Building a Milker from Found Parts

[CarolT]

I have been finding parts put away by my in-laws years and years ago when they closed down their small dairy. I've got SS seamless buckets, the claws, the little box that goes on top (pulsator?), inflations (ruined), hoses (also ruined) and the outer shell that holds the inflations. How would I recognize a vacuum pump if I found it? And what else is needed? Can you set up to do goats and cows on the same pump, just different inflations? You'll be talking to someone who's never used one and will be starting off a novice, so think "simple" Any help would be greatly appreciated!

[glenn amolenaar]

The vacuum pump will look much like an air compressor. The inflations and most parts are still available at dairy supply dealers. You would have to modify the milkers for the goats.
Glenn

[Callieslamb]

The pulsator might need an overhaul also if it has been stored for a while. I'd take the pieces to a dairy supplier and let them show you how to get it working.

[sammyd]

if you are looking in an old dairy chances are the vacuum pump will have pipes and wires hooked to it.
It will probably have a small electric motor on it and the pump itself will (usually) have a big pulley on it. The belt connecting the two may or may not be there.

[sammyd]

The only thing I have ever done to milk goats with my old milker is block off two of the inflations. I use the same claw and inflation.
I have noticed better milk out if I separate the kids immediately after birth or the doe gets used to the quicker sucking action of the kids. If she is used to the slower (usually around 50-60 pulses per minute) of the pulsator from day 1 you should have no problem getting the does milked out. If you have an old Universal pulsator you can increase the pulses per minute and over come that. Most new dairy goat stuff runs around 80 pulses per minute...
If you have both animals to milk I would say it could be done. I would set the vacuum level at around 12 inches and see how it goes. Most folks will swear you need 15 inches to milk a cow but you only really need that in a pipeline. Use a narrow bore inflation and it should fit both animals.

If your pulsator is Universal then taking it to a dairy supplier will be of no use. They stopped making parts for those a loooong time ago. Your best hope would be that there are enough parts to make one work well plus some spares. There are other brands of vacuum operated pulsators but they do not make an adapter to fit them on top of a Universal bucket.

[springvalley]

You need to find out what kind of milker you have (pictures on here will help , because we have seen them all) then you can figure out what to do. Find a dairy farmer tohelp you , if you can, lot cheaper than a dairy suppy place. My dairy guy charges 62.00 dollars an hour now for working on anything, so I do my own if I can. You will get alot of good information on here. > Thanks Marc

[CarolT]

Thanks! I'll get pics as soon as I can. Something has come up where I'm going to be really busy for a week or two, but hopefully have 3 months before I have to worry about the cow LOL so I have a little time. I know I couldn't find anything written on the milk bucket/can (not sure what the proper name is, it's the short, squat thing with a handle on top) when I was trying to find where to look for seals, etc. But, I'm also getting old and blind, soo...

[shagerman]

i believe i have a pulsator if you need one. i also have spare parts on hand. torn apart pulsators that i got last year. a goat pulsator has 2 stems and a cow has 4. mine are all surge. just in case you wanted to know