My milking stand is all wood and hard to keep clean. I want to build one that's a wooden frame but has an expanded metal bottom (that the goat stands on) so I need a piece about, say, 16" by 40." I don't have a clue where to go for something like that. Anyone know? Thanks in advance. What would I do without this forum?

-- Elizabeth in E TX (kimprice@peoplescom.net), August 15, 2001

Answers

Look under the yellow pages for steel manufacturers near you. They will cut you a piece to your specifications. Or try a welding shop, they might even have a scrap to sell you cheap.

-- Julie (julieamc@eagleslair.net), August 15, 2001.

Hi Elizabeth try a junk yard where the buy used metal may be called recycling somethin or other. Bob se,ks.

-- Bobco (bobco@hit.net), August 15, 2001.

worse comes to worse,, and you cant scrounge one,, do a web search,, performance metals , they have ALL kinds

-- stan (sopal@net-port.com), August 15, 2001.

I will ask hubby if he has some out behind the shop still. There are a zillon welders out in the woods between you and me, just get your gal friends to scrounge there husbands stashes of junk, ummm I mean valualbe building materials! One warning, keep it spray painted really well, the teat dip will eventually rust out the middle of your stand and it will have ugly welded peices underneath it, ask me how I know :) Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), August 15, 2001.

I would think that weldmesh topped with what you call hardware cloth, and which I've formed a picture of as very small-scale weldmesh (say ½" spacing), would work. Couldn't be any bigger spacing than ½" though) Comments? Have I got the wrong impression? I'd suggest that what I'm picturing in my mind (or anything, come to that) get a good coat of the aluminium-based paint we know as SilvaFrost.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), August 15, 2001.