Raffia substitute

[Ako]

So I've seen people use electrical tape I just wanted to know if people have used it here in Australia and their success or non success

Thanks

[one_bonsai]

I've been using raffia but I tried electrical tape on a couple of tress a few weeks ago. I think I prefer the electrical tape because it stretches so you can pull it tight. I also find it's a bit easier to apply and it's cheaper too.

[treeman]

I think this stuff is the best. Certainly the best I've used. It breaths, and you can stretch it as tight as you want. You have to flatten it as you wind but once you get the hang of it I think there is no substitute for it. Raffia is good too but a bit of a pain.
Cheap as chips too.
https://www.bunnings.com.au/pillar-45m- ... lsrc=aw.ds

[Ako]

I've been using raffia but I tried electrical tape on a couple of tress a few weeks ago. I think I prefer the electrical tape because it stretches so you can pull it tight. I also find it's a bit easier to apply and it's cheaper too.

Do you wrap it sticky side out first then wrap sticky side in??

[Keels]

I've used self-amalgamating tape. Bunnings sells. It's very easy to apply. Only sticks to itself and not the branch than say electrical tape would, plus easy to remove than say raffia would be. If you google "self-amalgamating tape bonsai" you will see plenty of people discussing the topic.

[Grant Bowie]

Bias Binding, Veterinarian Wrap/Bandage are also useable and have done so, I still use Raffia though it is harder to source now.

Grant

[one_bonsai]

Do you wrap it sticky side out first then wrap sticky side in??

I wrapped it sticky side down because I wanted to see if the glue touching the tree actually causes any problem. I know some people wrap it sticky side up then down ,but you wrap it over itself, so very little of the sticky side actually touches the tree and wrapping it sticky side up then down seems like too much trouble. So I'll see and then post the results

You could probably wrap it any way you want as long as you apply it tight and thick enough.

I looked at self-amalgamating tape but it's more expensive. Electrical tape does the job, so why buy a more expensive tape?

[one_bonsai]

I said back in July that I would report back on how I went using electrical tape instead of raffia.

I removed the tape from the trunk of a Juniper and the bark was is very good condition with no damage at all. I wrapped the electrical tape sticky side down because I couldn't be bothered laying it sticky side up then sticky side down. Sticky side down worked perfectly fine. The trunk was not sticky at all. I did quite a heavy bend and the trunk set it place really well.

I'm impressed with the results so I think I'll use electrical tape instead of raffia in the future. The advantage of electrical tape is that it's very stretchy so you can wrap and the pull very tightly and then wrap again and repeat, so it goes on far more tightly than raffia. It's also cheaper too.

[SuperBonSaiyan]

Bias Binding, Veterinarian Wrap/Bandage are also useable and have done so, I still use Raffia though it is harder to source now.

Grant

Hi Grant, I picked up some of this bandage and looking forward to using it. I just wanted to ask - how many layers thick do you go when you apply it?

I notice it's quite thin, so I wasn't sure if I was supposed to double or triple layer it (not counting the overlap).

Cheers,
SBS

[SuperBonSaiyan]

Ended up just giving it a go. This was always supposed to be a sacrifice branch. If it dies, at least it'll make interesting deadwood.