Unhappy bonsai - Help needed to identify type

[NMbonsai]

Because of the way I was raised.. and by whom... I'll admit that I'm a bit sensitive to being looked at as ignorant. Sorry.

But that's not to say that I don't recognize superior knowledge and experience when it's apparent.

I wasn't looking at you as ignorant. I am sorry if you took it that way. I have no superior knowledge on much of anything, just some experience to share.

 

[leatherback]

Ok, now I get why everyone talks about annealing their wire, simple work hardening. Damn... I probly wasn't polite enough when I asked about it one time, but still, no one mentioned work hardening... which makes perfect sense.

You just refuised to ask question or try to understand why people talk about annealing.

Oh, and .. You did not read if you think work hardening was not mentioned.

Not sure what you are referring to. But your last few posts very clearly show you do not understand the benefits of copper wire for bonsai. It is desired to have annealed wire that work hardens. If you use softer blends then just take alu.

Thread 'Annealing Copper Wire Finally and Need a Little Advice Pls'

Feb 13, 2025

I have been collecting copper wire remnants for a year or so and want to get it annealed. I have been told that I can use an electric kiln locally but would like to get input on:

The highest temp that I should go and should I set the firing up with a hold. If so, how long should the hold be? The wire you see in the picture is what I will be annealing. There is some 14 gauge, some 13 gauge, some 12 gauge, some 11 gauge, and some 6 gauge. Also wanted to know why some copper wire I bought from one source starts to work harden when you start installing it, which can make it tough to say the...

• August44
• Replies: 68
• Forum: General Discussion

• 

 

[Attmos]

If it's helpful (and if I understand what's being said correctly -- and apologies if this is already obvious!) copper bonsai wire is annealed, but after you put a few bends in it, it's pretty much done and can't be re-used. Again, you're probably aware of this so just adding it here in case it's helpful for someone who stops by the thread. Also sharing this because I wasn't necessarily aware of this for quite some time. I had high hopes on re-using my copper wire to offset the expense, but much to my dismay... I tried unwinding it in order to re-use it, which of course risks tearing the crap out to the tree because it's so rigid. I now snip it off in tiny pieces and don't even bother trying to unwind it. Some folks who manage to unwind it then find a way to straighten it out and then throw it on a grill to anneal it again. I'm full-blown DIY guy, but that's just too much for even me. The past few years I have started throwing the copper scraps into a box just in case it accumulates enough to warrant cashing it in or gifting it to someone who collects scrap. Seems a shame to send it to a landfill.

Yeah, for the sake of anyone else reading...

"Work hardening" is the tendency of metal to become hard (and sometime brittle) in areas that have been bent. Each time the metal is moved it becomes a little harder, but the increased strength comes at the cost of being brittle. Some metal becomes so brittle that it will break.

 

[Attmos]

You just refuised to ask question or try to understand why people talk about annealing.

Oh, and .. You did not read if you think work hardening was not mentioned.

Thread 'Annealing Copper Wire Finally and Need a Little Advice Pls'

Feb 13, 2025

I have been collecting copper wire remnants for a year or so and want to get it annealed. I have been told that I can use an electric kiln locally but would like to get input on:

The highest temp that I should go and should I set the firing up with a hold. If so, how long should the hold be? The wire you see in the picture is what I will be annealing. There is some 14 gauge, some 13 gauge, some 12 gauge, some 11 gauge, and some 6 gauge. Also wanted to know why some copper wire I bought from one source starts to work harden when you start installing it, which can make it tough to say the...

• August44
• Replies: 68
• Forum: General Discussion

• 

Yeah I was in one of my moods at the time. Pain in the ass for me and I become a pain in the ass for others. lol

I do apologize for that whole thing. As far as "work hardening" having been mentioned I have no doubt that you're right.... when it happened I was only skimming the comments people made. Learning was probly the last thing on my mind.

Again, I'm sorry.

 

[Attmos]

If it's helpful (and if I understand what's being said correctly -- and apologies if this is already obvious!) copper bonsai wire is annealed, but after you put a few bends in it, it's pretty much done and can't be re-used. Again, you're probably aware of this so just adding it here in case it's helpful for someone who stops by the thread. Also sharing this because I wasn't necessarily aware of this for quite some time. I had high hopes on re-using my copper wire to offset the expense, but much to my dismay... I tried unwinding it in order to re-use it, which of course risks tearing the crap out to the tree because it's so rigid. I now snip it off in tiny pieces and don't even bother trying to unwind it. Some folks who manage to unwind it then find a way to straighten it out and then throw it on a grill to anneal it again. I'm full-blown DIY guy, but that's just too much for even me. The past few years I have started throwing the copper scraps into a box just in case it accumulates enough to warrant cashing it in or gifting it to someone who collects scrap. Seems a shame to send it to a landfill.

I save everything too, for DIY. You should see my basement.

Anyway, the guy I worked for when I apprenticed as an electrician, would have us collect and save any copper too small to use so he can take it to the recycling center.
If you don't ever collect enough to turn in but don't want to throw it out, you could drop it off at any construction site.. or get to know an electrician... they'll always take it no matter how little.... and they recycle it which is the best part.

 

[NMbonsai]

I save everything too, for DIY. You should see my basement.

Anyway, the guy I worked for when I apprenticed as an electrician, would have us collect and save any copper too small to use so he can take it to the recycling center.
If you don't ever collect enough to turn in but don't want to throw it out, you could drop it off at any construction site.. or get to know an electrician... they'll always take it no matter how little.... and they recycle it which is the best part.

Absolutely. My son is an electrician and has taken an interest in bonsai as well after watching his old man killing trees. He has three trees of his own he is now working on. I asked him to save any scrap wire longer than a foot, any gauge. I figured the shorter pieces were not of much use, except for keeping mesh over the drainage holes.