Has anyone grafted shimpaku onto a sabina?

[Benny w]

I have a sabina that has some real potential. It's material I've had for over a year and since I couldn't see the bonsai in this tree I just decided to hold off. Finally I see it. Almost feel like a moe moe for not seeing it sooner. I have to approach graft a new apex and maybe a side branch and can use it's own foliage to do this but I have 6 or 7 3 year old shimps that I would rather use since I like almost everyone else like shimpaku's dense foliage vs sabina foliage. Although I've seen some awesome sabina bonsai where the artist worked the pads to be compact so in time and much practice maybe one day I will be there but I want to practice grafting with this material. Only if the communitys experienced( and u know who you are )have had good results will I go for it.
Thanks in advance

 

[Shibui]

I have not grafted shimpaku onto Sabina but I have grafted onto an unknown needle juniper - fast growing, upright, flame shaped, grey prickly foliage? The union is fine after 10 years and the shimpaku grows even more vigorous on the new roots.
Grafting scions was pretty hit and miss (more misses than hits) so I resorted to approach grafts which worked very well.

 

[Benny w]

Decisions decisions...Or I I guess I could use its own foliage to graft which would be probably the way to go. I dont recall ever seeing any shonin or even any juniper sabina bonsai under a foot which this tree will end up around 12 inches. Anyways here are some pics of the movement of the trunk and why I like this trunk.

 

[Benny w]

Thanks shibui! One thing I want to know and maybe you can help me or verify what I've read online is if I use the sabina's own foliage to approach graft a new apex on the trunk how thick does the scion or branch need to be to take?
Thanks

 

[Shibui]

As mentioned earlier I cannot give advice about grafting free scions on juniper because I have been successful with only a small proportion of tries. Bark on thicker branches is thicker than the smaller scions and the angle of the cut into a larger branch makes it doubly difficult to work out where the cambium is so matching a thin scion into a larger cut proves difficult for me with little experience.
This summer I tried mummy grafts on pines and results look better than my usual practice of covering the scions with ziplock plastic bags. Something to trial further and should have potential for junipers as well.
Approach grafting is far more predictable. Scions can be any size because they will usually stay alive and continue to grow because they are still supported by sap flow from the roots. Scion will just need to be thick enough so when you cut one side you don't weaken the branch to the point of breaking or compromise the sap flow. With approach grafting it doesn't seem to matter how accurate you are with the cuts. Both parts will stay alive, grow and start to heal. Sometimes it takes a while but eventually the sides will meet and unite.