Cutting fondant

[Erichalfbee]

I've never tried or seen it, but 2% if by weight would be a lot more by volume.
It would be interesting to put this and fondant on a hive next to each other & see which they take.

Oh I’ve tried that. They like the yellow stuff

 

[Jules59]

2.5 kg bags of Fondabee split very easily if required. Use a Stanly Knife to cut throught the polythene bag and fondant below and split by hand. Easy !

Yes , I use a Stanley knife to cut slabs of fondant from the main block - not difficult

 

[ericbeaumont]

paper guillotine

I looked at modern versions online and the prices were shocking.

 

[JamezF]

I looked at modern versions online and the prices were shocking.

You didn't lose your head and buy one?

James

 

[Malcolm B.]

Got to be a machine.

Your wish is granted :-

 

[Gilberdyke John]

To be fair it is just coloured fondant, he’s right there.
[/QUOT

I looked at modern versions online and the prices were shocking.

Hence the value of car boot sales and time to browse.

 

[Rory Fields]

Would a cheese wire Heath Robinson device work for you and the fondant?

I tried that last year and it broke and was bearly as hard yo get through as with the bread knife, somehow :-/

 

[Rory Fields]

use a garden spade, put the fondant block on a concret path or something and just hack the bits up into the right size.

Done that previously but was hoping for something a little more accurate that saved on extra single-use plastic bags

 

[Rory Fields]

2.5 kg bags of Fondabee split very easily if required. Use a Stanly Knife to cut throught the polythene bag and fondant below and split by hand. Easy !

Too expensive for me I'm afraid- £1199 of 12.5kg bajers fondant are what I've git to play with - fondabee is v convenient, but vastly overpriced

 

[Rory Fields]

This is how I cut up my fondant and place several slices over the QX under a 50mm eke.


View attachment 37398

You make that look easy my friend! I'd been told that bees take clingfilm down into the broodnest but if that works for you I'll give it a go - I think probably cutting it up in situ at different apiaries in response to hefting is perhaps a mistake I've been making too. I've also been torn between putting fondant on late as I'm within heather range at my home apiary, and had the ex local bee inspector insist food should be just above the crownboard at all times to avoid isolation starvation, and read and seen videos of Michael Palmer saying the food should be in the combs. I'm more inclined to follow someone of Michael's experience but am aware the US has a different climate to us and I've a lot of black combs I need to change out in spring so am dithering a little. Regional inspector's stance did seem logical to me tbh, but obviously far better beekeepers than he or I want the food into the combs - can you tell I'm indecisive? ;-)

 

[Rory Fields]

If you slice it like I do with the end of the slab cantilevered over the edge of a step the cut opens up and makes it much easier to cut.
A "hot knife" would probably make it even easier.
The problem with a electric saw would be that the fondant would clog the blade.- a horizontal band saw might work if the cut was on the edge of a step.

I do it

Clean serrated bread knife works for me..
The serrations make all the difference vs smooth
Used on old wood bread board.

That's what I used to do prior to my back going AWOL

 

[Newbeeneil]

You make that look easy my friend! I'd been told that bees take clingfilm down into the broodnest but if that works for you I'll give it a go - I think probably cutting it up in situ at different apiaries in response to hefting is perhaps a mistake I've been making too. I've also been torn between putting fondant on late as I'm within heather range at my home apiary, and had the ex local bee inspector insist food should be just above the crownboard at all times to avoid isolation starvation, and read and seen videos of Michael Palmer saying the food should be in the combs. I'm more inclined to follow someone of Michael's experience but am aware the US has a different climate to us and I've a lot of black combs I need to change out in spring so am dithering a little. Regional inspector's stance did seem logical to me tbh, but obviously far better beekeepers than he or I want the food into the combs - can you tell I'm indecisive? ;-)

I think it is easy but I obviously don’t have your physical problems. IMO if you can get the weight of the fondant falling off the “step” to open the cut the slice can be severed by many light cuts. (I don’t use a serrated blade as I have always assumed it would make it harder as the serrations clog up but I have tried dipping the blade into water which made it easier, but messy)

Edit - I’ve just cut up 2 boxes of fondant - one using a serrated bread knife and one using a sharp carving knife. IMO the carving knife is better as it doesn’t snag in the fondant.

