FredL

Steven, there are two schools of thought on trunk chopping, at least that I've seen in bonsai literature. For developing broom style trees, one says to cut straight across, the other to cut in an uneven "V" shape, with one side of the v wider than the other. John Naka recommends this technique. He also recommends wrapping the trunk where the cut has been made to prevent knobs from forming. I'm planning to try both. For informal upright, Naka recommends cutting at a slant to the bud or branch that will form the new leader. Others recommend cutting straight across and carving off the wood later to make a smooth transition to the new leader. Take your choice!

I highly recommend John Naka's "Bonsai Techniques I" to help visualize how to do both these operations. Good luck!

Fred