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Date:	5/19/2013 10:17:56 PM
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A new milk cow My wife tells me I am getting a milk cow for Christmas; wow that's a gift that should keep on giving. I had planned to get one in a couple of years, boy... did that time frame change. So off to the barn to investigate the milking equipment that I acquired when I bought the fram 25 years ago. The vacuum pump was covered in a thick layer of grease, oil, dirt and that stuff birds leave behind when they roost on the vacuum pipe above. A visit to the local delaval supplier was very helpful, leaving with a gauge, oil and some knowledge beyond him saying it sounded as if the pump was older than himself. I have the pump connected to a 1/4hp motor and could only raise 5 inches of mercury on the guage, a far cry from the 15 inches the supplier said I needed. Today I dismantled the pump and took it into the heated shop for a closer inspection. After cleaning all the years of dirt on the outside, I could see the inside was not much better. Drained the crud and filled the oil reservoir with varsol and ran for 15 minutes. Drained, cleaned and recoupled the pump filled with new oil, only to have the guage read 5 inches again. What a disappointment. But I thought it should take more oil than I had put in so added more. Voila... up went the guage. Added more and the guage moved again. Kept adding oil till the guage read 15 inches. The heritage machine has come back to life. I don't know when the pump was last used but it is at least 40 years ago. Next I tried the milk bucket that I acquired last spring and all seems to work!!! Now I am cleaning the separator that I bought at an auction for $30.00 a couple of years ago and hope to have it all ready by Friday. PS I am on the look out for a calf!!
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