Has anyone successfully built a Small scale pipeline Milking Unit?

[RedHogs]

I was wanting to build a four cow Non-Grade A parlor on the Cheap....Good materials and Good quality but not all the specil stainless and special rubber....Is it possible.

I will not need a tank cooler or automated washer. Just the basics.

This will be my first dairy try and I want to get into a while and see how we feel about it before we invest in a graded unit.

[DaleK]

The pipeline's easy enough to do, you should be able to find used SS pipelines really cheap for that size and plastic for the airline. For the stalls themselves galvanized is fine, you don't need SS, I wouldn't go to plain steel. You should be able to get a small used parlour almost as cheaply as you can build it though. Are you wanting to build a swing parlour or double?

[RedHogs]

Are you wanting to build a swing parlour or double?

I know so little about this I don't know??

[JeffNY]

Something like this?






Jeff

[sammyd]

I've put in a single 4 walk through.
2" pipelines are getting easier to find. Even non grade a I wouldn't recommend anything but SS for the milk line. 2" or 3" PVC on the vacuum.
Piping is easy. I believe you can still use roll on ferrules so you don't have to weld the joints on the SS. If you can't get a dealer to loan you his roller you can get them from harbor freight. A chop saw or a good jig to get a straight cut is essential as well.

A swing parlor is where you have cows on both sides but only one set of milkers down the middle and you swing those from side to side to milk the cows.
A double has cows and milkers on each side.
A single has cows and milkers on one side.

This will be my first dairy try and I want to get into a while and see how we feel about it before we invest in a graded unit.

Then don't cheat yourself by putting in junk and failing because of it.
If you install a cheap system non spec system that is a pita to work with, does not milk out the cows properly and cannot be reused when you upgrade you will hate it, you will hate milking, you are doomed to failure.