modeling clay?

[bonhe]

I'm thinking to get modeling clay for grafting or sealing off the large cut. Recently, I saw my teacher used the Japanese grafting wax for grafting. One lb costed over $100. Oil based modeling clay can be used for same purpose but much cheaper. What do you think? Bonhe

 

[rockm]

I think nothing is cheaper than any alternative you could come up with...wound sealants mostly aren't necessary.

 

[Tachigi]

I'm thinking to get modeling clay for grafting or sealing off the large cut. Recently, I saw my teacher used the Japanese grafting wax for grafting. One lb costed over $100. Oil based modeling clay can be used for same purpose but much cheaper. What do you think? Bonhe

Bonhe,
Some one is pulling your leg, unless someone miked each bee individually for the wax!

Trowbridge's grafting wax is 9.30 for a 1 pound brick.

Grafting Wax

 

[greerhw]

Bonhe,
Some one is pulling your leg, unless someone miked each bee individually for the wax!

Trowbridge's grafting wax is 9.30 for a 1 pound brick.

Grafting Wax

Tom, it's none of your bee's wax......................groan

keep it green,
Harry

 

[bonhe]

Thank for those responses. Tom, modeling clay is much cheaper. I can get $2.8 for a 1 pound brick. Bonhe

 

[Victrinia Ensor]

I'm just curious as to what needs sealing? I don't seal anything, and can assure you they are no worse for wear. None of the trees my teacher does are sealed either.

But to contribute to your intentions, assuming it is needed... not sure how much I'd want an oil based anything on my bark/tree etc... will the stuff stick and become problematic after exposure to weather. Will it last long enough to be meaningful?

I think you'd want to experiment on a stick, and see how long the stuff lasts, and what kind of residues it may want to leave behind after exposure to weather, before putting it on something you care about.

The grafting wax is a product designed to do a task... modeling clay was not designed to do that same task.

Just my thoughts....

Victrinia

 

[Gnome]

Victrinia,

Putting aside the issues of necessity, you raise some very good points. I have used modeling clay (mixed with a little vegetable oil to soften it) in the past and is effective to the extent that any sealant is. It adheres fairly well and does stay in place.

what kind of residues it may want to leave behind

This, in my opinion, is the biggest problem with this material. It does indeed leave behind a stain on the bark. It seems to lessen after time, but it is an issue.

Norm

 

[Tachigi]

Thank for those responses. Tom, modeling clay is much cheaper. I can get $2.8 for a 1 pound brick. Bonhe

This, in my opinion, is the biggest problem with this material. It does indeed leave behind a stain on the bark. It seems to lessen after time, but it is an issue.
Norm

Bohne the saying is true ...you get what you pay for.

Oil based are cheap and plentiful. However, because there oil base they will leech into the wood leaving a stain. A product comes to mind that represents this extremely well. The Japanese tube of grafting paste. Brown, sticky, and a real mess to play with. However it does give a good seal. The problem being that after its dried its a bugger to get off, and it stains horribly. I still have some trees from my early days that are stained and I wait patiently for it to grow away...think I'll be waiting for a while longer.

Wax while not intended for our use...at least its not the norm....works. I have used it in the grow field and it does the job brilliantly. Best part is its, if your a penny pincher, recyclable... so that $9.30 does get cheaper and over time...putting it in line with your lump of clay with out the headaches of staining.

 

[bonhe]

I'm just curious as to what needs sealing? I don't seal anything, and can assure you they are no worse for wear. None of the trees my teacher does are sealed either.


The grafting wax is a product designed to do a task... modeling clay was not designed to do that same task.

Just my thoughts....

Victrinia

Your area is much more humid and cool than mine which is hot and dry. So, you don't need sealer for grafting, I can understand. Any way, thank you.

Thanks Norm and Tom for information. I would do a test first. Bonhe

 

[rockm]

Um, any clay product will NOT "seal" a wound. A water tight seal is impossible with it as clay dries out, curls, warps, falls off, etc. In doing all that, it allows outside moisture, bacteria and bugs underneath--protecting them from harm and allowing them to do their work on you tree...

Sealants will not "heal" a wound. The only benefit they really provide is keeping a wound moist and shaded from the sun. This may, or may not, make any difference in healing rates (mostly depending on species--climate plays a role, but not as much as species--in healing rates)

If you're looking for a sealant--use Preparation H. Yeah, Preparation H covered with duct tape. This treatment provides an air tight seal and keeps the wound from drying out. It's been used for years by alot of extremely experienced bonsaiists.

It's also about 3 bucks for a tube that will last a lifetime....

 

[bonhe]

Um, any clay product will NOT "seal" a wound. A water tight seal is impossible with it as clay dries out, curls, warps, falls off, etc. In doing all that, it allows outside moisture,

If you're looking for a sealant--use Preparation H. Yeah, Preparation H covered with duct tape. This treatment provides an air tight seal and keeps the wound from drying out. It's been used for years by alot of extremely experienced bonsaiists.

QUOTE]
Oil based modeling clay will not dry out.
You are giving me a good idea. I will not try Preparation H, however, I would try Surgilube instead. Thank you. Bonhe

 

[Anonymous User]

...wound sealants mostly aren't necessary.

I don't seal anything, and can assure you they are no worse for wear. None of the trees my teacher does are sealed either.

Um, any clay product will NOT "seal" a wound.

Sealants will not "heal" a wound.

Agreed.





Will

 

[mo's bonsai]

modeling clay

Hello buddies,
I know my reply is about 3 years late but I was just rumaging through the forums and ran across this post. I have used candle wax before on wounds, don't know if it made much of a difference in healing but I use it to prevent those little bug pests from getting to the suculant juices oozing out of the wounds. I did however used candle wax with great success on several branches that I broke (while wiring) that I just could not live without. Naturaly the break left a scar but the branches were saved. I guess you can use any thing that will seal the wound but when I broke a branch for the first time i had nothing to seal the wound and I grabed the first thing I saw, an old candle. It worked and I have used it ever since. Well that's my two cents, sorry about the big time gap, I'm new here

Mo

 

[mo's bonsai]

modeling clay

Sorry, I meant one year late

Mo

 

[bonhe]

Sorry, I meant one year late

Mo

Hi Mo, later better than never . So, you light candle, then pour the melt wax to the wound? Bonhe

 

[rockm]

Wound sealants of any type aren't necessary

 

[ghues]

"If you're looking for a sealant--use Preparation H. Yeah, Preparation H covered with duct tape. This treatment provides an air tight seal and keeps the wound from drying out. It's been used for years by alot of extremely experienced bonsaiists.
It's also about 3 bucks for a tube that will last a lifetime...."

I haven't tried preph.....but I've been using Vaseline and it works well in that it appears to allow the tree to heal the wound/cut faster than leaving it alone.......(yeah I know ....not scientific)
Cheers G

 

[rockm]

Prep H is --ahem --oily and very messy as a wound sealant. Duct tape is very necessary to prevent it getting all over the place.

 

[bonhe]

Wound sealants of any type aren't necessary

It's not the case in my area because it is too hot. I have to use it to cover my grafting. Bonhe

 

[Si Nguyen]

Hi all, I think people are not quite clear on what Bonhe meant. He is referring to only GRAFTING branches. The grafting site needs the tape (to hold the graft in place tightly) AND some kind of sealants (to complete seal out the air, to keep the graft wound from drying). The Korean professionals around here use that cheap black tar sealant that they just brush it on and cover all the gaps around the tapes. I think this maybe the best and cheapest, because it flow easily into all the tiny gaps.