Seed Cleaning Sieves

Seed savers can separate seeds from chaff by using screens or sieves such as kitchen strainers (usually 18 wires per inch or 30 wires per inch). Spice jars have larger holes for larger seeds.
Window screening has 24 wires per inch, so only small seeds pass through it.

Fabric stores have mesh fabrics in different fineness, but 1/8th inch mesh is too big.

Use an embroidery hoop to hold window screening or fabric. Or you could stretch fabric over a big tin can or oatmeal box, then hold it in place with a rubber band.

Hardware cloth (wire cloth) can be bought in many different mesh sizes. Big seeds can be screened with mesh 10, 12 or 14. Very fine seeds will pass through 30 mesh.

Make several nesting seed sieves from "PVC DWV Sewer & Drain Adapters". Home Depot stocks them in 3" and 4" diameters for $3-6. Cut a circle of hardware cloth to fit tightly.





For flimsy screens like window screening or 30 mesh hardware cloth, first insert a circle of 1/4" mesh or 10-mesh to support the flimsy screen.

You can make tiny seed scoops by cutting a short length of soda straw, slitting it lengthwise, taping it to a chopstick, bamboo skewer or thin dowel, and then cutting it to a sharp point or shovel tip. But they do spill easily.