AusBonsai

Jason wrote:...
I seem to have trouble with the whole 'thinking two steps ahead', and usually end up with a crossed wire or two, but I think that will just come from practice

Haha I know what you mean! Just did a repot (refreshing the soil) and using the wire to hold the tree in place until it grabs a hold of the soil... First wire was really nice ad the second wire - opposite direction no choice but to cross wire, lol. Looks much better now that I did it again, almost got the 45 degree angle, too!


Cheers
EZ
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I've been told if you get a bit of the wire and press it down on the branch you are wanting to bend/shape. If the branch bends it's the right thickness but if the wire bends go for something thicker

In photo G (and others) the right and left branches are wired incorrectly. It is a very common mistake but an important one.
Can anyone see it?
For a clue, look at the last 2 drawrings....

Yes the branches have a weak anchor point due to coming straight up to the branch from the trunk.
Also your spacing needs a bit more work, it's too close in a lot of it and it's not consistent.

I was also told that sometimes you will get to a point where you have no option but to cross your wires and if that happens it's ok to cross underneath where you can see it. It was explained to me as sh*t happens when I was in Japan.

mtarros wrote:Yes the branches have a weak anchor point due to coming straight up to the branch from the trunk.
Also your spacing needs a bit more work, it's too close in a lot of it and it's not consistent.

I was also told that sometimes you will get to a point where you have no option but to cross your wires and if that happens it's ok to cross underneath where you can see it. It was explained to me as sh*t happens when I was in Japan.

Spot on mtarros!
When bending a branch down (which is most of the time-and in this case) the first loop should start at the top of the branch not the bottom. When wired this way (in the pic), the first coil will come away from the from the branch and lose much of its holding power. This is the way to wire if you wish bend the branch up.

If you happen to have an anchor point that moves when bending then you can just hold the wire with some Jin pliers to keep it in place then bend the branch to where you want it.

treeman wrote:

mtarros wrote:Yes the branches have a weak anchor point due to coming straight up to the branch from the trunk.
Also your spacing needs a bit more work, it's too close in a lot of it and it's not consistent.

I was also told that sometimes you will get to a point where you have no option but to cross your wires and if that happens it's ok to cross underneath where you can see it. It was explained to me as sh*t happens when I was in Japan.

Spot on mtarros!
When bending a branch down (which is most of the time-and in this case) the first loop should start at the top of the branch not the bottom. When wired this way (in the pic), the first coil will come away from the from the branch and lose much of its holding power. This is the way to wire if you wish bend the branch up.

Interesting! Still mastering wiring myself, and anchor points is one of my difficulties

So are you saying, if you're bending the branch upwards, you would anchor above the branch you are trying to bend? and vice versa if you're bending the branch down?

Jason wrote:...

Interesting! Still mastering wiring myself, and anchor points is one of my difficulties

So are you saying, if you're bending the branch upwards, you would anchor above the branch you are trying to bend? and vice versa if you're bending the branch down?

I have heard more and more that you should use what some call (recent new found knowledge) a "slingshot" technique - Imagine a Slingshot 'Y' and then wire the wire comes up the stem (or handle) to one branch for a turn or two (cut off) and then a new wire (usually thinner) wires the two 'branches' going up, thereby anchoring them while following the same 'wiring pattern' of the wire coming up the stem ... This is then followed for each branching fork until you are finished.

Clear as mud, I know! Here is a link to the tutorials... I found some of the information interesting (complementing to what I have learned here), but more basic!

I just tried my hand at wiring for the first time today. It went much better than I expected. I've previously only handled stainless steel wire, and that made me apprehensive about wiring a bonsai.

Aluminium wire, however, is amazing to work with. It bends so easily, yet holds branches in place with ease.

I haven't played with copper wire yet, but I've heard it can be harder to work with.