Building a slatmill

Lol Hang in there. It'll pay off and look at all the learning you're getting. The first of any build is a learning experience. The next ones come easier and leave time for improvements.

 

Buck the mill in the web site you refer to does show spaces in between the slats BUT when the belt is rounding the front wheel.... here there will always be spaces as the slats are rounding the corner. On the top where the dog is running they are real snug to each other.
You are about to make a fundamental mistake and hurt your dog, run a nice vet bill and end up with a dog that doesn't like to run the mill.

Check out this link: http://www.game-dog.com/showthread.php?t=34564&page=1
the slats are 45'd but still back to back.

Your call dude, just trying to help out.


conserning the slat rolling you are having troouble with... changing to a stiffer belt will make the mill slugish, I would bite the bullet and either move the wheels closer or mout a wheel in between the wheels you already have, just on the out side of them with a longer screw so there is an over lap..... OR change to wider slats.

have a nice weekend

 

here is another good looking mill, check out the back to back slats....

http://www.game-dog.com/showthread.php?t=53641

 

well i don't get it. if theres no slatroll at all, and they are spaced 1/4 inch apart how will it pinch his feet? on a nice solid track with no slatroll what soever. cause when he puts his foot down they're arent just gona come together and pinch him are they? and the one i posted does have spaces inbetween the slats. look closely. http://www.rpmillmaker.com/products.html#mill_killer

 

With a gap thier nails can go down in between the slats. As that foot goes back the nail is at an angle and can catch between the slats. Stand beside the mill at slat level and think about it. Kinda hard to explain without a pic but I think you'll be able to figure out what I'm saying. lol Hope it helps.

 

ya i'd have to see it happen unless the nails are long enough to go down through the whole depth of the slat.

 

Buck.... bg understands but like he says it hard to explain.... I will add alittle to his comment..... your dog will be propelling the belt forward at quite high speed... if the timing is off and the dog slows down the belt do to momentum will be traveling faster than your dog so if he just pick up his foot instead of kicking off running a claw couls very easily be tore off as the belt spinns off.
Also, remebmer the dog is running nor just lifting his feet straigh up and down so as he kicks off his feet finishing a stride a claw could be inbetween slats ans agian be hurt, due to the angle og the dog foot and so on. Just give it a good think over and imagine the dog on ther running in slow motion. It has mothing to du with slat roll at all. Its a common mistake and as the saying goes we should all try to learn from eachothers mistakes.

besides I think the dog trotter mill is a more reputable mill to use as an example than th RPmill guy

like I said its your gig.


have a good weekend

 

anybody know how much a belt fully assembled usually weighs?

 

it all comes down to what type of wood and size hardware you are using... no textbook answer on that one.

Weigh one slat and one set of nut bolt and washer and multiply and add the sums together... plus a bit more for the belt. and that is your answer.

 

ya i know how to get the weight of mine lol i was just curious to the average ifff anyone knew so i kinda know what to shoot for.

 

Like Norseman said it depends on the material you use , Oak slats can be made thinner because they are stronger than pine . a phillips head screw is lighter than a bolt , and a pvc belt can be lighter than hose . Ciuros Made some changes to his mill when he was still in business that changed his belts weight from 27 1/4 lbs to 13 1/2 pounds . Your belt should be fine with the 1/4 gap as you know wood expands and contract over time , the Nail pinching would come if the dog is running to close to one of the ends and stops thus catching a nail . so make sure your hook ups are adjusted that the dog is running in the middle . Connect the belt and give it a spin/put a dog on it you will see if you need to make any adjustments good luck and keep us posted

 

any updates is the mill running already?

 

I like a heavy belt.

 

well i'm waiting on my new belt still, when it gets here trust me it'll be running that day haha
ill keep ya posted. i'm going with 1/4 inch pvc belting 4 inch wide 2 ply. he aint gunna be running super fast so i wont mind a heavy belt anyways.

 

where did you get those wheels and rail.?

 

any more pics,great build too.

Tracie,x

 

just curios how are you going to do the belt

 

i kinda fell off the face of the earth haha, buuut im back. Ok so i decided to just quit tryin to make shit work and ordered some actual pvc belting. I also wanted to get some oak slats actually 2 inches wide and counter sink some allen bolts in but that will come in time. I'm going to use my same slats, spray some poly on em cause they are fairly soft. Space them about an 1/8 inch apart instead of 1/4 and just use the carriage bolts again. My next belt will be perfect. I got the rails and pvc belting from material flow. And the split end wheels from mfg supply. I will keep you guys updated mill should be running in less than a week.

 

Been wondering how it was goin. Thx for d update

 

Good to see you back on here.