Chinese Elm stump

[alpineart]

This was the root stock of a grafted collected tree that struggled through the heat over the last couple of years . The layered material died off but this trunk continued to grow . A quick chop , hack drill and grind

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this can go onto the grow bench out of the way . I broke up the mundane task of digging trainers out of the grow beds .

Cheers . Alpineart

[Nate.bonsai]

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Second last pic - Is this what you are going for? Minion style?


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[alpineart]

Hi Mate , along those lines just a little bit more aggressive, too much reverse taper on that one This is a bit hotter .

Cheers . Alpineart

[Ben Thomas]

Good luck with your work. I hope it works for u

[alpineart]

Hi Ben , mate it will work , no worries . Chinese elms are like noxious weeds , just need to style a weed . The carving won't hurt it , a bit of growth this year and it will be well on its way to a hollow trunk informal broom style .

Cheers Alpine

[MoGanic]

Hey Alps,

I like where this is going - but it does look a little straight and flat at the top and sides of the thick part of the trunk.

Have you thought of removing more wood, to create grooves, then tying the two new halves of the tree together to bring them in (not all the way, just enough to still look hollow and interesting, but now with better taper and no flat section)?

Cheers for posting as always mate,
Mo

[alpineart]

Hi Mo', Mate it took all of 15 minute to create , 2 cuts , 4 drill holes and a very quick router , now it needs 1 hour to refine , just don't have an hour to spare . With a canopy over the top you wont see the base as a straight stump , top first then refine the carving to suit .

Cheers Alpine

[Elmar]

Sounds just like the tree I Should be investing in!! I'm awesome at growing weeds ... just ask my wife!

[Josh]

Nice start Alpine. My only comment is the last pick, branch on the right is straight up in line with the trunk. I think it makes the striaght side trunk look worse than it is. Could you bend it a little or is it to big.

Josh.

[alpineart]

Hi Elmar , mate Chinese Elms and Trident Maples grow like noxious weeds up here , they make the toughest bonsai as far as root work and torture goes .

Cheers . Alpine

[alpineart]

Hi Josh , Mate its a a big big and thick to bend without dislodging off the side of the trunk . Yes it looks odd but the first branch could be the new cut off point however ,I still have 2 options for this leader .The stumps is 100mm so there is plenty of meat to carve so to speak .

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I could quite easily thread another 30mm root cutting trunk through each hole to fuse together for a radical clump raft style

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Plenty of options if you think outside the square .Another couple of root cutting grafts at 90 degrees to these 2 would make for a 300mm clump or base for the original 2 leaders . No lack of taper then

Cheers . Alpine

[Elmar]

I've just spent 12 months trying to get my head "Into the Square"...
I'm still blown away by what down of you guys come up with! Mazing, looking forward to the ongoing development of this one!


Cheers
EZ

[Josh]

Cheers Alpine, would've been surprised if it was small lol. No doubt you'll work your magic on it and pull something special out of it.

Josh.