Turntable and dimensions ???

[FullyLoaded]

Would like to know how wide it should be? Heard they vary, but I would really like to add it to regime, thx in advance Pictures would be nice if you have any plz post..............

[rodburner]

o man, glad to hear that! ima build me one soon! I want to say ours was rite at 9'. and I thought that was small but it worked well. the dog don't use the outside 6 or 7 inches tho. you may want to think about some kind of braking on it. just something to think about...let us know how it turns out.

yis, ricky.

[rodburner]

o yea...check out ewo's sluggo in a pre keep post..he's got a hound on his.. looks good nice piece rite there.

[CYJ]

Fellows one thing I am very familiar with is the Roundtable. Their only draw back is having a wide and long enough building or lean to off the side of a building to protect it from the weather.

For as size of table, the best over all working size is 16 feet to 24 feet across,16 feet being the minimal working size. Is best to set it low to ground around knee high to you or sitting down in a normal height chair. The dog will not feel like it is going to fall off the edge, slam on breaks and burn the pads. You will be close to the dog and it will be easy to put the dog on and off the table. With no struggle and less chance of hurting your back. Being close to the dog you can encourage it and even love on it while it works.

The over head pulling beam should be placed across the table one foot forward of the center circle of the table. You need at least three pulling adjustments on the pulling beam to adjust how the dog trots or pulls. To keep it running out front in the sweet spot of the table. To also prevent dog from falling back and running on the back side. Want the dog at center or out front.

Preparing the running surface is no different than putting down carpet padding and carpet in a house. Will help to have the proper type tools for putting down the pad and carpet. Make sure where the center hole of table is. The carpet is well secured down. Since you will be pulling the carpet tight from inside to the out side.

Best glue a good quality standard carpet pad down to the plywood and let set before putting on the carpet. To prevent any bunching up of pad and carpet.

This is very important for safety reason to you. Allow your metal frame measurement to be around 4 to 6 inches less than the total length of the wood surface. So you can completely over lap the padding and felt and take under the table and staple down. This padding and carpet will protect your legs and knees from the outer turning edge of the table. If Part of that metal frame should catch your leg or knee cap could cause serious damage to the body.

Never allow children to play on it or underneath it. When in use keep all children away. Were to get under it while moving could result in serious body and head injuries.

The best type running surface, if possible is 100% cotton felt. Most pulp paper making companies have lots of it and dump it at the dumps. It comes in long wide section pieces. This very durable cloth material was used for filtering the water etc.

Type axle or axles used can be Trailer axles or a heavy duty truck rear end axle. If you use a heavy duty truck rear end. You can leave in the gears for helping the table run and slow down at a normal rate to effort applied. Just make sure plenty of oil is in the hog head casing and all bearings tight, greased and sealed. Make sure you put the right end of the axle and turning direction of the hub correctly before you seal that end in concrete. Probably not so with a positive traction rear end.

With a larger table if using the Trailer axles, might be best to cut the shaft length down and use both axles. One for the running part and the other for running/strength support on the bottom.

This was all a mouthful. Have anymore questions just post. This is not a easy project and does take some mechanical, welding and carpenter skills etc. If you successfully build one and use it for awhile. You will be spoiled by it. When bad weather days set in on you. No biggie you just keep on keeping on.

P.S. A lot of those dog men that used a Swinging Jenny. Some where on the property was a round table and slat mill for back up. Cheers

[S_B]

"The type carpet used if possible is 100% cotton felt. Most pulp paper making companies have lots of it and dump it at the dumps."

Don't think you will find any 100% cotton carpet, most carpet these days is synthetic or nylon blends. I'd stay away from berber or loop pile, as they will snag on the dogs nails and cause a runner in the carpet and potential injury to the dog. You can go to a local flooring store and catch an installer, for a few bucks I'd be willing to bet he will pull a whole room(s) of decent carpet out and get it to you. I'd go with a cheap plush or cut pile berber.

