For the last 10 years or so
Ive always used nursing tape. It is breathable, water-proof, easy to tear with hands and applies well to the wood. Well that and my mom was a charge nurse so I find it hilarious that I use it on plants, lol.
I’ve used plumber’s teflon tape with success. It was handy and cheap…
Nursing tape? Does that go by another name?
It’s possible to use almost anything that will hold the bud in place and keep the bark of the stock covering the bud and most of the wound. I’ve used strips cut from plastic grocery store bags (they’re fine if the bark on the stock is not too thick), and I’ve used Scotch tape (not quite as good). The only advantage of using the commercial strips is that they’re consistent and are well-suited to mass production. If you can imagine cutting strips to bud 1,000-2,000 stocks (or whatever number a professional budder does in a day, probably much more than 2,000 since budders use whatever time is available), you can see why the professionals don’t want to save the few dollars . . . because it would cost them a lot of time, and time = money.
I’ve never become proficient at using budding rubbers. I use Parafilm. I’m quite happy with it.
Medical tape? I dunno, it’s white and has criss-crossed breathing patterns into the threads of it.
http://content.answers.com/main/content/wp/en-commons/thumb/f/f1/250px-Albupore_surgical_tape.jpg
It looks like that. Up close, it is textured.
I picked this up at the Gem Show in Tucson. It’s perfect and dirt cheap. It’s made to wrap around the tips of your fingers for traction in doing small tasks. It’s tacky on both sides and sticks to itself but nothing else. Waterproof, light, woven like gauze and very flexible.
Link: toolsrunner.com/Files/Product/C/ACCESSORIES/S/POLISHING/FINGER_PRO_TAPE_34_X_90_GREEN_6382.asp
The finger pro tape looks great! Does it decay with time, or does it need to be taken off after graft unites?
I have been using Parafilm and wrap that with rubber budding strips, with good success (the Parafilm sometimes gets soft and opens up in the heat exposing the graft to drying).
Jim Sproul
dunno Jim. Send me your address and I’ll send you some strips you can try out.
Jude
It is amazing the