Unchained Preppers

General Category => D.I.Y. => Topic started by: Kbop on October 18, 2016, 10:37:05 AM

Title: Threshing and Winnowing
Post by: Kbop on October 18, 2016, 10:37:05 AM

I could use some help.
Do any of you fine people know the mfg of small scale low power or hand power machines for grain preparation?
I'm specifically looking for a thresher and a winnower.
I've seen PTO gadgets from Asia and gas powered ones from India and Africa.  But import is way to expensive.  i've grown, harvested and prepared wheat by hand in a small patch - Just to see how it works (way too much manual labor).  I've used tractors to prep a field, plant and a combine to harvest wheat and soybeans (way to expensive).  I'm looking for something in-between.

Title: Re: Threshing and Winnowing
Post by: Kbop on October 18, 2016, 10:41:53 AM

the hand method used;
a shovel and garden rake for ground prep.
broadcast seeding.
a sickle for harvesting.
a wood pallet as the threshing floor.
a small fan and cardboard beer carton for winnowing.

Title: Re: Threshing and Winnowing
Post by: Well-Prepared Witch on October 18, 2016, 07:49:16 PM

Good question!  I'll be interested to see if anyone has any recommendations.

Title: Re: Threshing and Winnowing
Post by: Kbop on November 07, 2016, 11:55:07 PM

If anyone else is interested.

google, treadle thresher or drum thresher.
easy to build, powered by foot or bicycle.  can thress about a pound a minute.

winnowing can be done by wind winnowing or using a treadle or bicycle powered fan.
One cool one used a hand cranked forge blower as the wind source.

I found a couple of PTO operated thresher/winnower that can be sized for several grain types.
https://youtu.be/R7qschUGaY0 (https://youtu.be/R7qschUGaY0)