AusBonsai

Hello... Could anyone advise on what is the preferred type of wire used for guy/tie wiring. I've been using just pvc coated steel wire from the green shed but looking for thinner options to pull branches together etc. I was thinking pure copper but wouldn't thin copper be too weak torsionally..? Perhaps stainless but also thinking that this would be too hard to twist and tie off. Any advice would be appreciated....
regards, Rob...

Unannealed copper is usually pretty good. You will be surprised by how strong it is....

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You can also use annealed but unannealed is easier (stripped electrical cable) and cheaper....

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Robsterios wrote:Hello... Could anyone advise on what is the preferred type of wire used for guy/tie wiring. I've been using just pvc coated steel wire from the green shed but looking for thinner options to pull branches together etc. I was thinking pure copper but wouldn't thin copper be too weak torsionally..? Perhaps stainless but also thinking that this would be too hard to twist and tie off. Any advice would be appreciated....
regards, Rob...

Hi Rob,
It's a little difficult to answer your question. Not having a photo I'm not sure what you are trying to pull together.
A couple of thoughts. You can use Wire Ties to bring branches together. If I am pulling down a branch I use Nickle Chromium wire and mesh around the bark so that the wire doesn't cut in. The Nickle Chromium wire won't rust, is very strong and fairly hard to see when displaying a tree.
Regards Ray

I have only ever used copper wire. Strength depends on the thickness of the wire but has always been plenty strong enough to hold any bends I have made.
All the articles from Japan in the bonsai magazines show the professional bonsai guys there using copper wires to hold major bends in really large wood.

Thanks for the advise fella's.... I will look into Nickle Chrome wire and Shibui, if you say no issues with copper, I'll look at stripping some electrical cable or order some thin gauge off ebay... I do have some big branches to tie down on a very old white pine and my big old Larch.

I'll look at stripping some electrical cable

Check the wires inside the plastic first. Most elecrical cables are made from multiple strands of smaller wires wound together to give enough copper to carry the current while still retaining flexibility. Some cables are made from lots of strands of thin wires which are not much use. Others are made with less strands of thicker wires - look for that sort or even better, the sort that just have a single thick wire for each conductor.

Stripping the plastic insulation is a whole other story but once you develop an efficient technique its not too bad.

In addition to my initial question around tie wire....I'm also curious about the use of screws in the trunk for anchor points...
Having googled this, it seems it's fairly common practice but I have to admit, just a bit concerned regarding doing it. I normally guy wire to anchor wires through the pot or a loop around the trunk. Are there any particular issues to avoid, ie, screw not too long, I'm guessing stainless would be best..? and anything to avoid or doesn't it really matter where you screw it in as it will just heal over in time.
Again, thanks for any advice....cheers..Rob..

I don't think there is any problem with ordinary screws in the trunk but they do go rusty and can be hard to get out again after a few years. Stainless is probably better.
There does not seem to be a problem using screws. The tree will cope with the hole more easily than a pruning cut and after you are finished and take it out the hole will heal up in a very short time.
You do need a screw long enough to go solidly into the wood, not just the bark which is too soft to hold. Once through the bark and sapwood the rest of the trunk is essentially dead wood so you can't hurt it. Remember that arborists regularly drill right through a tree trunk and put in bolts to stop the tree from splitting or to anchor supports to hold other branches up. I'm sure you'll be able to find examples in parks around your area. A few small screws in a bonsai won't cause any problems. I'd aim for at least 30 mm screws to anchor wires, possibly longer if the tree has thick bark.
You can also sometimes anchor wires to the roots like Ray has done in the picture he posted. Just need to protect the root so the wire does not cut in. It all depends on the direction you need to pull the branch/trunk.

Robsterios wrote:In addition to my initial question around tie wire....I'm also curious about the use of screws in the trunk for anchor points...
Having googled this, it seems it's fairly common practice but I have to admit, just a bit concerned regarding doing it. I normally guy wire to anchor wires through the pot or a loop around the trunk. Are there any particular issues to avoid, ie, screw not too long, I'm guessing stainless would be best..? and anything to avoid or doesn't it really matter where you screw it in as it will just heal over in time.
Again, thanks for any advice....cheers..Rob..

Hi Rob,
As you say, it is a fairly common practice to use screws. I personally use stainless steel screws. Make sure the screw is well into the hard wood so that it won't get pulled out when pressure is applied. After the screw is removed it will heal fine.
The use of screws has been used for screwing trunks to dead wood for many years. Have a look at Creating a Tanuki Bonsai, (Bonsai Learning Center), Tanuki Bonsai Give the file a little time to load.

Regards Ray