My Shimpaku...

[adge0001]

I know it's late, but I'd have even considered a 45 degree turn to the left. It may make a nice semi cascade.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[benbonsai]

Update on this guy.
Have wired out some more branches and adjusted some others.
Also continued the deadwood down the trunk and used some lime sulphur on the deadwood.
Think I'm getting close now, need to wire a couple of the branches towards the top and then start to pinch out.

[wal]

Mate i really like that.... well done

Regards
Wal

[kcpoole]

I have not seen this tread before but my thought on theoriginal tree wodu be to compress it rather than extend it.
I like to find the smallest tree within and that guides my design processes.

Taking the third original image i have (virtually)

• rotated it in the poit about 20 deg to the right. - gives more dramatic movement out of the soil, (yep you may have to fix nebari)
  Bent the second section of trunk to reduce the straightness and to reduce the visual impact of the the sharp bend in the trunk where it was a branch junction.
  Rotated the top about the end of that section of trunk to bring it more vertically
  Removed the lowest left branch to stop the continuing straight direction of the trunk section #2
  Lowered the left hand foliage so it is not level withthe right side.
  lowered the right hand foliage and shortened it.
  you could shorted the Jin or keep it
  
  You could also bring the apex further over the trunk base by more bending in the trunk more or tilting more to the right.

You could also remove more of the top to give a more cascade feel to the tree.

Food for thought and all very much oable with weire, Raffia and effort

Ken

[benbonsai]

Thanks for your input ken, that definately is a dramatic change your suggesting.
I do like it, but I don't know if I'm at that level yet haha.
You have me thinking now haha, just as I thought I was close.

[Daluke]

Looking good mate!

[chrisatrocky]

May i make a sugestion.
you have created a promonant gin on your bonsai, but it has nothing to draw your eye to it. Use the foliage to frame it (bring the foliage down and around the gin) making it a feature.

just what I would do..


Chris

[kcpoole]

Thanks for your input ken, that definately is a dramatic change your suggesting.
I do like it, but I don't know if I'm at that level yet haha.
You have me thinking now haha, just as I thought I was close.

Yep we always think were are just about there and then ! we see something else to drive forward.
to me its good fun and always a learning experience

Ken

[benbonsai]

Have decided to take kens advice changing the angle out of the soil and trying to get some movement in the straight section.
Was rather difficult to bend the branch.
Any other ways to try bend this?
I was thinking just slowly do it over a couple years?

[shibui]

Splitting the trunk seems to be a popular way to bend thicker juniper trunks. Use branch splitter to cut the trunk lengthways into 2 halves or 4 quarters depending how thick it is. Bind the whole area in raffia or similar then wire and bend.
You will find that thick wood bends better if you also twist a bit as you bend it.
The trunk on this one is not really all that thick. I think it would be possible to bend that trunk with just wire. It wouldn't need a couple of years. Let the tree dry a little before bending. Cells full of water don't bend well but if its slightly dry it will bend easier. Bend as far as you are comfortable then leave it for a few days and try again. You should be able to get a bit more bend every few days as the cells and fibres in the trunk adjust.

Wrapping the trunk in raffia or similar holds the fibres together while you bend. You'll see some of the international experts using that technique. When it is wrapped, even if the trunk cracks a little it is still held together and will usually heal up inside the wrapping.
Just don't leave the wrapping on too long. The trunk above and below the wrap will be growing thicker while inside it cannot expand. I have a couple of trees with bulges at the top and bottom of where it was wrapped for too long. Check regularly to make sure you can't see any bulging at either end of your wrapped trunks. If you even think it might be happening get all the wire and wrap off. If the trunk straightens up just wire as normal to keep it bent. No need for another wrap because you have already taken all the tension out the first time.

[benbonsai]

Okay thanks shibui.
I think I can get the bend I need without splitting it, I might just have to do it gradually.
Do you think it will set over winter? And also I shouldnt see any bulging through winter as the tree isn't growing correct?
Also, are there any tools out there that people use to help bend?

[benbonsai]

Did a repot a couple weeks ago and got the bender on there, hopefully over the next couple months I'll get a decent bend in there.

[Granite]

In my opinion if you induce an aggressive bend/twist at the bender so that the trunk above that point leans back towards the direction of the gin, you'll have a sensational looking tree.

[benbonsai]

That's what's I'm trying to do, but it's so thick I have to slowly bring it over.
Without splitting the trunk that's all I can do for now

[benbonsai]

Okay so after a couple weeks of slowly bending that branch I have got it to where I want... I think
Did some more styling of all the other branches.
Still needs a couple more branches wired and some tidy up.

I know there is probably a smaller tree within, but I like this at he moment... for now anyway.