Warpig
Chumono
Just a friendly reminder, whether your working with aluminum wire or copper wire remember you are still working with wood. Tomorrows lesson? Maybe start reading up and jins.
Reminder of the day.
- Thread starter Warpig
- Start date
Pitoon
Imperial Masterpiece
I tried to warn you in your other thread about the wiring and bending with a coil behind the bend to support the branch. If you leave that branch alone (no more movement) it should heal if you decide to keep it. But those points will always be weak from this point further.
eryk2kartman
Chumono
Leave it, it should survive....
Warpig
Chumono
Yea i know, it was one of those getting to into it not thinking about what i was doing, it was the last one to go in place.
Pitoon
Imperial Masterpiece
One way we humans learn is by failure. Take this mishap as a lesson. Now the question is.......did you learn anything
Warpig
Chumono
Yea lesson learned, was only my 2nd time wiring, other was first. So at least i got it out of the way.One way we humans learn is by failure. Take this mishap as a lesson. Now the question is.......did you learn anything
ihaveaspaceship
Shohin
Winter dormancy is usually a safer time to wire hard bends since there is less water in the branches and they tend to not snap as easily.
Atom#28
Chumono
I’m in this phase too. I’ll be good at wiring in a few years
Same here
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
That branch may survive that damage.
Wires_Guy_wires
Imperial Masterpiece
Get yourself some old bicycle tubing, you know, that inner tire. Cheap and flexible, but strong enough to allow you to bend them a bit further without cracking.
Raffia works too, but that shit is hard to remove once your trees outgrow the wrapping. Rubber is more flexible.
Raffia works too, but that shit is hard to remove once your trees outgrow the wrapping. Rubber is more flexible.
BuckeyeOne
Chumono
Great idea!! I have a bunch of old tubes that I can cut into strips and wrap prior to wiring. Love it when a plan comes together!!
Warpig
Chumono
Any tips or anything i should know to give it it's best shot? Or just leave it as is?
KillerButts
Mame
Sorry that happened man, I hope you're able to fix it o so slowly. I wonder branch benders might help you in the future. At least on a tough corner you will know when it's going to snap before hand. They start to make cracking noises first when using them in my experience. Best of luck! 
Attachments
Warpig
Chumono
I'll have to look i to it but I'll claim the fault on this one. It was the last one to be placed and got careless.Sorry that happened man, I hope you're able to fix it o so slowly. I wonder branch benders might help you in the future. At least on a tough corner you will know when it's going to snap before hand. They start to make cracking noises first when using them in my experience. Best of luck!
barrosinc
Masterpiece
wire on the outside of the bend. That might help. I would jin this branch as it will be weak.
Warpig
Chumono
So in keeping with this as a progression thread and maybe help someone out there with a broken branch.
After reading up on it from different places, here included, I decided to go with trying a dot of superglue and leaving it wired to let it be held while it healed. I will make sure to keep this updated on how the healing goes.
After reading up on it from different places, here included, I decided to go with trying a dot of superglue and leaving it wired to let it be held while it healed. I will make sure to keep this updated on how the healing goes.
Part of your problem with snapping was the wire was too tightly coiled. Not as in pressed into the branch, but wrapped more like a spring. The wire should run along the branch more.
I know, ALL the books say to wrap at at 45 degree angle. They’re all wrong. It should be more of a 60 degree angle. Doing so, makes the wire less like a spring, and it holds better. This means your are less likely to over bend to get the bend to stay.
The other part of your problem us you used aluminum. Which doesn’t hold, so again, you overbend hoping that after you release the pressure the branch will relax into the position you want.
Well, that’s just a bad way to go about it. Use properly sized copper, you bend it, it stays. No overbending. No breaking of branches. More control.
Copper is superior to aluminum in every way when working with conifers.
And finally, that wire is too thin. Aluminum wire needs to be thicker to have enough holding power . Again. Causing you to over bend, breaking branches.
I know, ALL the books say to wrap at at 45 degree angle. They’re all wrong. It should be more of a 60 degree angle. Doing so, makes the wire less like a spring, and it holds better. This means your are less likely to over bend to get the bend to stay.
The other part of your problem us you used aluminum. Which doesn’t hold, so again, you overbend hoping that after you release the pressure the branch will relax into the position you want.
Well, that’s just a bad way to go about it. Use properly sized copper, you bend it, it stays. No overbending. No breaking of branches. More control.
Copper is superior to aluminum in every way when working with conifers.
And finally, that wire is too thin. Aluminum wire needs to be thicker to have enough holding power . Again. Causing you to over bend, breaking branches.
Warpig
Chumono
You are 100% right. Thank you. I did notice i was having to fight to get it. All of what you said makes perfect sence. And i just want to point out the fact that, you pulled that from the pic. Your good.
Dude, I’ve been doing bonsai for 50 years. This ain’t my first rodeo.You are 100% right. Thank you. I did notice i was having to fight to get it. All of what you said makes perfect sence. And i just want to point out the fact that, you pulled that from the pic. Your good.
