"Howard Neil" wrote in message
...
Mary Fisher wrote:

You didn't specify "poking plastic" originally. Is that what you'd do?

Yes. I use the same principle in my veg patch. I cover it with old silage
sheet and make holes with a blow lamp. The sheet melts back to produce a
hard ring and a nice clean hole to plant the veg through.

Actually that's not a bad idea - for a veg patch. I might (albeit
reluctantly) follow your example :-)

However, I think that such holes might be too large for a polytunnel lacing
repair.

Mary

Mary Fisher wrote:
"Howard Neil" wrote in message
...

Mary Fisher wrote:


You didn't specify "poking plastic" originally. Is that what you'd do?

Yes. I use the same principle in my veg patch. I cover it with old silage
sheet and make holes with a blow lamp. The sheet melts back to produce a
hard ring and a nice clean hole to plant the veg through.


Actually that's not a bad idea - for a veg patch. I might (albeit
reluctantly) follow your example :-)

This may be a good time to ask local farmers for their used sheets. They
should now have cleared their silage and they will have to pay to have
the sheets removed. Someone offering to take a sheet off their hands for
nothing will be welcomed.


However, I think that such holes might be too large for a polytunnel lacing
repair.

You haven't seen the size of the laces. :-)

I'll post the result if my experiments tomorrow.


--
Howard Neil

"Howard Neil" wrote in message
news:4272a654$0$581
Mary Fisher wrote:



This may be a good time to ask local farmers for their used sheets.

I don't know farmers who use them and my garden plots are measured in low
single numbers of square yards, not hectares. And I only have four plots.

They should now have cleared their silage and they will have to pay to
have the sheets removed. Someone offering to take a sheet off their hands
for nothing will be welcomed.


However, I think that such holes might be too large for a polytunnel
lacing repair.

You haven't seen the size of the laces. :-)

Nor have you. He said "thick twine", not "ships' cable".

Mary



I'll post the result if my experiments tomorrow.


--
Howard Neil

Mary Fisher wrote:
"Howard Neil" wrote in message
news:4272a654$0$581

Mary Fisher wrote:



This may be a good time to ask local farmers for their used sheets.


I don't know farmers who use them and my garden plots are measured in low
single numbers of square yards, not hectares. And I only have four plots.


Ask your daughter to obtain some and collect it when you next visit?


I'll post the result if my experiments tomorrow.

I have now experimented and the results were excellent. No skill was
required, even the first hole was perfect.

I used a gas soldering iron (so it could be easily used outside) with a
pointed bit. By poking the poly, a round hole about 5mm across was
formed. The melted poly then formed a ring on the outside of this hole
and I believe that this ring would be strong enough to prevent tear-out
(I did not try putting it under tension). Simple, neat, and the join,
once under tension, could be covered with the poly joining tape if a
belt and braces solution is required.

If/when my polytunnel next tears, I will definitely give this a try.


--
Howard Neil

"Howard Neil" wrote in message
...



This may be a good time to ask local farmers for their used sheets.


I don't know farmers who use them and my garden plots are measured in low
single numbers of square yards, not hectares. And I only have four plots.


Ask your daughter to obtain some and collect it when you next visit?

She's, er, otherwise engaged at the moment. Pregnant.


I'll post the result if my experiments tomorrow.

How about you picking up a bit for me, I'll collect it in July?

Mary

Mary Fisher wrote:
"Howard Neil" wrote in message
...


This may be a good time to ask local farmers for their used sheets.


I don't know farmers who use them and my garden plots are measured in low
single numbers of square yards, not hectares. And I only have four plots.


Ask your daughter to obtain some and collect it when you next visit?


She's, er, otherwise engaged at the moment. Pregnant.

Congratulations, Granny. :-)


I'll post the result if my experiments tomorrow.


How about you picking up a bit for me, I'll collect it in July?

I've already had my neighbour's plastic (the only one I know who has a
silage clamp). The others all use silage bales. :-(

--
Howard Neil

"Howard Neil" wrote in message
...
Mary Fisher wrote:
"Howard Neil" wrote in message
...


This may be a good time to ask local farmers for their used sheets.


I don't know farmers who use them and my garden plots are measured in
low single numbers of square yards, not hectares. And I only have four
plots.


Ask your daughter to obtain some and collect it when you next visit?


She's, er, otherwise engaged at the moment. Pregnant.

Congratulations, Granny. :-)

Nothng to do with me.


I'll post the result if my experiments tomorrow.


How about you picking up a bit for me, I'll collect it in July?

I've already had my neighbour's plastic (the only one I know who has a
silage clamp). The others all use silage bales. :-(

So do daughter's neighbours.

Never mind, I'll have to leave empty handed:-)

Mary

--
Howard Neil

In uk.d-i-y Howard Neil wrote:
Mary Fisher wrote:
"Howard Neil" wrote in message
...

Mary Fisher wrote:


You didn't specify "poking plastic" originally. Is that what you'd do?

Yes. I use the same principle in my veg patch. I cover it with old silage
sheet and make holes with a blow lamp. The sheet melts back to produce a
hard ring and a nice clean hole to plant the veg through.


Actually that's not a bad idea - for a veg patch. I might (albeit
reluctantly) follow your example :-)

This may be a good time to ask local farmers for their used sheets. They
should now have cleared their silage and they will have to pay to have
the sheets removed. Someone offering to take a sheet off their hands for
nothing will be welcomed.


However, I think that such holes might be too large for a polytunnel lacing
repair.

You haven't seen the size of the laces. :-)

The plastic in some areas is quite degraded.
The south-east corner has perhaps 1/3 the pull-through strength of
the north-west one.

Ian Stirling wrote:

The plastic in some areas is quite degraded.
The south-east corner has perhaps 1/3 the pull-through strength of
the north-west one.


How about lacing in a new piece of poly? Mind you, that sounds a real
challenge to the system.

--
Howard Neil

In uk.d-i-y Howard Neil wrote:
Ian Stirling wrote:

The plastic in some areas is quite degraded.
The south-east corner has perhaps 1/3 the pull-through strength of
the north-west one.


How about lacing in a new piece of poly? Mind you, that sounds a real
challenge to the system.

I have a replacement cover, which is going to be put on at some point.
Replacing bits would be slight overkill.
However, on one end, it's probably going to get the old cover moved inside,
to form double glazing.

Ian Stirling wrote:
In uk.d-i-y Howard Neil wrote:

Ian Stirling wrote:


The plastic in some areas is quite degraded.
The south-east corner has perhaps 1/3 the pull-through strength of
the north-west one.


How about lacing in a new piece of poly? Mind you, that sounds a real
challenge to the system.


I have a replacement cover, which is going to be put on at some point.
Replacing bits would be slight overkill.
However, on one end, it's probably going to get the old cover moved inside,
to form double glazing.

That sounds good. If you could get some bubble wrap, you could perhaps
put it between the two layers of poly and improve the double glazing
effect still further.

--
Howard Neil

In uk.d-i-y Howard Neil wrote:
Ian Stirling wrote:
In uk.d-i-y Howard Neil wrote:

Ian Stirling wrote:


The plastic in some areas is quite degraded.
The south-east corner has perhaps 1/3 the pull-through strength of
the north-west one.


How about lacing in a new piece of poly? Mind you, that sounds a real
challenge to the system.


I have a replacement cover, which is going to be put on at some point.
Replacing bits would be slight overkill.
However, on one end, it's probably going to get the old cover moved inside,
to form double glazing.

That sounds good. If you could get some bubble wrap, you could perhaps
put it between the two layers of poly and improve the double glazing
effect still further.

Bubblewrap is very, very UV degradable unfortunately.