emill?or slat/carpet ?

If it is working that is all that matters. End of the ay it is about the individual dog. All things being the same, the dog that will work the emill will be better off than the dog that will not work __________(fill in the blank).


They are tools. None no better than the other if used correctly.


S

 

My buddy had a Grand some years back. I used it some but never really liked it. His was kept indoors and always in pristine condition. It just did not turn like I thought it should.


Turning free is one thing, turning smoothly is another. The dog had to 'over power' each stride to keep it moving. It didn't look like natural strides.


With that said, they are a lot closer to a carpet mill than most mills today (even the mills I build are not really carpet mills in a sense). Carpet mills were 70's style carpet with a heavy jute back sliding on sanded plywood sliding around PVC pipe on the end. A power house of a machine. Those were actually my first to use and first to learn from. We had a Colby mill for the longest. I liked it a lot. It was still not exactly what I was looking for in a mill. We had a slat mill with lawnmower wheels and skate wheels that was OK, sounded like an oncoming train, but was a decent piece of equipment. Then ended up with a Gambler mill, back when they were G-Force, not Dog Trotters. Again nice, but not where I was going.


Along the way I built a number of carpet mills, experimenting with end rollers, bearings, carpets, sliding surfaces and belt length/axle to axle ratios until I arrived at the mills I use today. The belt mill.


Most carpet mills sold today are more in line with a belt mill. The end rollers are riding on high end bearings, the sliding surfaces are some sort of plastic or polymer material and they turn both free and smooth. The belt mills fall under the carpet mill name but are far from being a real carpet mill.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nq7h6nQmKoM


This mill turns as free so the dog can open up and run as fast and as close to a natural ground stride as a dog could want. The leg is on a drop cord so it has some wobble but my video skills are limited, actually less than limited.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqB1Gb-gjFk


Same mill, different sides. This is a cool down walk after some had running. It would be no different stride if she were trotting on the ground.


Apologies. This post caught my eye and I replied. I then see it is from some time ago and 3 pages deep. I bet I already made this same post some time ago. Sorry for doubling up.


S

 

That GCM looks like it turned much smoother than the one he had. His would bunch up a little as the dog pushed back, either like it could not get over the back roller or back up on the front end. If another foot hit the carpet while running it was like the dog had to take a stutter step/catch up step to get back to stride.


Our G-Force mill was a really good mill. It was not like the newer models with all the bells and whistles. Back then the adjustable tower was state of the art. I had a video of my US1 Ozzie running the mill on another computer. I will see if I can get it over to this one.


S

 

He used silicon spray on the surface. He even had a belt replaced. It just never was my cup of tea.


It did not work as well as the one posted in this video.


Not knocking on all of them, just the one we used.


S

 

That is very possible. Like I said I have never trashed all GCM, just the one I used. (Not heard about, but actually used, LOL). I did not like it. Granted I did not run out and buy another one for comparisons sake. I simply did not like it and moved on. Again, LOL.


S

 

Thank you Naustroms for posting a good video of a well working GCM. I am so appreciative.


The GCM was not mine. It belonged to a friend of mine and we pooled our resources. Space, time, money and equipment as well.


That particular GCM did not suit me and I moved on. During that time I was experimenting with different ideas on the carpet mill I was building. In time I created/stumbled upon a really nice set up. I like it a lot. If the carpet of today was the same quality/type from the early 90's I would be much happier with the mills in general.


Someone like me? Not sure where that was going...but...I like to look out the door and say, Yep, I did that. I did not like the mills I had access to, the GCM, a Colby mill and one that both Molly Bee and Red Lady ran on. I did not like that one either. So I built mills until I suited myself.


I like the older G-Force mills moreso that the newer Dogtrotter versions. In turn I built my own slat mill. It serves the purpose, and again, Yep, I did that.


My buddy just had a 24X32 pole barn built. Turn key $14K. I am over half way thru mine and I am at $2500. Not this week or next, but soon I will say, Yep, I did that.


So that is 'someone like me'.


I like what I like. I try to save money when I can. And I like doing things for myself. Dog equipment included.


Thanks.


S