I am not a huge shop vac fan; they are bulky and noisy – just not a favourite when it comes to vacuums. A recent post from Young Agrarians via https://www.nativeseeds.org/pages/video-resources, of a DIY Seed Cleaner highlights that shop vacs can be super useful for seed cleaning.
Keith Lierman of Native Seeds Search built the DIY Seed Cleaner, using open-source design plans created by The Real Seed Collection (realseeds.co.uk). The machine emulates a traditional zig-zag aspirator which goes for thousands of dollars. Using scrap materials, it cost $30 to build but estimates cost would be around $50 using new materials.
Normally they would winnow seed with a box fan or remove chaff by hand. This DIY machine makes the process much more efficient by adjusting the level of suction from the shop vac. The machine can clean seeds as small as amaranth to larger seeds like squash and sunflower.
Blueprints and building instructions are available at realseeds.co.uk.
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