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Heat-shrink tubing as wrapping for grafts?
"'Mike'" wrote in message ... "'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 I'd second this idea - and thanks for the reminder, I have a tool somewhere too from my panel bashing days too - will be just the job! |
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