Heavy bending using re-bar

Hartinez

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I’ve got a few junipers and other conifers that are going to require significant bends to thicker primary branches and or trunks. Is there an online or book based resource out there that details the concepts of bending using re-bar?
 

Brian Van Fleet

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It’s easy. You can either use the rebar to create a lever on the branch you want to bend, or you use rebar as an anchor to which you wire a trunk or branch. In either case, you need to secure the rebar in several places to prevent it from slipping. Preparation is key.
 

Hartinez

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That’s a valid assumption. I’ve also done it myself a few times! Lol!!!

I’ve also used the rebar thing to put more bend in a curved trunk.

View attachment 261564
I guess I just don’t have a clear concept of how it works. How it’s wired to the tree and how it’s re-wired to use its rigidity as leverage for a large bend. Do you know of any videos or articles I could read?
 

Hartinez

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It’s easy. You can either use the rebar to create a lever on the branch you want to bend, or you use rebar as an anchor to which you wire a trunk or branch. In either case, you need to secure the rebar in several places to prevent it from slipping. Preparation is key.
It does seem pretty straightforward, but nothing ever is. I guess I need to just dive in on inexpensive nursery stock for practice first.
 

Hartinez

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It’s easy. You can either use the rebar to create a lever on the branch you want to bend, or you use rebar as an anchor to which you wire a trunk or branch. In either case, you need to secure the rebar in several places to prevent it from slipping. Preparation is key.
Didn’t see them at first, but I followed those links! Thanks Brian!
 

Adair M

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EB0344A3-3D44-4CB7-B791-B85BB701554D.jpeg

See Fig. 16 above. A piece of rebar is attached to the bottom of the branch. Place a piece of rubber between where you attach the rebar to the branch, and between the wire and the branch. Make sure to leave 1/2 inch between the rebar and the trunk. Run a guy wire from below over the end of the rebar. Having a long rebar gives you more leverage.

You don’t have to tie the rebar with the guy at the end of the rebar. Use the long rebar for leverage as you slowly bend. Take up the slack in the guy wire as you bend.

It’s far easier with two people. One pulling the rebar down, the other tightening the guy wire.

You don’t have to do the bend all in one go. Bend some, then a month later bend some more. Then a month later...

I bent the trunk on the contraption above 3 times over the course of a year before I removed it.

You can also do the pulling with a turnbuckle or a jack. These are helpful if you’re doing the work alone.
 

Dav4

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I found this article by Peter Tea with some good pictures of the process.
 

Hartinez

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I found this article by Peter Tea with some good pictures of the process.
Thanks Dave.
 
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