barrosinc
Masterpiece
wow, just watched the videos Adair published from colin lewis, good stuff.
wire
- Thread starter Dave E
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Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
Ive tried going the all aluminum route. Aluminum just doesnt do the job on the branches of pines and junipers, they are just too resilient and the size you need to get the job done is hard to get on the branch.
I am going to try annealing my own wire that I purchased in various sizes.
I am going to try annealing my own wire that I purchased in various sizes.
Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
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I'm a conifer copper convert. I used to use aluminum for everything I had, which was mostly conifers, for the better part of 17 yrs. Since using copper on my more refined junipers and pines over the last 18 months, I've realized that the smaller gauge copper holds much better then the appropriate sized aluminum. I can't tell you how nice it is to not have to reposition the smaller branches on my large rocky mountain junipers every 4-6 weeks because it got jostled while watering or simply because it grew. RMJ growth seems to want to be either straight up or straight down and it will actually move wired branches as it grows...but not the copper. I still use lots of recycled aluminum on conifers, but on larger branches and earlier in their development.
Dav4
Drop Branch Murphy
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Actually, it was my Big RMJ...not having to constantly place branches back where you want them on a tree that size is priceless. I will say that the JRP wired out with copper is great because it looks so good, but I hardly ever had to move branches back on that one.
JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
Some alum doesn't shed the dark color and turn silver. It's more expensive Adair, but it's out there. That said, I'd never use alum on a conifer again.
Potawatomi13
Imperial Masterpiece
So far I've only used AL wire as that's what's available locally and is cheaper. If the wire I put on is a little too thin for the branch I want to bend I'll use a second strand the same size. That happens if I don't have wire big enough or just misjudge what I need. Generally 1 mm wire is too small to be of much use except as guy wires or wiring into the pot(with some plastic tubing to protect the roots from cutting). For very fine things like little juniper twigs or other very small limber things it's more useful. Copper wire is both more expensive and something you can use in a smaller size. As far as what kind of trees you're using the wire on I really don't think the AL/CU type matters except that smaller CU wire is less obvious on the tree. As I'm now finally getting some very precious Yamadori trees that I value more greatly I want to use the copper wire on them. Nothing but the best for these. Also mentioned is that you can buy CU wire from a home improvement store and anneal it your self. Makes it a little cheaper. If your wire is cutting in you put it on too tight. Raffia is mostly useful for protecting thin bark, aged bark that needs protection and where you are doing tight or drastic bends. Even with raffia you still do not want to strangle when putting on your wire as it may need to stay awhile. As for tools I have found that if you're careful you can use regular wire cutters and long nosed pliers from your regular tool kit and save some money over the price of bonsai specific tools.
Potawatomi,
There are several statements in your post I disagree with.
You state that is wire is cutting in, it was put on too tight. False. Wire starts to "cut in" because the branch is growing thicker, and grows around the wire. Loosely applied wire is both unattractive and less effective than properly wrapped wire. You are much more likely to break a branch when bending it if the wire is loose.
You state state you will wrap a second wire parallel to the first if the first doesn't hold a bend. Yes, that might work, but what you should really do is remove the undersized wire and replace it with a properly sized wire. A single properly sized wire actually has more holding strength than two weak wires. And it looks better.
Aluminum wire makes poor guy wires. It stretches. Guy wiring is only used when regular wiring just won't do the job. You want the guy wires to be as unobtrusive as possible, and as thin as possible. 18 gauge copper is really thin, and remarkably strong.
When wiring the small juniper twigs, even the smallest aluminum wire is too fat. I would use gauge 20 and 22 copper for that.
Plastic tubing around wire holding the rootball... First off, if the wiring is visible after the soil is filled in the pot, it isn't wired in properly. There are ways to secure the tree in the pot without having to loop a wire over a surface root.
I know, it seems as if I'm a jerk pointing all these things out. I teach people how to do bonsai. I see them making these common mistakes, and teach them to be better. Oh, I hear it all the time, "but I was taught to do that from so and so person"... Well, so and so was teaching poor technique. They didn't intentionally teach poor technique, they just didn't know better.
Unfortunately, I do. So, I feel compelled to stop the flow of misinformation and guide folks into better practices. Ultimately, you will make better trees.
There are several statements in your post I disagree with.
You state that is wire is cutting in, it was put on too tight. False. Wire starts to "cut in" because the branch is growing thicker, and grows around the wire. Loosely applied wire is both unattractive and less effective than properly wrapped wire. You are much more likely to break a branch when bending it if the wire is loose.
You state state you will wrap a second wire parallel to the first if the first doesn't hold a bend. Yes, that might work, but what you should really do is remove the undersized wire and replace it with a properly sized wire. A single properly sized wire actually has more holding strength than two weak wires. And it looks better.
