Wondering if anyone out there uses a surge bucket milker to milk the family cow. I recently purchased 2 of them (basically as a restoration project), now I'm searching for a vacuum pump to power them, preferably an old piston type pump. If you have one collecting dust in the barn, I'd be interested. I'd love to here of any thoughts or experiences using the old milkers. Rob Shipe Clarksburg, WV

-- Rob Shipe (RShipe1046@aol.com), July 04, 2000

Answers

Keep a set of surge milkers on standby. Use to use them for 6 months before I got the pipeline going. Parts are very easy to get. I have even milked in power outage with a hookup to intake manifold on the truck. Once a friend milked for several days during an ice storm on a Chev. car outside the window. If I had a cow or two I'd sure be using one. They're not to bad to clean up. Pulsators give a bit of trouble in cold weather so I store mine on top of the water heater. You should be able to come up with a vac pump. Lots collecting dust in old barns. Don, Missouri

-- Don (dairyagri@yahoo.com), July 04, 2000.

Rob or Don, if I was to go looking for an old surge milker, how would I know that I had all the parts when I found one? And how to get the thing working? Is there info anyplace anymore, do you think? Thanks.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), July 05, 2000.

We traded with the neighbors for one they had used on cows years ago. I use it on my goats. I got a bad case of tendonitis from milking by hand and decided we had to get an electic milker or get rid of the goats. We purchased the book "Goatowners guide to milking machines" by Diane Gray from Barnes and Noble for 8.00. Very informative and tells how to refurbish old machines as well. There must not be very many of us using machines on this forum. I posted a question a while back about cleaning milking machines and only got one answer from a hand milker! We bought new inflations from our local Farm & Fleet store and are using vacuum tubing designed for auto windshield washers. The only major part missing was the motor. My husband installed an old furnace motor and it works fine, just a little slow so had to change the pulleys. I love it and would'nt give it up for anything. The goats love it too! Judi

-- Judi (sheepspin@aol.com), July 05, 2000.

Kathleen: On the Surge---- Bucket of course, lid and gasket, can buy gaskets new, 4 shells the inflations go in, there made of stainless. They need to have the small nipples for the air tubes still on them, not broken off. Most important is the pulsator. If it appears all there it most likely is---no empty screw holes like something is gone. And under the pulsator is a small stainless check valve with a small rubber tip. Can be bought new as the rubber tip gets cracked or comes off. Parts were all avaliable 10 years ago when I used to buy and have seen pulsator kits in the feed store recent. Cost of parts--- Guess only-- Inflations, $12, Gasket, $5 or 6, Puls kits $8 to 12 New vac hose $1 per foot. Also will need an over the back strap with the special rod to hang the milker on the cow, as you can't set it on the floor except on the droopy bag cows, then if they move it will pull off. A Vacuum pump is needed of course. You have to run it to see if its any good. I had one with the rods loose and knocking so took it apart and filed the rod caps down abit and still works today. About any will run 1 unit as mine will operate 3 at once. As I said you can use any milker vac pump. You could use a 20 horsepower unit as it will pull the same vac as a small unit, just more of it. You also have to have a regulator in your vac line to keep vac at 15 in., where the milker is designed to operate. These are just a valve with a weight. When vac goes over 15in. it lets air into keep it from getting to high, which will make your pulsators take off clicking faster and will damage your cow too. Don

-- Don (dairyagri@yahoo.com), July 05, 2000.

I found a good source for parts for these milkers in the Nasco catalog 1-800-558-9595 or www.nascofa.com , they seem to have everything one would need.

-- Rob Shipe (RShipe1046@aol.com), July 05, 2000.

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-- murat aksozek (maksozek@hotmail.com), March 13, 2001.

Well this is not an answer, in fact all you folks in the know will probably get a hoot out of this question. I am a novice milker to be, and wonder if there is any new milkers for single milking you can buy? Are the old surge type still made? Or is it antique or nothing? Thank you guys, I hope to get the hang of this. Toni

-- toni van gilder (vangild@tri-lakes.net), March 29, 2001.

Toni, of course their are single and double milking equipment for the small producer! Check out caprinesupply.com There are lots of other sources for good used equipment also! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), March 29, 2001.

I any one is interested in surge,delaval,riteway,uivesal or conde milking equipment, I have a barn full old milkers. Some parts if needed. aaaaaaadvice also. Also raise mini jersey cows.

-- Nathan Harris Sr. (barnyard_mini@yahoo.com), April 29, 2001.

Check e-bay, under the search part and punch in surge milker. They have a vacume pump up for bids and may be what you are looking for if you have not found one bynow.

-- Matthew Sammons (msammons@state.de.us), June 25, 2001.

You can get all the parts for belly milkers at a reasonable price at www.partsdeptonline.com

Hope this helps someone

Mike

-- mike johnson (michaeljohnson306@telocity.com), August 30, 2001.

its not a answer but i am looking for a milking machine for just one cow please email me with any help to find one i dont need a expensive one just one to get the job done i use to milk by hand but lost use of my right arm from a injury

-- earl nixon (EMP60@prodigy.net), September 13, 2001.