View Full Version : Slat Mill vs Old School manual treadmill
QCK23
02-19-2012, 12:16 PM
I was wondering if anyone could draw some comparisons between a dog specific mill and an old Manual treadmill. I always see the old manuals on cragslist for around 40 bucks. Is there a big difference in conditioning between the two? The manual would be super cheap, I could buy several for the price of just one slat mill, and I would avoid the sinister looks I imagine one receives when you own a slat mill.
Crofab
02-19-2012, 01:19 PM
I don't know anyone that has ever used the old manual treadmill. For 40 bucks, I would try one out just to see how they perform on it. I know that Jim Culbertson (RIP) used to make a belt mill similar to the manual treadmills you're talking about, and I never heard anything but good about those particular mills. I can already think of some of the pros of such a mill in that it's quiet, it's not terribly high off the ground, things of that nature.
Now you have me thinking about buying one of those contraptions just to see how it would work. Stability might be an issue, but I'm sure there would be some way to correct that if need be.
PurePit19
02-19-2012, 01:47 PM
I converted a manual belt driven mill into a dog mill. It works pretty grood, I've had it for years now. Here is a moc-up pic of it.
http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g147/purepit19/dogs.jpg
PurePit19
02-19-2012, 01:51 PM
I don't know anyone that has ever used the old manual treadmill. For 40 bucks, I would try one out just to see how they perform on it. I know that Jim Culbertson (RIP) used to make a belt mill similar to the manual treadmills you're talking about, and I never heard anything but good about those particular mills. I can already think of some of the pros of such a mill in that it's quiet, it's not terribly high off the ground, things of that nature.
Now you have me thinking about buying one of those contraptions just to see how it would work. Stability might be an issue, but I'm sure there would be some way to correct that if need be.
It's pretty much the same thing as a carpet mill, but with a rubber belt. It's quiet, but stability was a issue at first, which is why I only have a moc-up pic. It took months to be able to get it stable. Try it for yourself, I'd like to see how others put their frame together.
Buck E. Owens
02-20-2012, 07:51 PM
I built a few a couple years ago. They work well. Just watch there pads like any mill cause thay rubber track burns pads. You can bolt them down to a piece of plywood to sturdy/stabalize it.
I have some video on youtube of them. Also dont put on to much of an angle.