Aluminum wire makes poor guy wires. It stretches. Guy wiring is only used when regular wiring just won't do the job. You want the guy wires to be as unobtrusive as possible, and as thin as possible. 18 gauge copper is really thin, and remarkably strong.
When wiring the small juniper twigs, even the smallest aluminum wire is too fat. I would use gauge 20 and 22 copper for that.
Plastic tubing around wire holding the rootball... First off, if the wiring is visible after the soil is filled in the pot, it isn't wired in properly. There are ways to secure the tree in the pot without having to loop a wire over a surface root.
I know, it seems as if I'm a jerk pointing all these things out. I teach people how to do bonsai. I see them making these common mistakes, and teach them to be better. Oh, I hear it all the time, "but I was taught to do that from so and so person"... Well, so and so was teaching poor technique. They didn't intentionally teach poor technique, they just didn't know better.
Unfortunately, I do. So, I feel compelled to stop the flow of misinformation and guide folks into better practices. Ultimately, you will make better trees.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
Adair. Is it possible to put wire on too tight? Every now and then I lose a branch on procumbens junipers. I think I may be putting it on too tight and strangling the branch. Possible?
I have one out there doing it right now. I'll see if I can't get a close up of the wire on the limb. I only have this problem on procumbens and a San Jose juniper.
I have one out there doing it right now. I'll see if I can't get a close up of the wire on the limb. I only have this problem on procumbens and a San Jose juniper.
Yes, it is possible to put it on too tight. The idea is it should be wrapped so it it "just barely touches" all the way around.
If the wire encircles the branch, I suppose it could constrict. More likely the damage occurs from wiring at the wrong time of year, or excessive wiggling the branch, or excessive bending.
In the summer, juniper bark and cambium tend to separate from the heartwood. Or, at least, the connection is very loose. Wiring and bending during the summer is very risky, as the layers slip, and can cause death of the branch. On the other hand, it's a great time to make Shari and deadwood since the bark separates from the heartwood so easily!
In the late fall, the juniper bark and heartwood becomes bound much tighter. Making it difficult to remove the bark.
So, wire juniper in the fall and winter, not summer.
If the wire encircles the branch, I suppose it could constrict. More likely the damage occurs from wiring at the wrong time of year, or excessive wiggling the branch, or excessive bending.
In the summer, juniper bark and cambium tend to separate from the heartwood. Or, at least, the connection is very loose. Wiring and bending during the summer is very risky, as the layers slip, and can cause death of the branch. On the other hand, it's a great time to make Shari and deadwood since the bark separates from the heartwood so easily!
In the late fall, the juniper bark and heartwood becomes bound much tighter. Making it difficult to remove the bark.
So, wire juniper in the fall and winter, not summer.
M. Frary
Bonsai Godzilla
That was a question that should be in Eric's thread about too afraid to ask questions.
GrimLore
Bonsai Nut alumnus... we miss you
Good advice for Tropicals as well. I introduced my Wife to the concept last year as she was doing some harsh bends on Ficus using heavy copper. She was very pleased as none of it left a single mark
Grimmy
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
Regarding the "Adams versus Gremel" debate...for the first few years I used Julian's wire, because he came to Rochester a few times and I could save on shipping charges that way. But I've heard several times that "Gremel's is better", so when he was at the National Exhibition last fall I bought a few rolls of his wire to test. I used it for the first time this spring and I can honestly say, I don't see a difference. If anything, I thought the Gremel wire seemed to be a little harder to work with, almost like it wasn't annealed as well. I suppose there could be some batch to batch variations, but I didn't see a reason to choose his over Julian's.
bonsaiBlake
Chumono
http://www.amazon.com/Bonsai-Traini...F8&qid=1432002293&sr=8-4&keywords=bonsai+wire
I've order multiple sets of this over the past year. The only deciduous tree I have I am simple watch this year to study its growth so I cant speak for anything but the few junipers, cypress, and now larch I have worked on. I find this wire to be very satisfactory, not only is it annealed but also enameled in a thin clear plastic so there is actually a slight cushion between the wire and the branch. I haven't used anything else other than I will occasion strip down some old stuff and use 20ga house wire to do detail wiring.
For a newb this is a nice variety you will find useful and able to handle wiring a variety of different conifers.
I've order multiple sets of this over the past year. The only deciduous tree I have I am simple watch this year to study its growth so I cant speak for anything but the few junipers, cypress, and now larch I have worked on. I find this wire to be very satisfactory, not only is it annealed but also enameled in a thin clear plastic so there is actually a slight cushion between the wire and the branch. I haven't used anything else other than I will occasion strip down some old stuff and use 20ga house wire to do detail wiring.
For a newb this is a nice variety you will find useful and able to handle wiring a variety of different conifers.
