Box Store Wound Dressing/Seal

[lordy]

And then there is the school of thought that says that any paste or sealant is strictly unnatural, and bonsai should weather and/or rot as it would in nature because that presents a more realistic tree. It all comes down to what you are after.
Personally, I have used the gray putty-like bonsai paste, the green slime from a toothpaste tube, Elmer's glue, and the two-part epoxy that starts like modeling clay then hardens when black+white are mixed and it becomes gray and rock hard. I used that on a hollow that was catching water and rotting a bigger tree from inside out. 3 years and going strong. I used leaves and bark pressed into the near-hard epoxy to create a texture unlike something that I would have created with my fingers or a tool of some sort. Looks believable against the bark of a hornbeam.

 

[davetree]

And then there is the school of thought that says that any paste or sealant is strictly unnatural, and bonsai should weather and/or rot as it would in nature because that presents a more realistic tree. It all comes down to what you are after.
Personally, I have used the gray putty-like bonsai paste, the green slime from a toothpaste tube, Elmer's glue, and the two-part epoxy that starts like modeling clay then hardens when black+white are mixed and it becomes gray and rock hard. I used that on a hollow that was catching water and rotting a bigger tree from inside out. 3 years and going strong. I used leaves and bark pressed into the near-hard epoxy to create a texture unlike something that I would have created with my fingers or a tool of some sort. Looks believable against the bark of a hornbeam.

Cut paste is not natural but miniature trees in ceramic pots are somehow natural ?!?

 

[lordy]

Cut paste is not natural but miniature trees in ceramic pots are somehow natural ?!?

That one came from across the pond. A viewpoint espoused by a famous German bonsai artist with very passionate opinions.

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

Go to your Lowe's home store. Go to electrical department. Find a one pound cake of Electricians Duct Seal. Costs less than $3. It is a dark gray clay like substance.

Break off a walnut size piece and put the rest in a zip lock bag. Put the walnut size piece in some kind of container. When you need wound sealant pinch off a piece as big as you need to cover wound. Roll it in a ball. Lick your fingers so it doesn't stick to them. Put on wound and mash it out to cover.

This stuff never hardens. The color moderates with age and blends well with most bark. Easy to peel off cause it doesn't ever get hard. Works well. Cheap. Doesn't have oil in it like plasticine does

It is as good a wound seal as any you can get any place.

 

[Poink88]

Go to your Lowe's home store. Go to electrical department. Find a one pound cake of Electricians Duct Seal. Costs less than $3. It is a dark gray clay like substance.

Break off a walnut size piece and put the rest in a zip lock bag. Put the walnut size piece in some kind of container. When you need wound sealant pinch off a piece as big as you need to cover wound. Roll it in a ball. Lick your fingers so it doesn't stick to them. Put on wound and mash it out to cover.

This stuff never hardens. The color moderates with age and blends well with most bark. Easy to peel off cause it doesn't ever get hard. Works well. Cheap. Doesn't have oil in it like plasticine does

It is as good a wound seal as any you can get any place.

Excellent! Thanks!

One question...wouldn't that fall under mechanical being a duct seal? Just don't want others to be wandering and looking at the wrong aisle...as your post might cause an stampede to Lowe's. LOL

 

[Mac In Oak Ridge]

Excellent! Thanks!

One question...wouldn't that fall under mechanical being a duct seal? Just don't want others to be wandering and looking at the wrong aisle...as your post might cause an stampede to Lowe's. LOL

Electricians like to run conduit in straight lines, saves on conduit and saves on copper wire. When they hit a duct that it isn't reasonable to go around, or hit a wall or partition that they have to go through, they drill a hole. After the conduit or wire passes through the obstacle they can use this stuff to pack around the hole so it doesn't leak air.

It stays flexible so vibration of machinery doesn't open the hole back up. It sticks to most materials, concrete, metal and wood. It also sticks to fingers, so you, as I said, lick your fingers before pressing on the wound or it will come right back off on your thumb when you push on it.

The callus that is forming will push it out of the way. And any time you want you can peel it right back off, it will leave a few fragments in cracks or holes but if you want it out you can take a sharp pointy thing like a toothpick and get those little fragments out easily.

It is the best wound sealant I have run across.

It is usually hard to find on the shelves for some reason, I have found it on the bottom shelf in the area where the metal conduit is kept. "Ideal" brand is an industrial electrical line of materials. Worst case is ask someone, or go on line to your local Lowe's and look it up, print out and take with. Here it sells for $2.78 for a pound. I just don't keep the whole block with my tools. I am still working on a batch I bought 6 years ago.

 

[Poink88]

Thanks Mac. I will surely give this product a try.

I thought they use it to seal duct connections that are not crimped. One thing for sure...I won't let any electrician drill holes on AC ducts in my projects. Else they will be re-doing their work and replacing the "damaged" duct as well.

Maybe the practice is acceptable on remodel work (but not on new construction).

 

[QuintinBonsai]

I use the kiyonal paste in the tube, or wood putty. Honestly it reminds me of Elmer's glue with green coloring. I've seeing this stuff on Ebay, and wondered if it's as good as they claim. http://bit.ly/1isivFN I believe it comes in various colors too.

 

[sikadelic]

Go to your Lowe's home store. Go to electrical department. Find a one pound cake of Electricians Duct Seal. Costs less than $3. It is a dark gray clay like substance.

This is axactly what I created this thread for. Thanks Mac! Great info and I will most definitely be getting some of this stuff.

 

[Poink88]

I use the kiyonal paste in the tube, or wood putty. Honestly it reminds me of Elmer's glue with green coloring. I've seeing this stuff on Ebay, and wondered if it's as good as they claim. http://bit.ly/1isivFN I believe it comes in various colors too.

Funny but during a show presentation/demo, a Tube (like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bonsai-tool...429691?pt=US_Garden_Tools&hash=item58ab803afb ) was handed to Colin Lewis and he threw it to the trash (someone went dumpster diving after). He endorsed the one in the tub though. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Bonsai-tree...991857?pt=US_Garden_Tools&hash=item337fe42b71

 

[Mellow Mullet]

I've seeing this stuff on Ebay, and wondered if it's as good as they claim. http://bit.ly/1isivFN I believe it comes in various colors too.

I bought two tubes of this stuff last year, it is not as good as the japanese stuff, or as good as the listing claims. It is kinda of thin, takes a long time to dry, and is not waterproof after drying. A whole day of rain will soften it and turns it white; sometimes it will fall off. Save your money.

John

 

[sikadelic]

Why can't you use the same stuff for evergreens and deciduous?

 

[GrimLore]

Why can't you use the same stuff for evergreens and deciduous?

You can use whatever you like really. Most(not all) use different types for different trees to match bark better. I mentioned earlier with the Elmers you can sprinkle cut of bark on it so I find it multi purpose for that reason.

Grimmy

 

[edprocoat]

I use the Mortite rope caulk, its the same clay from the duct seal. This is formed into a ribbon on a roll that reminds me of the modeling clay that comes in a flat ribbon that is made of tubes of clay. Its about and extra $1 per pound, its easy to find near windows or doors as its used as a caulk. Coming off the roll its easy to cut of a few inches and either mold it on the tree or ball it up with your fingers. I also like Tree Kote, the dreaded black stuff !!! It seals even flowing sap quickly and as the scars heal under on all wounds it just pops off in a few years.

ed

 

[sikadelic]

I use the Mortite rope caulk, its the same clay from the duct seal.

I looked everywhere in Lowes and my local hardware stores but couldn't find any. I eventually settled on a tube from Amazon and it has worked well so far. I would still like to find some of what you're talking about though.