Over the years, I have managed to resign myself to being a clumsy
klutz for many things.

I break pots, branches, and unbreakable tools. Give me a hammer
and I'll whap a finger -- to the point that I've about decided
that I might as well start OUT by whamming my thumb or
nail-holding finger and get it over with (I only do it ONCE!). I
always TIE a tall extension ladder to the wall, branch, or
whatever I'm laddering against. So far, all appendages are all
in place and unbroken, but you'd best stay your distance when I
have a chain saw in my hands.

ANYWAY, I've become something of an expert on mending things.
;-) Of necessity.

I have settled on TWO glues that I use exclusively for bonsai,
and I'll pass on my recommendations to you all on the grounds
that some of you may be as clumsy as I -- sometimes.
(DISCLAIMER: Beyond being a grateful consumer of these two
products, I have no connection whatsoever to or with them.)

1. For broken pots: Scotch Super Strength All Purpose Adhesive.
I usually stay away from products that claim to do everything.
This one makes that claim and while I haven't tried to glue
everything with it, it holds metal, plastic, wood, and ceramic
excellently. And LESS is MORE. The less you use, the better it
holds -- ideal for mending bonsai pots, where you don't want a
lot of slop -- or ANY slop -- to show where the pot was mended.
This is a clear glue, much like the old model airplane cement we
used as kids.

2. For broken tree limbs (assuming you aren't holding the branch
in your right hand and your tree in your left). If when you bend
a key branch and you hear that dreaded "SNAP!" but the branch is
still on the tree by at least a thread of bark, there's hope.
Assuming, that is, you have a bottle of "Gorilla Glue, The
Toughest Glue on Planet Earth" on hand.

It too claims to glue just about everything, but its forte' is
wood. And, since it is "wood colored," that's good. I've tried
it on ceramics, but it's too messy and takes too long to set.

This is a different glue. You use it in moderation, but be sure
you have enough. As it dries, it froths up and you will end up
with a big "bubble" of tan dried glue around the broken spot
which -- when it is THOROUGHLY dry -- you merely peel or chip
away. I've glued major branches back together on everything from
bald cypress to maples, and the branches are doing fine.

The "old way," we'd press the branch together, wrap it in raffia
or tape then let it "heal." Of course tree wounds don't
"heal" -- new wood just grows over the break and that spot always
stays very weak. You can't re-wire that branch safely. Ever.

The Gorilla glue mends the break. The glue replaces the wood
fibers. The branch PROBABLY is stronger in that one spot than
before -- tho I haven't done a full stress test, but I have wired
once-broken branches!

I have also used Gorilla Glue to fasten a tanuki graft into its
groove without nails. 4 years and holding now.

Anyway, for clumsy bonsaiests these both are good additions to
the toolkit.

And I at least would like to hear other folks' suggestions on odd
"tools" or products they've found a bonsai use for. And
testimonials are fine, but let's not have commercials. ;-)

Jim Lewis - - Tallahassee, FL - Only where
people have learned to appreciate and cherish the landscape and
its living cover will they treat it with the care and respect it
should have - Paul Bigelow Sears.

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