In message , 'Mike'
wrote


and SA tape is like a long length of Sellotape, determined to stick to
itself before it goes where you want it to go. And once stuck to itself
........................................ you can forget that bit ;-{


You only need one layer over another to form a tight waterproof bond so
unless the OP wants to graft onto the Giant Redwood I would guess that a
4 to 6 inch length is enough for one graft

--

Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On 17 May, 21:05, Alan wrote:
In message , 'Mike'
wrote

and SA tape is like a long length of Sellotape, determined to stick to
itself before it goes where you want it to go. And once stuck to itself
........................................ *you can forget that bit ;-{

You only need one layer over another to form a tight waterproof bond so
unless the OP wants to graft onto the Giant Redwood I would guess that a
4 to 6 inch length is enough for one graft

--

Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

4 to 6 inches for a 3mm stem?
"Soon I am going to do some grafting of green (this year's growth) to
green material, about 3 mm in diameter."

On 17/05/2010 17:07, Michael Bell wrote:
In
Martin wrote:

Unfortunately the heat needed to make heat shrink tubing do the
shrinking will cook the plant stem. It might still be useful as an
external support for a newly made graft even if it is a loose fit or
tacked on with PVA or cyanoacrylate glue.

Regards,
Martin Brown

PVA and cyanoacrylate glue!? These are things I hadn't thought of.
Tell me more!

One original use for cyanoacrylate glue was as a fast wound repair for
soldiers in Vietnam. It is very good at sticking flesh to flesh and
reasonably biocompatible. This is a two edged sword if you accidentally
stick your fingers together. It takes a sharp knife and a steady hand to
separate them (or lots of hot soapy water).

You have to be careful that you don't get any on the cut surfaces as
being water soluble until it cures it will diffuse and closes the xylem
and phloem channels. I had't thought of using heat shrink wrap but I may
well give it a try. Careful choice of stem diameters and it may be
possible to exploit the taper of the stem to lock things in place.

ISTR using string and candle wax will work too if you get it right.
Again there is some risk of cooking the stem if you overdo it.

Regards,
Martin Brown

Michael Bell wrote:
Soon I am going to do some grafting of green (this year's growth) to
green material, about 3 mm in diameter. I did not succeed in this last
year, but then I am not very clever with my fingers. One of the things
I found difficult was to bind the two pieces together. So this year I
am thinking of experimenting with heat-shrink tubing and I wonder if
there is any experience of this out there or any thoughts.

Heat-shrink tubing is widely used in the electrical industries as a
neater alternative to insulating tape. You can buy it in Maplin's or
on line. It is available in a range of sizes, and a size suitable for
my purpose is available. The idea is that you cut off a length of
heat-shrink tubing and slide it over the stem (or wire), then you join
the stem (or wire) and then slide the heat-shrink tubing back over the
join and use a heater to shrink the tubing onto the stem (or wire).
Various types of heater are available. I hope that will achieve two
things, it will hold the joined stems firmly together and it will stop
moisture loss. Obviously the stem mustn't be heated too much, but it
is the tubing around it which I am trying to shrink, and the heating
should be only for a few seconds.

So, has anybody got any experience or comments on this?

The stuff I've got wouldn't seen suitable: firstly, it has to be heated
to too high a temperature, and secondly, it's quite difficult to cut off.

Nice for sheathing wires and reinforcing hoses when they keep swooshing
out of screw-up fittings.

--
Rusty

Martin Brown wrote:

ISTR using string and candle wax will work too if you get it right.
Again there is some risk of cooking the stem if you overdo it.

The wax from Dutch cheeses is better.

--
Rusty

Chris J Dixon wrote:
Michael Bell wrote:

Soon I am going to do some grafting of green (this year's growth) to
green material, about 3 mm in diameter. I did not succeed in this last
year, but then I am not very clever with my fingers. One of the things
I found difficult was to bind the two pieces together. So this year I
am thinking of experimenting with heat-shrink tubing and I wonder if
there is any experience of this out there or any thoughts.

Try Googling for self-amalgamating tape.

Very difficult to cut off when you need to.

But that's nothing to the difficulty of wrapping it round a graft
without doing it harm. It has to be stretched up to double its supplied
length before the contraction is sufficient to meld the surfaces. (I use
it a lot on electrical joints, so I've tried it on grafts...)

--
Rusty

Dave Hill wrote:
On 17 May, 21:05, Alan wrote:
In message , 'Mike'
wrote

and SA tape is like a long length of Sellotape, determined to stick to
itself before it goes where you want it to go. And once stuck to itself
........................................ you can forget that bit ;-{
You only need one layer over another to form a tight waterproof bond so
unless the OP wants to graft onto the Giant Redwood I would guess that a
4 to 6 inch length is enough for one graft

--

Alan
news2009 {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

4 to 6 inches for a 3mm stem?
"Soon I am going to do some grafting of green (this year's growth) to
green material, about 3 mm in diameter."

You'll break it...

--
Rusty

"Michael Bell" wrote in message
. uk...
Soon I am going to do some grafting of green (this year's growth) to
green material, about 3 mm in diameter. I did not succeed in this last
year, but then I am not very clever with my fingers. One of the things
I found difficult was to bind the two pieces together. So this year I
am thinking of experimenting with heat-shrink tubing and I wonder if
there is any experience of this out there or any thoughts.

