How to Use Spring Feet to Stabilize Your Honey Extractor

Before You Start

Set the extractor on a flat, solid surface and level it adding the Spring Feet, tightening the individual feet to ensure that the drum sits evenly.

[SPLIT]

How to Use Spring Feet During Extraction

Once the extractor is level and loaded, set your speed by turning your speed dial to a moderate or high speed and then starting. Slow speeds exaggerate the wobble, so a slow start actually increases the wobble rather than running at the speed the extractor is built for. Get through the slow range quickly by turning your speed up at the beginning and let the Spring Feet do their job at full speed.

Once at speed, observe the extractor as it should wobble less with more speed similar to a clothes washer on spin cycle. Spring Feet should hold the extractor steady with only a slight give as they absorb minor imbalances in the load. If a foot is bouncing, or the base is walking across the floor, stop and check that the feet are tight and that your speed is turned up before continuing the run. On long harvest days, take a moment between loads to ensure that the area is clean, and there is no debris on the feet or in the springs as this could impact performance.

There is no grease or maintenance needed for the Spring Feet. Just keep them clear of debris (honey and wax) and keep your extractor clear of nearby obstacles.

[/SPLIT]

Why This Works

Each foot combines a bolt with a spring and a rubber foot or shoe, giving the base a small amount of controlled flex instead of forcing it to sit rigid. That flex absorbs vibration at normal or higher spinning speeds, working with the extractor's momentum rather than against it. At low speed, the drum has not built enough momentum for that flex to do its job, which is why slow starts wobble more, not less.

HillCo builds extractors around this kind of practical, field-tested hardware, so the rest of your honey house workflow can keep moving without the extractor becoming the bottleneck. Extraction times should be greatly reduced using Spring Feet since you are spinning at higher speeds from the beginning!

Quick Troubleshooting