Maybe so, I don’t subscribe to his program. But, I’ve seen his followers advocate using steel for shohin, stating “that’s what Ryan teaches”.
All I’m saying is to use some common sense, folks!
Tie down wire recommendation
- Thread starter K_10_G
- Start date
All I’m saying is to use some common sense, folks!
penumbra
Imperial Masterpiece
This pretty well sums up this entire thread.
dacoontz
Mame
In regards to a good cost for aluminum “bonsai” wire I’ve shopped around as a newbie and the best I’ve found is around $22 for a kilo. I usually see it typically sold for double that but it can be had for less if you do some searching. My two cents.
Sekibonsai
Shohin
They must have watched different videos.... or not watched the right ones. It was pretty F@# clear in the ones I watched. Its been a year or so since I marathoned his videos so maybe he just uses it for everything now but it seems like it would be a PIA as you have to make tighter bends through holes and less slack to join them all up and less room to twist...
His logic is aluminum stretches too much to allow adequate tightening on the larger scale. I tend to agree. A low caliber steel wire will definitely tighten much better than a similar guage of aluminum in a big pot... Or maybe I am a bit more "professional"/detail oriented these days. and tired of picking trees up after some incident... steel wire is definitely more work.
Mellow Mullet
Masterpiece
I order mine (aluminum wire) from Easternleaf Bonsai, they seem to have the lowest price now. About 20 bucks for a 1 kilo roll, 1/2 kilos are cheaper if you don't need that much. They sometimes have a coupon for more savings. I use aluminum to tie all of my trees in form mame to really large bald cypress, never had any problems. I sometimes use copper, too, and have so years without any ill effects on all sorts of trees - azalea, maples, elms etc. You can get bare copper in many different gages a electrical supply houses. Some can be found at Home Depot and Lowes. Neither sources will be annealed.
If you consider the time involved in driving around to different establishments looking for wire suitable for bonsai, it is actually cheaper just to order it online.
RJG2
Omono
Rereading this due to the bump, and this stuck out at me.
Why copper or steel for guy wire tie downs?
I did an air layer last year that had pretty minimal roots, and is very tall/top heavy. I used aluminum for guy wire tie downs last fall, and it was very tight/secure. This spring they are all loose and the tree is wobbly...
I was seriously thinking maybe I should use some of my copper next time for this type of tie down.
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River's Edge
Masterpiece
Stronger tensile strength means you can use a smaller diameter for less profile and better aesthetics. Aluminum needs to be thicker to be stronger when tightened.
Aluminum can stretch with tension more than copper or stainless steel.
We’re discussing wire for tying trees in pots, not guy wires.
Indeed, I have used stainless steel wire for guy wires. Especially if there’s going to be a lot of tension on the wire. For “regular” guy wires, I’ll use copper. I never use aluminum for guy wires.
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leatherback
The Treedeemer
I am wondering whether the substrate setting in the pot is nor more of a concern / cause for tie-down wires being loose than the type of wire used.
I for one do not put so much pressure on the wire (And thus the roots) that aluminium stretches from it. I see the wire as something to keep it in place while the tree settles in, and as a security if the pot takes a tumble. I do not use it as a permanent structural connection so I can lean my ladder against the tree.
I for one do not put so much pressure on the wire (And thus the roots) that aluminium stretches from it. I see the wire as something to keep it in place while the tree settles in, and as a security if the pot takes a tumble. I do not use it as a permanent structural connection so I can lean my ladder against the tree.
RJG2
Omono
Thanks, that's what I'm seeing, I suppose I could have looked up the properties of each material
I understand that; it is also what I was talking about. @River's Edge called them "guy wire tie downs" - like what you would use to stabilize something newly collected and/or with minimal roots.
Guess I should pick up some steel
I use blocks of wood, too, to stablize yamadori in pots.Thanks, that's what I'm seeing, I suppose I could have looked up the properties of each material
I understand that; it is also what I was talking about. @River's Edge called them "guy wire tie downs" - like what you would use to stabilize something newly collected and/or with minimal roots.
Guess I should pick up some steel
That’s aluminum wire, by the way. Sometimes it takes “a bit of engineering” to get those yamadori stable in a pot.
RJG2
Omono
Thanks; I should have come up with something better for this, but it seemed very stable at the time - hindsight and all that. Here to learn though.
Could be the aluminum stretching or the coiled loops slipping (or both).
River's Edge
Masterpiece
In that situation I would add a wooden cross bar screwed on to the top of the nursery pot and screw into the trunk for proper angle and complete stability!
