Food Saver milk Machine Plans

[Muleman]

Well, I have looked around the net and seen all kinds of electric milk machines for sale. Most were in the $75.00 or up category. Most of the cheaper ones also seemed to use many of the same parts. That began my search and I was finally able to figure out all that was needed to make an inexpensive battery operated milking machine. Here is the how to of how I did it. I think the whole set up cost around $25.00. I will post some pics here and some explanation of what I did, maybe someone else can afford a similar milker by doing it themselves this way as it is fairly simple and requires only a few simple tools to build.

[Muleman]

Here is an overall view of what I started with.
Food Saver from Walmart $16.99
1/4" O.D. 3/16" I.D. plastic tubing about 4 feet, $4.00
1 plastic T ( I needed 3/16" but had to buy 1/4" as that was all they had)
2 each plastic washers
2 each plastic nipples 1/4" with 1/8" pipe thread end to connect to jar lid. a few dollars for all plastic fittings and washers
6 each syringes ( 2 each 3 different sizes) I can not rememeber exactly, but about $5.00 for all I think
1 wide mouth mason jar , with 2 piece screw on lid(or in this case a Ball jar) I had this at home, but they are relatively inexpensive f you have to buy them.
I already had a tube of supper glue and a tube of silicone of which I used a tiny bit of both for some of the connections. In the picture you will also see two different pieces of plastic tubing. I bought 2 sizes and the larger 1/4" I.D. tubing was too big so I did not use it at all.

Like I said all together it was about $25.00 worth of parts.

[Squeaky McMurdo]

Let me know how you get yours to work. Mine doesn't have enough suction and I know it's not the Food Saver because even a shop vac didn't produce enough suction. I can't figure out if it's the teat cup or where the tubes to into the jar causing a leak.

[Muleman]

Here is the tubing and syringe setup. I simply cut two short pieces of tubing I think about 6" each and connected each to the plastic T and then the other end goes to which ever syringe is the correct size for the teat. The bottom of the T connect another piece of tubing maybe 1' or a little over or so and this will go to the jar, so connect the opposite end to one of the strait plastic fittings with the threaded end.

[Muleman]

Here is a closeup of the T. Like I said the tubing was 3/16" I.D. so it was a tight stretch getting it over the 1/4" T. I dipped the plastic tubing in boiling water for a minute then quickly put them together while it was hot and stretchy. This would have been much easier with the correct 3/16" plastic fittings!!

[Muleman]

Here is a picture of the other end with the strait threaded fitting. Here again it had a 1/4" barb and would have been much easier if it would have been the correct 3/16" barb instead. Use the hot water to soften the tubing and it will go. I will mention now that the reason for the 3/16" I.D. tubing instead of the 1/4" I.D. tubing is the small connection on the syringes. The 1/4" is too big to fit tightly to the syringes. Actually a bit smaller than the 3/16" I.D. would be better, but it does work. After some use the tubing will stretch and you will need to trim a 1/4" or so away to make it fit tight to the syringe again. If a person only used one size syringe and was able to leave it all connected it would be better, but my kids goats have a wide range of teat sizes, so they wind up changing back and forth between goats, which stretches the tubing some.

[Muleman]

Here is a picture of the lid once I had drilled the holes. Be careful drilling these holes as the lid is very thin and will tear easily. I actually ruined one lid then drilled the other with a smaller hole and used a small round file to get to the correct size. A hole punch would probably work well also if a person had the correct size.

[Muleman]

Here is a picture after I have screwed the fittings through the lid and put on the plastic washers. This step can probably be skipped if using super glue. I used a tap and threaded the plastic washers and then used a rubber o-ring, but it did not seal well enough, as you cannot tighten the plastic too much or it will strip the threads. I think if a person cuts the hole in the lid with a tight fit, then threads the fittings through the lid snug, then super glues the fitting to the lid on both sides it would work fine. I wound up taking the rubber o-ring out and simply tightening the plastic threaded washer up then using super glue on top to make a air tight seal. BTW. One fitting goes to your syringe T setup we made earlier and the other will connect to the vacuum pump with a piece of tubing.

[Muleman]

Here is the removable end from the vacuum pump. As you can see it is basically a plastic cone with a rubber insert. I drilled out the center of the rubber insert so the tubing would fit through tight, but after a short while it began to have a leak anyway, so I used a tiny bit of silicone and siliconed between the tubing and the rubber, so they would stay together permanently

[Muleman]

Here is a picture of the fittings from the top of the lid. This is where I used super glue to glue mine in permanently and seal around each fitting.

[Muleman]

Sorry, I thought I had a picture of the finished milker, but I can not find it. This is another picture of the basic layout, with the exception of the fittings in the lid which I covered earlier. If someone wants to build one and needs a little more info. just let me know and I will help you out. Like I said about $25.00 worth of materials a little more if you have to buy a tube of super glue or a small tube of silicone, or the Jar? So far after a few weeks it has worked well. Doing much better, as we learn to use it. I have also found the battery does not last too long and does need to be charged after every few goats, but for the price a person could buy 2 of the food savers if this was an issue and just swap them out? Overall it has been pretty handy. Still stripping them by hand, but it gets most of the milk out, and it seems as the kids learn to use it better and as the goats get more comfortable with the feel and the humming noise it is working a little better. I think for someone wanting to try a electric vacuum milker it is well worth the money. This is one of the things that has helped actually get my kids milking. Also as they are hand milking to strip them out, they are getting better at that.

[FakeMountainMan]

I have only milked a goat once or twice, seemed pretty simple, but I have big hands and one of them was kinda small so a milker would be great. Does the constant vacuum work well? I'm familiar with human breast pumps and they always seem to use an intermittent pumping action more like a natural suckling. Would that work better for goats?

[Muleman]

The intermittent I am sure would work better, as it is a more natural action. However what I have found is this pump will not over vacuum, as it will shut of before it does. Basically you make a vacuum until milk starts then just keep tapping the button periodically to keep the suction where the milk is coming out. Do you have an idea what a breast pump cost that works intermittently?? I know most of the high end actual commercial milkers use a intermittent vacuum. Short answer, it does work, but there may very well be better pumps out there.

[SJSFarm]

I did the same and it worked, my issue was it didn't hold onto their teats and I had to keep replacing them.

Good luck!!

[LoneStrChic23]

Please use caution with things that are constant suction vs pulsation and when using them, at least break suction occasionally to give them a break...

I've seen damaged udders from prolonged use & even had the misfortune of seeing an orifice turned inside out and bloody from one. For long term, every day use a machine that pulsates with a "suck-release-suck-release" is better for the overall health of the udder.