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Preventing an extractor from walking?

73K views 119 replies 53 participants last post by  JohnOh2018 
#1 · (Edited)
I took my extractor for a spin, I extracted my first medium super :applause:.
My question is, other than bolting it to the floor what methods do people use to prevent it walking away? It's a Maxant 10/20.
It has bolt holes in the 3 feet, and I was thinking of bolting those to a wooden base and then rested my 105 pounds of John Deere tractor weights on the wood. Is that enough weight? What do other folks do?
Thanks, Adrian.
 
#2 ·
Instead of bolts, use lag screws. I bet it'll still walk on you w/ themethod you are thinking about using. Or you will have to use so many tractor weights that they will be in your way.

But, maybe you will be successful. Try it and let us know.
 
#4 ·
With the 1400 series I would get a piece of 4x4 sheet of 3/4 or 1 inch plywood, run 3 bolts through the underside. Then set the extractor leg hole tabs over the bolts. Tighten down with some wingnuts for quick and easy removal. You now have a larger surface area for stability. If you want to get a little more creative you can take some weights and set them underneath the exctractor.
If you are in a spot that the extractor will stay, then you may consider lags through the floor.
 
#7 ·
Anytime you have an extractor up on legs, you will be fighting the turning force. The most stable extractors I've seen don't have legs. Take the legs off and mount it directly to a solid base, high enough off the floor for a bucket to fit under. A nice wooden platform works well.
 
#9 ·
I too took my extractor for a spin two weeks ago... new 20 frame Dadant. On a stand, not bolted down. It didn't walk. I balanced the frames as I loaded the extractor, then started it out slow, built up speed as the frames continued to become more balanced. Minimum vibration, no walking.

My cappings spinner is another story, however. :lpf:
Regards,
Steven
 
#118 ·
I too took my extractor for a spin two weeks ago... new 20 frame Dadant. On a stand, not bolted down. It didn't walk. I balanced the frames as I loaded the extractor, then started it out slow, built up speed as the frames continued to become more balanced. Minimum vibration, no walking. My cappings spinner is another story, however. :lpf: Regards, Steven
I bolted the wooden pallet to the floor. I also got a piece of melamine coated chip board, bolted the spinner to that, and attached it to to pallet with two hinges. Then I added a bolt and wing nut to the rear of the chip board. Why? Well instead of having the spinner with a few kilo of honey in the bottom (bad honey tap placement) I can now tilt it forward and get the lot out. It also comes in handy for cleaning after use. Dont forget a restraining chain to .prevent it toppling forward when left to drain as it can damage the spinner. Previous experience with another unit. Why can't the design the units with a tap so it drains properly°???.
 
#10 ·
Guys, guys, guys....

Give up on all the bolts, plates, and weights. Instead secure machine to a sheet of heavy plywood AND then bolt 3 large swivel caster wheel in a triangle pattern around the outside of legs (like for a furniture dollies ).

It is counter-intuitive I know. BUT IT REALLY WORKS!!! The machine will wobble gently as it spins up. The faster you spin, the less it wobbles. It will certainly want to move around the floor but gentle hand pressure is all it will take to keep it in one place. This also takes the pressure off of the extractor bearings and they will last much longer -- probably forever.

Give it a try -- Fuzzy
 
#11 ·
I have a Kelley 3 frame(3 deeps,3 mediums or 6 shallows) that I put a motor on and I mounted it on a piece of 3/4 plywood with a stainless steel tray over it and I mounted the 3 legs on old automotive valve springs and used the spring retainers as washers.I also added 4 wheels to the bottom so I could roll it outside for the bees to clean.I used it last week and it would spin so fast that the comb would bend in the frames(still trying to work out the pulley ratio)but I didnt have a lot of vibration problems.
 
#12 ·
Here you go. 60 framer, extracted 1,000 gallons so far with this set up, has not moved or wobbled an inch. Bolts are countersunk in with large washes from underneath the concrete slabs. One day I'll cut off the excess.

Remember even the best plugs will not catch concrete floor 100% of the time. and don't forget where your plumbing or electrical runs before you start drilling.:thumbsup:

http://s562.photobucket.com/albums/ss61/bermybee/?action=view&current=DSC00001.jpg&newest=1
 
#13 ·
Maybe an old shoe on each leg would help it. If it walks with a limp, you've got it out of balance. :D Well, I t hought it was funny, but I've been sweating in attics all day long so far and think my brain is fried.
 
