AusBonsai

I spent the best part of today carving some more rocks. Happy with the way these came up.

Josh.

So cool josh.
What tools are you achieving this with?
Impressed!

joelham wrote:So cool josh.
What tools are you achieving this with?
Impressed!

I use two grinders 9" and 4" both with diamond blades. A cold chisel and two different sized hammers along with a lot of sweat and occasionally tears (when I miss the chiesel ). The dust is dynamite on your health so needs to be controlled. I have a dust extraction unit and wear respirators as well. The hardest part finding good rock, I can spend 1/2 hour looking through a pile to find 1 or 2 rocks that may be suitable.

Josh.

Nice work Josh,
are the carved holes designed for a certain sized Bonsai or are the roots meant to eventual come out of the holes and lock onto the stone?

I could imagine that would look spectacular but make future root trimming difficult!

I particularly like the layers of the first carving, they look great!

CoGRedeMptioN wrote:Nice work Josh,
are the carved holes designed for a certain sized Bonsai or are the roots meant to eventual come out of the holes and lock onto the stone?

I could imagine that would look spectacular but make future root trimming difficult!

I particularly like the layers of the first carving, they look great!

The carved hollows basically form your pot. Each has drainage holes and wire holes drilled through the base. This simply allows a larger rootball to be planted on the rock apprised to planting on top of the rock like most rock plantings are done. You would treat them just like a normal pot as far as planting and reporting goes ( just slightly heavier ). It gives a real natural feel to it and really suits our natives. I will have these and a coue of other rocks for sale at the Waverly bonsai show this coming weekend.

Josh.

Excellent. Do you have photos with trees planted in them?

Gumnuts wrote:Excellent. Do you have photos with trees planted in them?

Hi Gumnuts,
I have several trees planted in them. Hope you enjoy

I only have one of these. Not as successful in creating the hole as you have been. The rock is a piece of granite and is very hard. The hole is not as deep as I would like. I also was not able to create a drainage hole after melting a couple of drill bits, I gave up. I planted a cascade juniper in it which looks rather nice on the rock. Junipers do not like wet feet and do not necessarily need a large pot to grow in. I have chosen a small variety of Juniper also.

The rock is so heavy that the bench it was standing on over our wet winter is now 4 inches deeper into the ground. I have had to move the rock as it was too heavy for the bench. Something to remember. The tree may be a one man tree, but the rock needs two people to carry it. Well mine definitely does.

Very nice Josh.

Can we please get a closer look at the Swamp Paper Bark?
I'd particularly like to see the trunk / base on this one.

Cheers,

Hi Josh . mate i like these pots/trays , they would look trick sitting on my stone work . I have collected numerous pieces over time with the intention of playing the game , but never completed any . I think i used the rocks as landfill here .Well done .

Cheers Alpine

Boics wrote:Very nice Josh.

Can we please get a closer look at the Swamp Paper Bark?
I'd particularly like to see the trunk / base on this one.

Cheers,

The log at the base is hollowed out right through the centre. Cheers
Josh