I use pallet wrap as it’s more robust (and cheaper) than cling film and I’ve never had bees take it into the brood box.
Having it already cut, makes it easy to just open up, reverse the crown board ( I have 2” ekes screwed to the upper side of my crown boards) uncover one side and place that onto a QX or sometimes directly onto the top bars as I want the bees to store it in the combs as easily as possible.
I only put it above the crown board for emergency use, stored in a takeaway box within a PIR insulated pocket which the bees can rob at any time they are active during the winter. They will not break cluster to forage above the crown board during very cold periods so it’s imperative to get the stores into the comb they are clustering on.

Edit. I’ve just thought - by having it prepared off site you can cajole/ press gang a friend, relative or even a small child into preparing it!
Mmmmm now there’s a thought.

 

[Gilberdyke John]

You make that look easy my friend! I'd been told that bees take clingfilm down into the broodnest but if that works for you I'll give it a go - I think probably cutting it up in situ at different apiaries in response to hefting is perhaps a mistake I've been making too. I've also been torn between putting fondant on late as I'm within heather range at my home apiary, and had the ex local bee inspector insist food should be just above the crownboard at all times to avoid isolation starvation, and read and seen videos of Michael Palmer saying the food should be in the combs. I'm more inclined to follow someone of Michael's experience but am aware the US has a different climate to us and I've a lot of black combs I need to change out in spring so am dithering a little. Regional inspector's stance did seem logical to me tbh, but obviously far better beekeepers than he or I want the food into the combs - can you tell I'm indecisive? ;-)

Amen to cutting in situ in an apiary being a mistake.. Simon the Beekeeper sold small plastic sandwich boxes of fondant which were an easy way to use fondant. Buying your own clear sandwich boxes from one of the bargain shops, cutting up the fondant at home and packing it into said box then putting the lid on is an easy solution. With the lid on the fondant keeps for ever almost. To use remove lid from sandwich box and invert over the feed hole.

 

[Xander]

Your wish is granted :-

I've gotta get one of those, although it might take a while to cut through a 1.5m diameter oak

 

[sipa]

Too expensive for me I'm afraid- £1199 of 12.5kg bajers fondant are what I've git to play with - fondabee is v convenient, but vastly overpriced

Well that really depends on how you value the time spent faffing around, rather than getting the job done and moving on to the next. The amount of money you would save faffing is peanuts.

 

[sipa]

I've never tried or seen it, but 2% if by weight would be a lot more by volume.

volume is irrelevent, it's weight of dry matter that's important. That is how nutrient density is calculated...... or at least it should be !

 

[alancooper]

You make that look easy my friend! I'd been told that bees take clingfilm down into the broodnest but if that works for you I'll give it a go - I think probably cutting it up in situ at different apiaries in response to hefting is perhaps a mistake I've been making too. I've also been torn between putting fondant on late as I'm within heather range at my home apiary, and had the ex local bee inspector insist food should be just above the crownboard at all times to avoid isolation starvation, and read and seen videos of Michael Palmer saying the food should be in the combs. I'm more inclined to follow someone of Michael's experience but am aware the US has a different climate to us and I've a lot of black combs I need to change out in spring so am dithering a little. Regional inspector's stance did seem logical to me tbh, but obviously far better beekeepers than he or I want the food into the combs - can you tell I'm indecisive? ;-)

Clingfilm is chewed into tiny particles which are difficult to see. Not good in beekeepers unfiltered honey or cut comb. I never use the stuff.

 

[Newbeeneil]

Clingfilm is chewed into tiny particles which are difficult to see. Not good in beekeepers unfiltered honey or cut comb. I never use the stuff.

Hence the reason for using pallet wrap.

 

[Ian123]

Clingfilm is chewed into tiny particles which are difficult to see. Not good in beekeepers unfiltered honey or cut comb. I never use the stuff.

Used it for years no problem….. but then of course I’ve never fed it during comb honey production and I filter honey

 

[Ian123]

Seems like an awful lot of work just to save a few quid, better buying the 2.5kg blocks of Fondabee, easy peesy !

I think your forgetting that many here are not purchasing by the pallet or direct from suppliers.
They are probably paying double your price…….Just to put a little elbow grease into perspective!