#14 ·
Fuzzy,

I like the 3 caster approach. My only question is that I keep a bucket under the gate so the honey flows out during the extraction and doesn't build up to dangerous levels in the extractor. How do you keep the wheel based unit from moving away from the bucket? Or does the bucket sit on the base so it moves too?

ekrouse
 
#68 ·
Fuzzy,

I like the 3 caster approach. My only question is that I keep a bucket under the gate so the honey flows out during the extraction and doesn't build up to dangerous levels in the extractor. How do you keep the wheel based unit from moving away from the bucket? Or does the bucket sit on the base so it moves too?

The casters work - buy some with breaks on them. The only problem is if you need to tilt the Extractor to get the last drop out or for cleaning.
The challenge is in the loading - try to have it as balanced as possible and there should only be a minot wobble.
 
#15 ·
Adrian,

Currently I have a Dadant 6-12 extractor. I use a half sheet of 3/4 Inch plywood (larger and thicker would be better). I use wood nuts (the kind with teeth to grip the wood) on the underside so it sits flush to the floor. Then I bolt the stand's legs down through the plywood base and into the wood nuts. That way I can easily remove the base when I'm done for storage. I weight the base down with anything I have handy... a bag of quick-kreet concrete, a piece of railroad rail, and some concrete bricks. Works well if you take the approach mentioned above.... balance your load and start out slow. With that said I may try the 3-wheel approach mentioned previously.
 
#16 ·
Ekrouse,

I made sure the base was large enough for the bucket to rest on also. You will find, with a highly imbalanced load that a bucket with little or no honey will vibrate and move around. I have been known to "duct tape" the bucket to the deck.

I'll warn you now... if you try the wheels you'll never go back.

Fuzzy
 
#18 ·
I'm building a wall cabinet/countertop area in my sugarshack/honey house. I plan on mounting the legs to 2 2x4's that run under the cabinet about 3' in each direction. I'm going to use tie down straps to secure the extractor to keep it from wobbling/shaking. These will be attached to the wall... and possibly the front of the cabinets or even the top of the countertop with "U" bolts. I don't see how messing with just the legs will keep it from wobbling around unless you go through concrete.

when it finally cools down and becomes less humid I'll get around to it and finally test it out. Maybe we'll have some decent weather come December! :rolleyes:
 
#22 ·
Well thanks for the replies folks. I went with Fuzzys's method as I liked the idea of being able to move the extractor around.
I took a 3/4 ply 4 by 8, cut it in half and glued it together. then added 3 large swivel casters and the with bolts and wingnuts I attached the extractor to the platform. I took it for a spin this afternoon and extracted 12 gallons.
Just as Fuzzy said it oscillated back and forth about an inch and didn't try to leave Wisconsin. :thumbsup: Adrian.
 
#26 ·
Habutti,

If you go to post number 19 from NowThen he/she has a link to a photo or two.
As to why 3 casters... In a triangle pattern that is outside the center of gravity a 3 legged stand is ALWAYS stable on it's own. By design it cannot wobble. A 4 legged design is never actually stable because it is not possible to have all 4 legs touching at the same time. You will always get some wobble (perhaps small) from any chair on a hard surface. Any wobble at the base is magnified 2-3x at the top.

Adrian, the quicker you spin it up, the less the wobble you will get. Badly balanced loads actually work better at higher speeds with this setup.

Fuzzy
 
#47 ·
. . . . As to why 3 casters... In a triangle pattern that is outside the center of gravity a 3 legged stand is ALWAYS stable on it's own. By design it cannot wobble. A 4 legged design is never actually stable because it is not possible to have all 4 legs touching at the same time. You will always get some wobble (perhaps small) from any chair on a hard surface. Any wobble at the base is magnified 2-3x at the top.

Fuzzy
Fuzzy, thanks for confirming the path I was about to take. A couple of us at work were just discussing this very option to solve our mutual extractor problem. With your posts and confirmation from others I've got myself a project for this weekend.
~Reid
 
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