Here is the better and more efficient worm harvesting equipment Experienced worm farmers have been looking for.
When it’s time to invest in automated worm harvesting equipment and enjoy the advantages that come with it then we have the machine for you. People have come to us to go from a hand operation to an automated sifter for a couple of years now. Some have been backyard or do-it-yourselfers who want to take the back-breaking work out of growing worms and some have been large operations replacing their old dual screen and trammel type harvesters. I’ve shipped Worm Shi*fters all over North America a special order 50 Hz, 240 volt model to Australia, New Zealand, China, Norway and the United Arab Republic.
A commercial trammel type harvester
Other Harvesters
There are other types of commercial worm harvesters on the market the most common type being the trammel. A trammel harvester is large and takes up a lot of space. A trammel is a rotating drum made of hardware cloth and sheet metal. The worms, bedding, and castings are shoveled into the input end as the drum turns and tumbles everything like a cement mixer. the castings fall through the screen to the floor and the worms and larger material come out the exit.
A trammel is not gentle with the worms and puts them into a state of shock with all the rotation and tumbling. They are slow compared to the Worm Shi*fter and they require constant attention. Trammels are used mostly in compost applications. I am told they are noisy and require much maintenance. Trammels are expensive to ship because they cannot be broken down and packed into UPS size boxes. Shipping and packaging are significant aspects of their total cost. They will fit in the back of a pickup truck for transport if the tailgate is left open.
The UNCO Mark 8
The other type commercial worm harvester is the UNCO Mark 8 machine. It has been around for a while and as far as I know the only commercial dual screen harvester on the market. They show it in this picture and video with a conveyor that takes the castings up to a large storage bin. There is much bending and lifting from the low end of this machine and it can be very hard on the back and arms. Their video shows it to be very noisy and quite messy to use.
Worm Shi*fter Advantages
One of the advantages of our Worm Shi*fter is that it is reasonably priced so even small operations can afford to automate. many of our customers have larger operations and already used some type of automatic machine to do their sifting. Let me explain why they chose the Worm Shi*fter over the other worm harvesting machines.
1. Environment – When you are harvesting thousands or millions of worms the loud noise of some machines can get to you after a while. They welcome the Worm Shi*fter sound level of about 50db and appreciate the cleanliness of the process.
2. Ergonomics – The Worm Shi*fter works on a level plane and is unique in its design to eliminate as much bending and conserve as much energy as possible. After all, the reason to move up to an automated worm harvesting machine is to make it easier on your back as well as your pocketbook.
3. Economy – The Worm Shi*fter will require an investment of $2870.00 plus shipping. When you consider the value of your time and the fact that a Worm Shi*fter can cut your worm harvesting time by a typical 80% to 90%, you can see how it will pay for itself.
4. Efficiency – One of the highest costs of running a commercial worm farm is the worm harvesting cost. I believe this is the most important reason why commercial vermiculture business owners purchase our Worm Shi*fter. Because of our unique design and process, we can get the same amount of worm harvesting accomplished in a shorter period of time than other machines. Customers have reported as high as 90% time-saving in their worm harvesting operation.
5. Maintenance – The Worm Shi*fter was designed so that wear parts could easily and inexpensively be replaced by the operator. Our wear parts can be purchased either from Brockwood Farm or locally. This advantage will help you reduce your machine downtime too. The screen drive is the only proprietary part of the Worm Shi*fter and it is built with industrial grade bearings and tie rod ends. It should never require replacement.
6. Shipping and Storage – worm Shi*fters are shipped via UPS in well packed heavy cardboard boxes and easily assembled in about 45 minutes. When assembled they are easy to roll around and take up only 12 square feet of floor storage space.
Our customers say they like the idea that the Worm Shif*ter can be moved around easily or be mounted on a platform over a conveyor system, auger system, or larger containers. They also like the fact that our Worm Shi*fter takes up a lot less room in their building than other harvesters.
If you would like to speak with a commercial user and one of the developers of the screen for the Brockwood Worm Shi*fter visit the website of Lenzyme then give Glenn a call at 920-680-4965; he will be happy to share his experience with you.