Wiring 101

Bonsai Mirai Live

Structural wiring is setting the shape of the trunk and Primary Branches. Primary Branches are those originating from the trunk.

Recommends 50-60 degree angle wraps, relative to the branch—slightly more open than traditionally taught 45 degrees.

Hold the starting point and the other hand hold the wire at a distance to use leverage when applying the wire. Be consistent on angle and spacing.

Adam Toth (Aug 2024)

  • Where to start wiring—first branch. Set the balance, most important.  Start from the bottom and work your way up

  • Look and examine around for the branch—where it can move, imagine first.

  • If you want to move a branch down you need to press on the shoulder, you need to have the wire on the outside of the bend. It holds the branch in place and supports the bend.  The shoulder is wired closest to the trunk.

  • How close should the wire be to the branch?—needs to touch the branch. 

  • Using the wire-test to deflect the branch is a fallacy for conifers as the growing season may overcome the wire strength.

  • Depending on the direction to the movement of the bend—have the wire end under the branch and point in the direction you want to move it—so the bend will tighten and hold.

  • If you want to torque or twist the branch in the direction of twist after wiring—or apply some twist to the branch as you wire it.

  • 95% of the time avoid crossing wires—if so, have it under the branch (less visible) and in the same direction and not opposite direction.

Conifers  

  • Roughly use ⅓ of the widest part of the branch.

  • Take the wire and line it up next to the branch—if you can picture the same wire above and one below—it is ⅓ the branch (copper).

  • For conifers, you want the wire to bite in, the bend will never hold. Adam would prefer the divot as much as ⅔ depth of the wire.  Especially during the growing season that fights the original wire. Will heal over time (1-2 yrs)

  • Big branches grow slower, but the shoulder or fork will bite in the earliest.

  • Copper ages over time and with weather—lasts roughly 3-4 years, but the wire gets weaker.  May add wire on to strengthen instead of removing then replacing.

    Deciduous

  • Deciduous using aluminum may use up to ½ diameter of the branch and applies less pressure with aluminum.

Aluminum is typically used on deciduous and copper on pines or strong conifers.

One practical rule of thumb on selecting the correct size wire is to extend a palm-width of the straight wire—and leverage against the branch—both the wire and branch should bend some.  If only the wire bends, the wire is too weak.  If the wire remains straight but the branch bends, the wire is too strong.

When bending the trunk, anchor the end of the wire by planting in straight down next to the trunk—holding the position with one hand or thumb, wind the free end around the trunk. The angle is to be close to 45 degrees, or clearance of about a finger width.

  • When selecting a wire size, it depends on the diameter of the branch(es) and its flexibility.

  • Roughly 1/3 the diameter of the branch. Test: hold the wire extended a few inches and use it to deflect the branch.  If the wire bends and the branch does not move, the wire is too small.

  • Cut a length roughly 1.5X the branch-trunk-branch length, to account for winding.

https://pin.it/2EaspCW6v Bonsai Tonight—prevent breaking branch from the trunk

Michael Wei