Type of Wire to use for Training.

Entling

Hi.

I am going to start training bonsai for the first time this year, and I was wondering about the type of wire to use. I see many companies selling aluminum wire for bonsai, but it seems pricy to me. Is it truly neccessary to use this type, or would standard wire work. I read somewhere that any solid copper wire would work, but to heat till it was red-hot, then allow to cool. this would make it soft enough to bend easily. Thanks!

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Jay

Entling...welcome! Just some thoughts from a novice. Aluminum wire is much easier to work than copper. It is softer and allows for the beginner to gain experience as he goes. Copper is much harder to work. If you are to use copper that has been prepared it is easier than if you were to buy it and heat it and etc. Some times you have to spend the money.... The aluminum wire that is sold is usually coated to make it look more like copper. This is purely for looks. If you find aluminum in its natural color it is much less expensive. It will not look as good but as a beginner if you need to cut corners this is one way.

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TreeBay

Hi Entling. Most people do start with aluminum wire because it is easy to use and doesn't take a "set" the way copper does. It is also a preferred choice for many trees with thin or sensitive bark.

Copper wire is annealed for bonsai use (that means it is heated in a fire until it glows red hot) this retempers the metal so that it can be bent easily. Once bent, as it is applied to the branch, it becomes very hard and it can't be repositioned without cutting it off.

That's what makes it a strong hold, but it also makes it a one-time proposition. Get it right, or cut the wire off and start again.

You can experiment with creating your own wire for bonsai from copper wire. You would need to first obtain the wire by buying bare copper wire of appropriate gauges new, or stripping the copper wire out of discarded material.

Then you need a hot fire. Straw fires were often the traditional choice in Japan. You can do this in a barbeque, but a briquette fire probably isn't going to be hot enough. Beach bonfires work well. You'd coil the wire neatly and place it on stones that are in the fire and wait until it gets RED hot everywhere. If it gets white, it will start to oxidize and burn rapidly.

Taking it out of the fire at this point, you can quench it in a big pan of water and it will knock off the oxidation, or you can just let it cool and it will be dirty.

This process is obviously dangerous and should only be attempted by responsible adults who know what they are doing and the risks involved. Eye and hand protection is a must, and dress sensibly.

Regards,

Matt

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ripsgreentree

Entling: Bonsai is a constant learning process, one of the first and best lessons is learn from other peoples mistakes. The aluminum wire is your best bet, don't wast time with the other.Also wireing is much more that just wraping wire around a limb and bending it. Most of us learn this the hard way. A little studying up front and you can save years of time and plant dammage. A good tip would be for you to try to find a bonsai club and someone with a little experiance to help you along..........ripsgrentree

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Entling

Thankf folks for all the info. I will order some aluminum wire to start with. Later I will try the copper to see if it suits me. Yes, I have a lot to learn. Gues I will just have to make mistakes until I can master this art!

Tony

Where you been, Rip? Did you get those 3000 trees root pruned yet?

All of the above is true, aluminum wire is certainly easier to work with and softer, so it won't damage the bark. The main reason I use copper is that I buy it by the pound from the metal scrap yard and heat treat it myself. It realy saves the old wallet.

Tony

ripsgreentree

Tony: I have been off trying to work some problems out of the old computer. 3000 is a conservative estimate of the number of olives that we are growing at this time, you would have to see it to believe what we are doing. Well I am shoping for a good digital camera so that I can post photos to the web.
Matt if you have any information along this line please let me know.
Entling: You can be encouraged by the fact that the most knowlegeable bonsai master is still on a learning curve, stay curious always try new ideas.
ripsgreentree

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ripsgreentree

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TreeBay

Hi Rip,

Check out www.shopper.com for the best prices on digital cameras. Definitely try a hands-on at your local dealer before you commit to a choice, and decide whether you need "photo quality" prints or just something you can put up on the web. That's the biggest decision.

Beyond that, take a look at the build quality and either find something inexpensive or something that is pretty well sealed with buttons you can handle

Regards,

Matt.

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