Is eke required? Why not use empty Super to keep feed and Kingspan TW50?

[john1]

Hi,
I am thinking of buying eke to feed fondant and to keep the Kingspan TW50 insulation.
I saw adaptive eke on Thorne website - Adapta Eke, National size only
Has anyone used this before?

Instead of eke, if I use a SUPER, I can put a pack of Hive Alive Hive Alive Fondant, 1kg or box of 15kg, EXP 08/2023 directly above the frames and then I can put 2 layers of Kingspan TW50.

One advantage with this eke I found is, if I use this adaptive eke, I can do the Varroa Vaporiser easily; I do not need to insert the Vaporiser through the bee entrance.

Not sure whether I should buy eke or use an empty super to keep the fondant and insulation.
Thanks,

 

[hemo]

One can simply make a simple eke of any depth with 4 x pieces of timber more cheaply, and old pallet can be had for £0 and many uses can be made of it including sanding the recycled timber with a belt sander and one of the many timber treatments available.

 

[pargyle]

I have a super on the top of all my hives which is filled with PIR all year round ABOVE THE CROWNBOARD ... I feed syrup with a rapid feeder surrounded by PIR with a slab on top inside the super - there's plenty of room for this. If I need to feed fondant then a container of fondant above the crown board hole does the job. My hives are all polystyrene, as are my supers. I've never seen the need for an eke ...

The risk you run with what you suggest is that they will have a big space above the frames and may get creative with brace comb ...

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Why do you need an eke (or super) at all? cut the Kingspan to the size of the crownboard, seal the edges with foil tape (but TBH I don't bother with many of mine), hole in the middle for the fondant and just put it on the crownboard with the roof on top - it's not going to go anywhere!

 

[john1]

Thank you so much.
I think I should use a super with 2 layers of insulation like Kingspan TW50.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Thank you so much.
I think I should use a super with 2 layers of insulation like Kingspan TW50.

I would just cut one piece of 50mm kingspan to fit the inside dimensions of your roof and fix it in there permanently, then cut another piece as I said previously just for when you need to feed fondant

 

[john1]

If I fit it inside the roof then I will not be able to close the hive with frames in it.
But, if I have an empty super then insulation will sit exactly inside the super and the roof will sit on top of it.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

If I fit it inside the roof then I will not be able to close the hive with frames in it.

eh?

 

[Erichalfbee]

eh?

Maybe the roof is just too shallow to take that much insulation?

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Maybe the roof is just too shallow to take that much insulation?

could be, but the four inch roofs should take the permanent 50mm easily - only becomes an issue when the extra is needed for the fondant - the solution then is to feed sufficiently in the autumn

 

[Amari]

Hi,
I am thinking of buying eke to feed fondant and to keep the Kingspan TW50 insulation.
I saw adaptive eke on Thorne website - Adapta Eke, National size only
Has anyone used this before?
Not sure whether I should buy eke or use an empty super to keep the fondant and insulation.
Thanks,

As the pundits above have said, it's easy to make your own ekes - I have several of different depths - and deploy them as needed to accommodate insulation or fondant/syrup feeders.
Having said that and watching Thorne's vid, the Adapta Eke is a wonderful combo of gadgets - a bit like a Swiss knife! It is contrary to the ethos of this forum = KISS, but, hey, would someone like to give me the Eke (Eke plus the various add-ons = approx £70) for Christmas?

 

[Swarm]

This is why an Abelo poly roof is so good, no need to add anything if applying fondant.

 

[Amari]

This is why an Abelo poly roof is so good, no need to add anything if applying fondant.

 

[Do224]

Thank you so much.
I think I should use a super with 2 layers of insulation like Kingspan TW50.

This is exactly what I’ve just done...worked great

 

[hemo]

An eke just by the nature of the name doesn't imply it has to be below the crown board. I don't use a wooden CB but have made a 70mm poly carb deep eke ( as many on the forum have done so) with the space above the poly carb filled with PIR an eke can be above the CB what ever it is made of.

 

[North End Bees]

This is why an Abelo poly roof is so good, no need to add anything if applying fondant.

How thick is the top of an Abelo poly deep roof?
Just wondering as some beeks seem to put 50mm kingspan over the CB in winter, even with the Abelo roof.

 

[Swarm]

I couldn't say for sure but the bees are happy enough,

 

[Erichalfbee]

How thick is the top of an Abelo poly deep roof?
Just wondering as some beeks seem to put 50mm kingspan over the CB in winter, even with the Abelo roof.

Yes I do. It has a cut out for fondant if needed though I don't often

 

[user 20297]

How thick is the top of an Abelo poly deep roof?
Just wondering as some beeks seem to put 50mm kingspan over the CB in winter, even with the Abelo roof.

The original Abelo deep roof is 35mm over the top. The Mk 2, interlock roof is 25mm and I presume the same for the new 12-frame roof. The Abelo 6-frame hive/nuc-box also has 25mm thickness; so the original roof wins again.