So I have “skinned the cat” slightly differently than the original design from @Barkslip based on the adjustment @Travis made using pex as an insulator.
I had a 10’ 2x4 left in the attic above my garage by the previous homeowner. That attic has been like a genie giving me just the boards I need for a lot of the landscaping projects I’ve worked on. Anyway, I also had access to some 2x3 wood that had been scrap from my job site as protection from the cables surrounding pipe we had delivered, so it already had a planed section down the middle. I used electric cable staples to secure the heat cable into it to keep the cable recessed from my grafts. This could easily be done just on the 2x4, by planing the center but I used what I had for free. I also picked up 4- 4’ sections of pipe insulation (1" hole) at Walmart for a little over $3 and the heat cable Dax listed on Amazon for $34. I think this is an improvement to the original design for the following reasons -
- Stapling the heat cable to the recessed board reduces risk of excessive heat to the scion and graft failure with minimal additional effort
- The sections of pipe insulation are able to be spread around the 2x3 blocks without having to secure them, so you can take them off if needed (easy to replace if worn) while the pipe insulation is fairly airtight along the edges. I’m not sure how you guys secured the insulation on your setups but this seems to be super efficient and easy.
- I imagine the heat will be retained better using this system. I’m not sure if it will be too much, I will monitor if possible during use.
- I have a scrap piece of Styrofoam I glued on the terminal end of the setup to reduce heat loss further. Is this a bad idea? Should I leave a gap on the temperature controller end? Am I thinking into this too much and trying to fix something that ain’t broke?
