Anybody Ever Try One Of These?

Mellow Mullet

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Did some more work on this one today. As you saw in the pictures, there is some dead wood on the trunk. It looked pretty neat but would not last here in the south, it would continue to rot, no matter what you put on it to preserve it. So, today, I decided to repair the trunk with epoxy putty and see if I can get it to callous over it. I have used this technique on a few trees and it worked out nicely, the big arakawa japanese maple is one of them.

A close up of the deadwood:

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This my favorite brand of putty, it is for marine applications and sticks well to the wood. You can find it a Lowe's or Home Depot.

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Out of the tube, it is basically a two part epoxy, hardner in the middle and resin on the outside. You just cut off the amount needed and knead it until it is uniform and you have what looks like a wad of chewed bubble gum.

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Mellow Mullet

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Then just stick it on the tree and work it into the void you are filling. I use small amounts as the working time on this particular epoxy is about 25 minutes, then it starts getting stiff. You can still work it, it is just tougher, over night it will become rock hard. I use a small sculpting tool to press it into the void, dipping it in water keeps it from sticking while working it. Once the epoxy is pressed in place, I kept mixing up small bits until the trunk was built up to just below the callous at the edge of the deadwood. I moistened my finger and use it to smooth out the putty.

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Tomorrow, once the epoxy fully cures, I will cut the edges on the callous surrounding it and hopefully the tree will continue to heal. I have noticed that this particular tree heals wounds fairly fast.
 

Wires_Guy_wires

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My 2 cents on magnolia: don't cut and wire branches during or just before winter.
My own rookie mistake caused the tree to lose up to 40% of the extending branches.
Spring and start of autumn seems to be the best times for serious work judging from my limited experience.
 

0soyoung

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Update:
I had some time today so I worked on a few of my trees. This little lady is really liking her new home and I gave her a little trim.
  1. Nice. Interesting little tree
  2. Great pot color for purply flowers - can't wait for next spring's pix!!!
  3. Who's giving whom a little 'trim'? - maybe your dad will have to tell you what that meant at one time (I date myself, but you know that from when I said I had a wad of ones for taking your pots off your knees).
 

Mellow Mullet

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  1. Nice. Interesting little tree
  2. Great pot color for purply flowers - can't wait for next spring's pix!!!
  3. Who's giving whom a little 'trim'? - maybe your dad will have to tell you what that meant at one time (I date myself, but you know that from when I said I had a wad of ones for taking your pots off your knees).

I hope that I get some flowers! I have been crossing my fingers and sacrificed a few beers. Is there a cut off for pruning like with azaleas, I am on unfamiliar territory with this one.
 

0soyoung

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I hope that I get some flowers! I have been crossing my fingers and sacrificed a few beers. Is there a cut off for pruning like with azaleas, I am on unfamiliar territory with this one.
If it is anything like stellata, you're okay. I forget the exact time, but I think it is toward the end of August. At any rate, stems will end in a fat, elongated bud, very similar to a leaf bud, but somewhat hairy. I just recall trimming my stellata last year and as I was tossing the cuttings have it suddenly register consciously that I was discarding flower buds - I still had two that I enjoyed this past spring. IOW, you'll know flower buds when you see them (if you are conscious).
 

amatbrewer

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here in the south, it would continue to rot, no matter what you put on it to preserve it.

I am curious if you have ever tried/considered using super glue? I ran across an article the other day talking about how liquid super glue (Cyanoacrylate) will soak into the wood and stop it from rotting. Sounded plausible...a little crazy maybe, but plausible.
 

Mellow Mullet

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I am curious if you have ever tried/considered using super glue? I ran across an article the other day talking about how liquid super glue (Cyanoacrylate) will soak into the wood and stop it from rotting. Sounded plausible...a little crazy maybe, but plausible.

Haven't tried, but read about it on Harry's site. I might try it on something else.
 

Mellow Mullet

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I tried super glue. It changed the color of the wood some, and left a glossy sheen the first weeks. Then moisture from the wood fogged the glue, it then looked white like cellophane stuck e the wood. I think there are better products one can use.

Thanks for chiming in, Leo. While the info on Harry's page (www.bonsai4me.com) looked promising, I had reservations having used a lot of CA in my other hobby, R/C aircraft, and knowing how it often fogged because of moisture. Good to know someone else has tried it and the outcome from it!
 

shinmai

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It’s been a while, but my recollection is that the two-part epoxy that comes in syringes will not fog from moisture. I saw it used to fix a crack in a fiberglass duck skiff and it stayed pretty much invisible.
 

Mellow Mullet

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It’s been a while, but my recollection is that the two-part epoxy that comes in syringes will not fog from moisture. I saw it used to fix a crack in a fiberglass duck skiff and it stayed pretty much invisible.

You are right, epoxy will not fog if you pick the right one for the right application. That is my job, I work in a lab that analyzes epoxy, everything from the two part you buy at HD, to powder coatings, to advanced epoxy that civilian and military aircraft are made from.

We were actually talking about using CA or super-glue for sealing.

John
 

shinmai

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I understand that. I was thinking that painting a thin layer of the two-part stuff over the surface of the affected area would serve to seal it while remaining clear.
Your job sounds like interesting work.
 
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