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Electrical Tape for Cleft Grafting

P

PoorSand

5 year old buck +
I'm reviewing my grafting materials and see that I need a couple more rolls of the rubberized electrical tape I use for topworking. I cannot recall the model number of the tape though. I do remember that it is a 3M product and I bought my most recent roll of it at Menards. Do any of you know the model number? (This situation seems to be Tape.jpga sign of aging.) Photo attached.
 
I use 3M super 33 - the cold weather roll. But I dont know if there is much of a diff if any unless they a diff adhesive in the cold weather stuff, if you look a the center cardboard roll often it will be labeled Both are labeled super 33. Just be careful on colder days it can stick and peel to the bark on some of the grafts.
 
If you want to use electrical tape on grafts just reverse it and go sticky side away from the tree. We use vinyl grafting tape .004 and it works good, stretches well and you just do a couple of half hitches at the end to lock it into place.
 
I don't know the model number, but the rubberized splicing tape is more "stretchy" that regular 33+. When we stretch it around split-bolt connections and so forth, the rubberized type stretches like a rubber band. 33+ electrical tape does stretch to a degree - but not like the rubberized type with the red separating layer. On electrical connections we use the stretchy, rubber type over a single layer of 33+ (sticky side out - so the rubber type doesn't adhere to the connecting device itself) and under an outer, multi-layer wrapping of 33+ to complete the insulating process.

The rubber-type tape would make great grafting tape - from the "stretchy" point of view. It isn't super sticky, but a wrap of 33+ type electrical tape over the rubber would keep it from unravelling.
 
I got some plumbing tape last year that worked awesome. It was white and was super stretchy. I don’t think it even had adhesive. It was the size of electrical tape.
 
i know what you are talking about. I will check for the name on my box at work. We use it on outdoor connectors and it does keep the water out. We also put a top layer of electrical tape on just to be extra sure.
 
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I would not use 3m temflex, that is cheap tape that doesn’t stretch well. Get either 33+ or the pro grade.
 
I went to Menards yesterday and remembered what bin I found the rubberized tape in. The model is 3M Scotch tape 2242. There was also some Gardner Bender 3/4" X 22' X 30 mil splicing tape in the adjacent bin that was a better bargain. I bought both.
 
I'll use vinyl tape for topworking the next time around. I'd had good luck using the rubberized tape on smallish diameter topwork cleft grafts in the past, so that's what I used on even the bigger diameter ones too this past season. On the bigger diameter limbs, the rubberized tape split after just a couple/few weeks of weathering. For the most part, one scion survived anyway, so it worked out okay, but I'd prefer to have both take hold so I can decide for myself which one I want to remove from the graft.
 
Last edited:
PoorSand said:
I'll use vinyl tape for topworking the next time around. I'd had good luck using the rubberized tape on smallish diameter topwork cleft grafts in the past, so that's what I used on even the bigger diameter ones too this past season. On the bigger diameter limbs, the rubberized tape split after just a couple/few weeks of weathering. For the most part, one scion survived anyway, so it worked out okay, but I'd prefer to have both take hold so I can decide for myself which one I want to remove from the graft.
Click to expand...
When we use the rubber tape for outdoor connectors at work, we put electrical tape over it. That seems to keep it from weather/sun damage while water proofing the connector.
 
I use 3m electrical tape at work super 33 in the summer supper 88 in the winter. The linerless splicing tape would be a good option also. https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b00011949/

Then there are the newer silicone self-fusing tapes on the market we use for antenna weather proofing.
 
I'd suspect with any of these options you'd have to remove the tape once the union forms, or risk girdling your graft.

I use Parafilm with Treekote painted over it, and it pops off on its own as the graft grows.
 
R.E. Gould said:
I'd suspect with any of these options you'd have to remove the tape once the union forms, or risk girdling your graft.

I use Parafilm with Treekote painted over it, and it pops off on its own as the graft grows.
Click to expand...

I slit the tape with a scalpel.

Often, I don’t beet the parafilm tight enough. It seems to break on me.


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sandbur said:
I slit the tape with a scalpel.

Often, I don’t beet the parafilm tight enough. It seems to break on me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Sandbur, Do you ever have the tape (on whip and tongue graft) once you slit the tape pull the bark open along the tape cut line? I tried to cut mine as you did and the tape being tight actually pulled back the bark as the tape relaxed after being cut. I was thinking if I try again I would do a light cut one side then cut through a little more gently on the opposite.
The trick for me with e tape now is to reverse it. And or to pick a warmer day to un wrap so the adhesive is a bit less sticky.
 
cavey said:
Sandbur, Do you ever have the tape (on whip and tongue graft) once you slit the tape pull the bark open along the tape cut line? I tried to cut mine as you did and the tape being tight actually pulled back the bark as the tape relaxed after being cut. I was thinking if I try again I would do a light cut one side then cut through a little more gently on the opposite.
The trick for me with e tape now is to reverse it. And or to pick a warmer day to un wrap so the adhesive is a bit less sticky.
Click to expand...

Yes, I have had that happen. Maybe? Cutting it more slowly would work.

I have wrapped some with the tape backwards.


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sandbur said:
I slit the tape with a scalpel.

Often, I don’t beet the parafilm tight enough. It seems to break on me.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Damn spell check came up with ‘beet’. I meant wrap.


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