Heat-shrink tubing is widely used in the electrical industries as a
neater alternative to insulating tape. You can buy it in Maplin's or
on line. It is available in a range of sizes, and a size suitable for
my purpose is available. The idea is that you cut off a length of
heat-shrink tubing and slide it over the stem (or wire), then you join
the stem (or wire) and then slide the heat-shrink tubing back over the
join and use a heater to shrink the tubing onto the stem (or wire).
Various types of heater are available. I hope that will achieve two
things, it will hold the joined stems firmly together and it will stop
moisture loss. Obviously the stem mustn't be heated too much, but it
is the tubing around it which I am trying to shrink, and the heating
should be only for a few seconds.

So, has anybody got any experience or comments on this?

Michael Bell

Michael I have just bought some grafting tape to have a go at grafting some
hard to do Clematis, I do not have any previous experience of grafting and
was surprised to see when it turned up that it is remarkably like a narrow
roll of cling film! (it was also very cheap) so I would experiment with
cling film first as I am not so sure the heat would be a good idea

--
Charlie, Gardening in Cornwall
Holders of National Collections of Clematis viticella
and Lapageria rosea cvs
http://www.roselandhouse.co.uk

In message
"Charlie Pridham" wrote:


"Michael Bell" wrote in message
. uk...
Soon I am going to do some grafting of green (this year's growth) to
green material, about 3 mm in diameter. I did not succeed in this last
year, but then I am not very clever with my fingers. One of the things
I found difficult was to bind the two pieces together. So this year I
am thinking of experimenting with heat-shrink tubing and I wonder if
there is any experience of this out there or any thoughts.

Heat-shrink tubing is widely used in the electrical industries as a
neater alternative to insulating tape. You can buy it in Maplin's or
on line. It is available in a range of sizes, and a size suitable for
my purpose is available. The idea is that you cut off a length of
heat-shrink tubing and slide it over the stem (or wire), then you join
the stem (or wire) and then slide the heat-shrink tubing back over the
join and use a heater to shrink the tubing onto the stem (or wire).
Various types of heater are available. I hope that will achieve two
things, it will hold the joined stems firmly together and it will stop
moisture loss. Obviously the stem mustn't be heated too much, but it
is the tubing around it which I am trying to shrink, and the heating
should be only for a few seconds.

So, has anybody got any experience or comments on this?

Michael Bell

Michael I have just bought some grafting tape to have a go at grafting some
hard to do Clematis, I do not have any previous experience of grafting and
was surprised to see when it turned up that it is remarkably like a narrow
roll of cling film! (it was also very cheap) so I would experiment with
cling film first as I am not so sure the heat would be a good idea

Thank you Charlie. I'll give it a go.

Michael

--

In message
"'Mike'" wrote:


"'Mike'" wrote in message
...

"Michael Bell" wrote in message
. uk...
Soon I am going to do some grafting of green (this year's growth) to
green material, about 3 mm in diameter. I did not succeed in this last
year, but then I am not very clever with my fingers. One of the things
I found difficult was to bind the two pieces together. So this year I
am thinking of experimenting with heat-shrink tubing and I wonder if
there is any experience of this out there or any thoughts.

Heat-shrink tubing is widely used in the electrical industries as a
neater alternative to insulating tape. You can buy it in Maplin's or
on line. It is available in a range of sizes, and a size suitable for
my purpose is available. The idea is that you cut off a length of
heat-shrink tubing and slide it over the stem (or wire), then you join
the stem (or wire) and then slide the heat-shrink tubing back over the
join and use a heater to shrink the tubing onto the stem (or wire).
Various types of heater are available. I hope that will achieve two
things, it will hold the joined stems firmly together and it will stop
moisture loss. Obviously the stem mustn't be heated too much, but it
is the tubing around it which I am trying to shrink, and the heating
should be only for a few seconds.

So, has anybody got any experience or comments on this?

Michael Bell

--

Having used Heat Shrink Tubing a lot in both the Marine Electrical and
Electronic fields, I would say that the plant would suffer from the heat.
I know the heat is only applied for a short while, but the inside of the
tube gets very hot.

Another down side, is the rigidity of it and getting it off after the
graft has taken :-((

Mike



Just after posting that, it came to me that you would be better using
Hellerman Sleeves. No heat, rubber, various sizes. If you decide to use
them, don't buy a Hellerman Sleeving Tool, I have some left over from my
factory days and would be more than pleased to send you a pair, complete
with a set of prongs of different sizes :-))

Mike


Mike

I sent you the message below, as I thought off-list and direct to your
own e-mail, but I've had no reply and although I didn't get a bounce
message, I can only suppose it never reached you. I would still like
it if it is still available.

Michael Bell


Mike

I have never heard of Hellerman sleeves and I have no idea what they
are like, but they sound just right. The stems I am going to graft are
about 3 mm in diameter. I'm glad I posted here. My address is

10 Cambridge Avenue
Forest Hall
Newcastle -upon - Tyne
NE12 8AR

0191 266 6435

and of course I will pay your postage.

Thank you very much.

Michael Bell










--