We make our own compost and Ed built this so that we can sift the dirt down to a good size for starting seeds and using on the garden. We have a large pile and it is never all ready at once, so we will sift it and let the rest continue to decompose. The way he built this trommel/sifter is so you can shovel the dirt in the higher end, the drill press motor rotates the 1/4 inch screen sifter which is on roller blade wheels for good spinning because it has bearings. The dirt will sift through into a wheelbarrow that will be placed under the screen to catch the dirt. The larger pieces will continue down the chute and back into a pile to continue. It is similar to the idea that gold prospectors use to classify their material.
