Topsoil Screener Advise

[grossa77]

Hello to all. I am looking to purchase a machine for screening topsoil, peat, clay materials. I have been looking very closely at a Royer Shredder. Just wanted to get anyone's opinion about this machine or other brands that work well. Let me know what you think!

 

[CM1995]

Welcome to the Forums grossa77!:drinkup

The only experience I have with a topsoil screener is a friends U screen. It works well with dry topsoil but doesn't like wet material at all, it sticks on the screens and creates a mess. I would guess he screens 1K yards a year on average, not a large operation by any means.

 

[06Pete]

First question what is the volume you are wanting and second is what is your budget. How much trash and debri is in the soil? I screen about 2500 Yds per year and have found a trommel to work best. I have a thomas 400 vibritory which works good on dry soil with alot of debri I also have a remu trommel which is belt feed into a 9 foot trommel with 3/4 screen to a stacking conveyor this mixes the soil and compost I use best. I also have a lindig 100 which is a belt feed to a hammer mill to a belt to a 6 foot trommel this works well for lower quanities of dirt with less trash. I would be willing to sell the lindig as I have out grown it it will produce about 150- 200 yds a day in real life #'s depending on soil condition. The royer shreaders I have seen work fine but don't get any stones out which is a problem around here. What ever machine you buy there will be a learning curve to get the mosture and mix of soils right.

 

[SVIPD]

I like the Metso Minerals because they are so easy to operate and to change screens. I haven't used them on the scale that you guys are talking though.

 

[Reel hip]

With screens I have learned this.... Overkill can be your friend. I bought one 10 years ago I thought would work out but by the 2nd day I could see It was underated for my needs. I had bought it from Canada so I did not try it out before hand. Big mistake !

 

[grossa77]

Thanks for the help guys. I have heard great things about the trommels but have also heard they can create "balls" out of the product. The Royer peeks my interest as I like how unique the machine is and I have some clogs in material. There must not be too many people out there that have experience with the Royer?

 

[ben46a]

Is the royer a screen or just an aerator? Looking at the process I don't think it would take much of any thing over an inch or two. How fine are you looking to screen the material too? I will say with clay, its hard to screen through anything finer than a 3 or 4 inch screen. We use a read (metso) CV 150D fed by a 980 loader or 30 ton hoe, although smaller models are made. For clay we use fingers on the top deck and a 3 or 4 inch screen depending on dampness of material. If its wet at all, we don't even attempt clay. For our sod underlay we use a 1 inch screen in the lower deck and punchplates up top. We don't usually use anything finer than a 3/4 screen in it.

 

[grandpa]

I use a Fab Tec Pro Screen.... 3/4inch finger deck on the top deck, nothing on the second deck, It has a belt feeder and a chain flailer to beat the clods. It works pretty good without much maintence,,, I produce about 40,000 yards a year thru it and have had it for ten years now. I've screen dirt, peat, bark with success. http://i864.photobucket.com/albums/ab208/parkrapids/2010 Season/IMG_0262.jpg

 

[Mjrdude1]

We used to own a Royer shredder. We fed sandy loam with clay balls through it 10 hours a day. As with all belt machines, belt maintenance is key.
The Royer did a good job of separating the clay balls from the topsoil. Our topsoil sales went thru the roof because the shredder breaks up any clumps and ejects the clay to the side which makes for happy customers.
Most, if not all the parts are generic which makes replacement easy.

 

[grossa77]

Mjrdude1, thanks for chiming in. sounds like the Royer worked great for you. Do you remember what model you had?

 

[Mjrdude1]

Sorry grossa77, it's been a few years since we sold the topsoil operation, and I don't remember what model it was.

 

[tuney443]

grossa--sorry for getting to the party late.All Sandy's fault--no power for 7 days.You have no idea how nice it is to look at a full screen instead of my Droid!!! Yes,I'm the proud owner of an old Royer,love my little screener.I have a small 60's era--they don't even know for sure what model it is over at Cornelius,the Royer people but the parts they always send me always fit for some strange reason.I make app.500 yds. of topsoil per year,perfect size for my little operation,makes a great product and it's very reliable now that I gave it some home made redneck tweaking.Fire away with any concerns.

 

[AlloaExcavating]

Check out the McCloskey trommels. I have operated numerous models of them and am consistantly impressed with how they perform.

 

[stuvecorp]

What kind of yardage are you wanting to do? We've used the Thomas 400 screener and it's been good when the black dirt is not too wet and it's so cheap to rent it doesn't pay to own it.

I've always wanted to try an Orbit screener.

 

[Dwan Hall]

I also have an older Royer and it works great on dry soil. It will separate anything larger then 3/8" from your final product. Also mixes sand and peat, braking up the peed and fluffing the soil. Mine is a small unit and when I have dry material to run through it can produce up to 20 yd per hour. It drops down to about 5 yds per hour if the soil is wet. Because I live in a rain forest I would try a trommel if I was to do it all over again.

 

[tuney443]

I also have an older Royer and it works great on dry soil. It will separate anything larger then 3/8" from your final product. Also mixes sand and peat, braking up the peed and fluffing the soil. Mine is a small unit and when I have dry material to run through it can produce up to 20 yd per hour. It drops down to about 5 yds per hour if the soil is wet. Because I live in a rain forest I would try a trommel if I was to do it all over again.

I forgot about your Royer Dwan.Your unit sounds about my size-app. 20 yph.Do you have the 4 banger Wisconsin engine with the Rockwell PTO? If so,what model is it? My ID is missing-would like to know for sure.

 

[grossa77]

Thanks for the help guys. It sounds like most people are satisfied with the Royer when they get. I checked out the Royer site and it appears they are making trommels as well. I didn't ask about them because I don't think I need that big of a unit. They looked very large in the photos on their site. Anyways, I don't think I need much more than 75 yards per hour. I see alot of Royer model 365's on the internet. Anyway used that machine?
I do like the way McCloskeys work as well. Seems like a more expensive option though...

 

[Cat_man320]

I built my own drum screener . Its 8ft dia. and 24 ft long at 15 degs. I make topsoil and road gravel . my two 330 cats cannot keep it fed when soil is dry and same for makeing screened road gravel . i use 7/8 screen to give me 3/4 product. The moisture content makes the rotational speed critical so i have variable speed flow control.
I have used Barber Green, Finaly , Reeds screenall . Nothing compared to what i made myself.
If your going to buy a screener, buy a drum or trommel .

 

[tuney443]

Found out my old Royer is a 36, thinking of possibly buying a beat up 362 model.