attach the hardware cloth to the rim by fastening them together with #14 insulated wire that is cut into 6-inch lengths, then stuck through the spoke holes of the rim. Tie each wire to the hardware cloth and make sure the wire ends are pressed close up against the rims so as not to interfere with the easy movement of the trommel.
Measure your complete circular hardware cloth tube. You'll need to construct a roller box which is large enough for the tube to just fit inside once the rollers are attached. Cut the lumber to the proper size and nail them together in a square.
Place the finished drum on the roller box and determine the correct location for the rollers. They need to be placed just inside the box, about 1 inch down from the top corner. That allows the drum to rotate freely without falling out of the box. Attach the rollers with screws, then test the drum again to ensure everything is aligned and working correctly.
