Repairing poly-tunnels.

[Tim Tyler]

Mike Lyle wrote or quoted:

``Polyethylene and polypropylene and nylon are pretty difficult, because they do not have any pores, and almost no solvents can dissolve them. Only soft, rubbery solvent-drying glues can work, because glues can only hang onto the plastic by wetting its surface.''

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``8005 - Scotch-Weld? Structural Plastic Adhesive Two-part structural acrylic-based adhesive (10:1 mix ratio by volume), that can structurally bond many grades of polyethylene, polypropylene, and thermoplastic elastomers (TPE's) without any surface preparation at room temperature.''

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[Mary Fisher]

I don't know farmers who use them and my garden plots are measured in low single numbers of square yards, not hectares. And I only have four plots.

Nor have you. He said "thick twine", not "ships' cable".

Mary

[Stefek Zaba]

...with the aid of a welding torch. Thereby fulfilling the LAW, which requires ALL agricultural repairs to be made using baler twine and a welder...

[Mary Fisher]

Sssssssh! If They (spelt defra) hears that they'll devise forms to apply for its use.

Mary

[Mike Lyle]

stick to pe in the part you cut for space.) I wonder what the smallest available quantity is.

Of course, using it to mend a torn sheet would need you to cut strips from another sheet, apply the adhesive, and apply them. Ready-made mending tape still sounds quite attractive!

[Howard Neil]

Ask your daughter to obtain some and collect it when you next visit?

I have now experimented and the results were excellent. No skill was required, even the first hole was perfect.

I used a gas soldering iron (so it could be easily used outside) with a pointed bit. By poking the poly, a round hole about 5mm across was formed. The melted poly then formed a ring on the outside of this hole and I believe that this ring would be strong enough to prevent tear-out (I did not try putting it under tension). Simple, neat, and the join, once under tension, could be covered with the poly joining tape if a belt and braces solution is required.

If/when my polytunnel next tears, I will definitely give this a try.

[Owain]

I think I'll stick to baler twine only thank you, especially for when my trousers fall down.

Owain

[Mary Fisher]

She's, er, otherwise engaged at the moment. Pregnant.

How about you picking up a bit for me, I'll collect it in July?

Mary

[Howard Neil]

Congratulations, Granny. :-)

I've already had my neighbour's plastic (the only one I know who has a silage clamp). The others all use silage bales. :-(

[Ian Stirling]

The plastic in some areas is quite degraded. The south-east corner has perhaps 1/3 the pull-through strength of the north-west one.

[Mary Fisher]

Nothng to do with me.

So do daughter's neighbours.

Never mind, I'll have to leave empty handed:-)

Mary

[Howard Neil]

How about lacing in a new piece of poly? Mind you, that sounds a real challenge to the system.

[Ian Stirling]

I have a replacement cover, which is going to be put on at some point. Replacing bits would be slight overkill. However, on one end, it's probably going to get the old cover moved inside, to form double glazing.

[Howard Neil]

That sounds good. If you could get some bubble wrap, you could perhaps put it between the two layers of poly and improve the double glazing effect still further.

[holkingers]

sellotape,

They actually do make clear Duck Tape

[Ian Stirling]

Bubblewrap is very, very UV degradable unfortunately.

[Howard Neil]

That's a shame. Back to the drawing board. :-(