Universal Nut Sheller

This is a picture of our Pedal Powered Agricultural Center (PPAC), essentially it adds on to the Universal Nut Sheller (UNS) by making it pedal powered, increasing the amount of peanuts that can be shelled from 50 kg (110lbs) to 90 kg (200 lbs) an hour. The machine rests on a oil drum base, with the top 1/4 of the oil drum being used to make a squirrel fan that acts as a blower to seperate the shells from the nuts after they've come out of the UNS. The rest of the machine is simply made of pipe, a few pulleys, belts, and wooden bearings. Amazingly the peanut breakage rate (which is very important as broken peanuts will go rancid if their papery skins are pulled off) is only 5%. The industry standard is 20%, and electric machines with similar outputs and are much more expensive, and powered by electricity are around 40%. We have tested the machine in the Philippines (thanks to the efforts of Illac Diaz and the Myshelter Foundation) with great success. In addition we also won an MIT IDEAS Award for it, once again thanks to Illac Diaz who coordinated our entry. We will have instructions on how to make it as soon as we can. But if you need more info right away go to our website www.fullbellyproject.org also check out our blog at fullbelllyblog.blogspot.comfullbelllyblog.blogspot.com www.fullbellyproject.org