A Question About Bonsai Wire

treenut

Is bonsai wire made specifically for bonsai or is it made for some other purpose?

Advertisement

TreeBay

A good question!

"Bonsai Wire" usually refers to one of two types. Both of these are manufactured or treated for use in bonsai:

1) Anodized Aluminum wire - this is a bright aluminum wire that has been electrochemically treated to give it a copper color. Holding power is less than copper, but it is easier to manipulate for many. Other than the concealing color, it is just aluminum wire. There are some non-bonsai applications, but the wire is usually anodized in bright colors for use in fashion or jewelry. Electronics applications involve usually clear anodization and fine sizes for speaker magnets and miniature motors, replacing the more time-consuming process of lacquering the wire to insulate the windings from one another.

2) Annealed Copper wire - copper wire that has been tempered by heat, either in a fire, or electrically, to make it easy to bend. After bending it firms up. It has a holding power that is 2-3 times the strength of an equivalent size aluminum wire. Annealed copper wire sometimes finds use in electronics (fine windings in motors and magnets), but the wire is usually very fine.

Both types of wire are available in various diameters for different tasks - fine wire for detail wiring, and larger sizes for bending trunks and limbs. The Japanese wire is usually measured in millimeters (mm) vs. and American wire may be measured in Gauge or AWG. Curious thing about the wire gauge is as the wire gets smaller, the gauge gets bigger.


There is some additional info in the ***FAQ*** on wiring. There are a couple of links on bonsaiTALK Links in the Techniques -> Wiring section that explain how you can anneal your own wire.

Both Anodized Aluminum and Annealed Copper wires are available from TreeBay -
http://www.treebay.com/index.html?A=21

Regards,

Matt

__________________

Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today!

bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!

treenut

Well thats it then, I'm going to throw out all of my encyclopedia's and just ask TreeBay from now on.

Ralph

Does the annealing process to copper wire only have to be done once, or will it eventually harden again?
For example, say I have a roll of xx guage copper wire that I haven't used in a long time, will there be a need to anneal before I can use it again?

Jay

Ralph, the copper wire should remain 'workable' until it is worked the first time. The working of the wire (not time) gives it the rigidity.

Jay

__________________
A Bonsai student living with his trees at N 44.37 W 77.49...
Think before you act... then think again... no good comes from rushing

grampz

Ralph, Your copper wire does harden somewhat with time and temperature...Best advice is keep it out of the sun and high temperature...It even hardens some as you un-coil it to wire a branch...I re-anneal a certain amount occasionally as it becomes more difficult to work with...

Regards
Behr

David Yedwab

Everybody is right here. The annealing aligns, or mis-aligns, I forget which, the copper molecules whichh allows them to be bent. Environmental changes like bending the wire or going through temperasture changes will shift the molecular struture and harden the copper. Thus, annealed, unused wire going trhrough time and temperatrure changes stiffens the wire just like working - although much more gradually.

__________________
David Yedwab

jeremy_norbury

Additionally I anneal copper wire straight, not coiled.

I spoke with some club members and they throw it into the oven and cook it. Persoanlly I prefer to play with fire and hold it over the flames from my gas stove.

Jerry

__________________

All I ask is the chance to prove that money can't make me happy. Spike Milligan
I told you I was ill. Spike Milligan's Gravestone

TreeBay

Marty Weiser's article on Brent's site says that: annealing begins at 405C (761F) but it is more common to anneal at about 700 to 800C (1,292 to 1,472).

I checked our electric oven in the kitchen (digital), but it only goes to 288C (550F). I think it would take a very long time to excite the wire in an oven. How about the microwave?

Regards,

Matt

__________________

Want to be a seller on bonsaiAUCTIONS? Get authorized today!

bonsaiTALK: Over 100,005.36 Megabytes Served this Month!