As far as padding goes, stick with something low, like a felt or rubber pad. The rubber padding can be found in older homes or nice hotels and is hard to wear out! A multi purpose glue found at a local box store will secure the glue for the padding down on the plywood with a small notched trowel, and repeat with the carpet over top of the pad and I'd also staple the edges underneath of course. Good luck!

S_B

[EWO]

The table in the "sluggo pre-keep" video is a hair under over 14'. I did not use padding under the carpet like I had originally planned. The carpet I used is designed for concrete floors. It is large squares with a rubber backing. I glued them to the table.

I used a mobile home axle. I welded 1 1/2 tubing for spokes and then bolted 2X4's to the spokes. I then cut OSB board to fit the wooden spokes. The rubber backed carpet squares were then glued to the OSB board. I painted the OSB board heavily prior to the carpet.

IN the beginning I thought it was too free. Once a dog gets it going it really rolls. I wish it had a little more drag to it but I have learned to like it just the way it is. A lot like a smooth turning carpet mill a dog has to physically make it go so at slower speeds it is more of a physical demand. On the other end at top speed it is like a free spinning slat mill. The dog is driving it but keeping up with it as well.

I change speeds during ten to twelve minute sessions. It has proven to be a really nice tool to have in the shed. Which brings me to my next dilemma. I built it outside, down in the woods, away from everything. Inclement weather has proven to be an issue. I am thinking of moving it back to the barn and building a lean to out over it for wet weather work. EWO

[CYJ]

Ditto S-B was not a carpet but a filtering cloth. A 100% cotton felt cloth that was used to filter the water etc. used in the pulp paper making process. That was many years ago so may not be available like it use to be. Middleton worked for Sonoco and got me a bunch of it. If having to use carpet make sure like was mentioned. Do not use any types that will snag on the dog's toe nails.

Remember to cut the sharp ends off the toe nails when using a round table or a Slat Mill. Cheers

[FullyLoaded]

Was gonna use a WIRE WOODEN SPOOL (large one) for the base and frame my axle in the middle reinforced with metal framing in the middle also. I was wondering could I go 10 to 12ft. wide??? And if you can picture what I'm thinking plz all comments good or bad are welcome, thx........

[EWO]

As long as you can attach it to the axle securely it will work. Mine is moving at a pretty good clip. If it came apart it would cripple me and the dog.

Although it is a circle, the larger the diameter the more the dog is going in a straight line, if that makes sense. A smaller circle he is in more of a turn, sort of contorting his body and it will "run out from under him" and he will skip a step to catch up/get his feet under him and that could lead to an injury nail/pad etc..etc.. The larger the table the easier it is to center the dog on a good running line.

I am by no means an expert. I saw one long ago, then again a couple years ago. I built one just because. I can see where 16' is better than 14', and bigger than 16' is even better. It took a dog or two to get the hang of what it was doing and with some insight from CYJ I think it is doing a pretty good job for the dogs. I have learned that shorter sessions with changing speeds works best. But I do think the key factor is the free-ness/smooth-ness of the table. Each dog would have to be fine tuned to each table. I doubt there is a blanket work method that would cover all dogs on all tables. But that is just me. EWO

[EWO]

When the dog is running on a smaller table it is a spiraling run. Every so often the attaching/centering hook-up re-aligns him to the center run spot. The larger the table the less often the hook-up centers the dog. The larger the table the less often the centering takes place and the centering is much less of a jerk on the dog. The smaller the table the more often the hoo up will re-center the dog. When it re-centers him the table is still moving, thus the possibility of an injury. The larger the table the safer the table.

My table is about 14'. He runs about 12"-18" inside the outer edge so he is basically on a 12' to 13' foot circle. So it is not just measuring one from end to end, it is factoring in the running line/center line. So a 12' table would really be a 10'-11' and the smaller the circle the harder it will be for the dog to keep up while constantly being re centered by the hook up. EWO