New tool for bark removal- Air layering

[Mitchell]

Well maybe not but I thought it enough to share.

I have watched many demostrations, of removing layers of bark to apply an air-layer, all of which stimulate a very sharp knife must be used to ensure a clean cut. Moments later in most, they then start wildly cutting into said branch in all manners possible, resulting in what I would call not a clean cut.

I've been thinking lately of ways to ensure a almost perfectly clean right angle cut with no burrs or joins, just a singular connected cut perfectly around the branch.
Obviously the more distorted / irregular the branch the more-so this tool would not work. If the branch is relatively circular then I believe this technique could be utilised.

We have all seen your standard copper tube cutters, but these are impossible to use on anything but perfectly circular branches and cause pressure damage.
I noticed the other day, buzzings now sells a poly tube cutter done by Holman, that could possibly be used. This tool has a 5mm to 30mm capacity.

I grabbed one and had a shot... I must say I was more pleased with results than expected, hence posting. The pressure of the blade is engaged by the hand grip, so if you come to a knot or irregular bit, you can simply and quickly adjust pressure. After several attempts, it is now just a matter of spinning it around the branch and a near perfect cut is made.
Because the tool is designed for poly pipe they have used an unusually sharp / thin hardened blade in it.


For it to become an exellent tool, I will add some protective cusioning to the grip side, as to not damage the reverse side of the branch from pressure, sharpen the blade to within an inch of its life, so it is razor sharp.


Anyway, thought it might interest some, I know others will just laugh. I believe it may have some merits, what do you think?

[Jamie]

i can see where your going with the tool mate and its not a bad idea either. as you sad though if the branch.trunk isnt round then it is going to be hard to use. im wondering how long this tool will last under the duress of bonsai. i do like the idea of the copper tube cutter though, im just not sure how it will work on trees.

good thinking out side the square.

[Mitchell]

It is actually as easy to use on an even branch as taking a knife / blade and pressing down to cut the bark. If the branch is perfectly circular you can just spin it around, if the branch is uneven you can just do a series of downwards pressure cuts around it.

The copper tube cutter sounds good, but because it uses a screw thread to engage the blade you have no physical way of gauging how deep you cut, it just cuts the same depth in a circle. This crushes the bark and rips it away. With the tool pictured, when you get to an uneven bit, you feel the resistance through the grip and can increase / release pressure according to the texture, to continue at the same depth.

[Jamie]

personally when doing airlayers i am not concerned about depth, as long as i get down to the wood for complete bark removal i am happy.

but i can see what ya mean!