Bending jin

Djtommy

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If you want to bend an old dried out jin, whats the best way?
I heard warming it up, soaking it with hot water is good.
Though not easy depending on the place of the jin..
Any other method? How do you do it?

Thanx
Tommy
 

garywood

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Soak it with hot water. Steam it.
Adair is quite right. Depending on size, soak time gets progressively longer. Small size can just be heated with a small torch. Larger than pencil size, wrap with wet folded paper towels then wrap with aluminum foil and heat with small torch. When it is "steamed" hold steady pressure until it moves. It might take several minutes so protect any foliage or live veins.
 

thumblessprimate1

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I've seen a tutorial somewhere, and I can't find it. The guy designs a tube to enclose the deadwood in and gets steam to do it's work on the wood. At the same time he protects the foliage with wet towels and aluminum foil as heat shield. Got to monitor for when the jin is soft and ready for manipulation. I don't think I could do it simply because I'm goofy, and I'd mess up somewhere.

I think his steam encloser looked something like this. http://www.highlandwoodworking.com/buildingasteambox.aspx


There's this other thread on ibonsai. Search "steam bending deadwood"

Curious if @Skinnygoomba has done some wood bending with his carpentry skills.
 

wireme

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I've done it a couple times just like Gary describes, I wrapped the jinn in the moist paper towels and tinfoil several days prior to torching and steaming giving time for the wood to absorb moisture.
 

Djtommy

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Adair is quite right. Depending on size, soak time gets progressively longer. Small size can just be heated with a small torch. Larger than pencil size, wrap with wet folded paper towels then wrap with aluminum foil and heat with small torch. When it is "steamed" hold steady pressure until it moves. It might take several minutes so protect any foliage or live veins.

thanx for the replies all, ill try it this way

Grtz
 

LeonardB

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Soak it with hot water. Steam it.
Adair,
I need to try this as well but have a live vein attached to the deadwood to be bent ( mid point of a too long straight section of a branch ). How much abuse can the live vein take before I have damaged it and could I just soak all in warm but not hot wet towels until I can feel the flex coming back to the deadwood? I also hate the thought of splitting the deadwood from the live vein at the risk of ruining the look of it now ( almost perfect ).
Thoughts anyone?
Regards,
Leonard
 

Adair M

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Adair,
I need to try this as well but have a live vein attached to the deadwood to be bent ( mid point of a too long straight section of a branch ). How much abuse can the live vein take before I have damaged it and could I just soak all in warm but not hot wet towels until I can feel the flex coming back to the deadwood? I also hate the thought of splitting the deadwood from the live vein at the risk of ruining the look of it now ( almost perfect ).
Thoughts anyone?
Regards,
Leonard
I would try warm, wet towels ( maybe not steaming) to soak the deadwood, then slowly put in some bend using a jack. Soak some more, then bend. Soak, then bend. You might do this over a couple days.
 

LeonardB

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I would try warm, wet towels ( maybe not steaming) to soak the deadwood, then slowly put in some bend using a jack. Soak some more, then bend. Soak, then bend. You might do this over a couple days.
I thought to try this after the summer heat has dropped off?
 

LeonardB

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I would try warm, wet towels ( maybe not steaming) to soak the deadwood, then slowly put in some bend using a jack. Soak some more, then bend. Soak, then bend. You might do this over a couple days.
Adiar,
I also thought to use heavy copper wire to facilitate a small twist as well as the bend. It's the only thing left to do before first styling next spring. Too much too soon?
 

Adair M

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Late fall is the best time to do heavy bending on Juniper. The live vein will be more tightly bound to the hardwood. Especially if you're gonna twist.
 

LeonardB

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Late fall is the best time to do heavy bending on Juniper. The live vein will be more tightly bound to the hardwood. Especially if you're gonna twist.
Thanks all, I will be posting photo's of the deed as it unfolds.
Waiting till fall gives it even more time to recover and fall growth to set stage for next spring as well.
Regards
 
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sorce

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@Owen Reich I tried to steal the "Freaky Owen with a torch" pic before.....

Can you post it here so I can steal it proper and put it up every time someone talks about bending jins?

Please!

Sorce
 

my nellie

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There is a video on YouTube with Tony Tickle who demonstrates styling of a Juniper (...I think)
Among others his intention is to bend the upper portion of the tree which was previously jined by him.
He uses heavy branch splitters along the jined apex and then tries to contort the wood before he attempts bending BUT it turns out to be a failure...
 

theta

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Did this the other week. About 30 min of steam for each bend, just for reference. Ended up cracking it slightly near the end, probably should have let it steam longer.
IMG_20180202_152714.jpg

IMG_20180202_170503.jpgIMG_20180202_152714.jpgIMG_20180202_170503.jpg
 

LeonardB

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I would try warm, wet towels ( maybe not steaming) to soak the deadwood, then slowly put in some bend using a jack. Soak some more, then bend. Soak, then bend. You might do this over a couple days.
Adair, I did try the boiling water method. I had a long straight deadwood jin that had a substantial crack at the base. I broke it off and wrapped in paper twel and then wired with a larger copper wie. I threw the whole thing in boiling water and left for 15 minutes and removed. Using thick leather gloves I put a 90 degree bend in the assembly and let it stand to cool and then let it stand overnight to dry out. Next day I removed paper towels and wire to check and the deadwood ( which now has a perfect 90 degree bend). All that is left to do is to superglue the deadwood back in position and admire the whole new design.
 
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