Forum Project: Shimpaku Juniper

bonsaial1

Last Nov. I did a workshop at the GSBF convention with Jim Gremel in his yamadori style junipers. We styled gallon stock with loads of raffia and heavy copper wire. Mine is still doing well and filling out nicely. The workshop was supposed to be a two tree workshop, but due to time constraints, we only styled one. Jim offered the second juniper to those that wanted them.

The second tree was liner stock, in a two inch cup. The trunks are a little larger than a pencil. The foliage is lush enough to start styling, and that is where you come in.

I am offering a chance for the virtual mistro's out there to come up with some ideas. I already have a plan in mind, but am always eager to go in a different direction if its better. In fact I have used many ideas submitted on bonsaiTALK to change the look of one of my trees.

I plan on making the initial cuts and bends some time tomarrow afternoon. So.. you have about 20 hours to get something in the hopper.

The tree right now is about 12" tall. Work will be carried out by placing the tree into a larger container and tying it in. I plan on useing some radical bends on this, so don't be afraid to bend the trunk up while minipulating the tree in the virtual program.

I will post the four views. trust me, there is a nice tree in this little seedling.

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bonsaial1

2.

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bonsaial1

3.

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bonsaial1

4.

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TreeBay

Here is a possibility working from view 3.

Regards,

Matt

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bonsaial1

Thanks Matt, I like that alot. Formal upright is one of the hardest to pull off sucessfully.

We all get a reprieve since when I got home from work today the neighbor brought me a cold beer. We drank, and drank, then our wives got home, they joined us in the front yard. We got chairs and drank some more. We finally went down to the local Mexican joint and got four orders of shrimp cevichi. Ate and had a wonderful time.

Needless to say I did not style the juniper this afternoon. Oh well... there is always tomarrow!

Later Al

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bonsaial1

Went to work with a headache... But did get to work on the tree tonight.

I decided that I would use rafia on the trunk since I intended to put some bends in it. I buy the raffia at the local Michael's craft store. They have it a walmart too in the craft section. fairly cheap and a bag will last along time.

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bonsaial1

I take four strands of the stuff and tie one end in a knot. I then wrap it around my hand into a hank and tie it off. I then soak it in the sink with hot water for about 10 minutes.

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bonsaial1

Beginning at the bottom of the tree, I take the knotted end and place the raffia along side the tree with the knot pointing up and give it one wrap back over itself, encapsulating the knot. That keeps the rafia from coming undone while wrapping the tree. Continue wrapping with the wet four strand raffia till reaching the top of the tree.

If wrapping a larger tree, just place the next bundle with the knot pointing down this time and wrap over it. When you reach the end, let the next bundle wrap over the loose ends, sort of like braiding rope.That will secure the next hank and continue wrapping. You can do this as many times as needed till the whole trunk is wrapped. If thats what you need to do.

At the top, just seperate the four strands and tie them in a knot around the tip. That will secure the top, and the wire will also hold the top if it comes undone ( while pruning small branches and you accidently cut the raffia with your snips.)

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