Best place for wire

[remist17]

What is the best place for wire? I also need to get cut paste. I am not sure what is a trusted site and a good buy.

Also what is the difference in Aluminum and Copper wire.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Check with your "closest" bonsai nurseries; Chase Rosade, Julian Adams, Dale Cochoy; probably others I'm missing. The Monastery has good prices and quick shipping: www.bonsaimonk.com. Occasionally Stone Lantern runs specials on aluminum wire.

Do your homework on aluminum vs. copper...plenty to read on the subject and both have merits. Generally speaking, aluminum is easier to use while you're learning how to wire, and is more closely associated with deciduous trees, azaleas, and tropicals. Copper is stiffer, work-hardens, and is more closely associated with conifers.

 

[jquast]

I bought from Adams' Bonsai last year and the copper was very easy to work with. I will order from him again when I run out.

http://www.adamsbonsai.com/websitelong_008.htm

 

[bonsaiTOM]

You're in south-central PA. Plenty of local clubs in the region. Please take a class in wiring. Learn good wiring practices early on. You will be rewarded many times over. Clubs will be a very valuable resource for the supplies and tools you will need, not to mention the experiences and new friends.

If you have got to buy online Julian Adams is the guy for copper wire - site mentioned above.

 

[alonsou]

You can have 1 kilo (2.2 lbs) of Aluminum wire for under $20 from Stone Lantern

 

[treebeard55]

First, what Tom said: take a class in wiring. It's one skill that's not as easy as it looks at first.

Aluminum is softer, which means that it's easier to work with but has less holding power. As a general rule, a piece of aluminum wire needs to be about twice the diameter of a piece of copper to have the same holding power.

On the flip side, aluminum wire is usually easier to find and less expensive.

Esthetically, aluminum wire is more noticeable on the tree, both because it's thicker and because colored aluminum weathers to its normal silver-grey.

 

[remist17]

Ok great I understand. I am trying to see about a local club but they are over a hour drive. For the correct size I see that some places mention thrid the size of what you wiring is this a good rule?

 

[treebeard55]

... I am trying to see about a local club but they are over a hour drive.

I drive about an hour each way for meetings of the closest club. You have to decide if that's a feasible option for you, and one you're willing to take.

... For the correct size I see that some places mention third the size of what you wiring is this a good rule?

That's supposed to be a good rule of thumb for copper; aluminum would have to be bigger.

There's a little test I've seen demonstrated. Unroll 12-14 inches of wire, without cutting it, and straighten out what you unrolled. Hold the roll of wire, and try to bend the branch with the tip of the straightened part. If the branch bends, you've probably got the right size. If the wire bends, try thicker wire.

 

[edprocoat]

I usually go to the electrical section of Home Depot or Lowes and buy wire by the foot. I get the stuff with that is used for wiring projects, look at the ends as its in insulation wrappins and judge what size you want, I buy a 3' section and strip the insulation and then cook it, literally either on the gas grill or over the stove, if my wife is not around, till its cherry red and then dunk it in water. This leaves it soft until you bend it then it becomes stiffer. Its real cheap to buy this way as you can by 1 foot or ten as it comes on a spool and they cut it to the length you need, some wires have several sizes in it.

ed

 

[mrchips1952]

wire....where to buy

What is the best place for wire? I also need to get cut paste. I am not sure what is a trusted site and a good buy.

Also what is the difference in Aluminum and Copper wire.

I have bought it off ebay for years. It is Joshua Roth wire but I can't recall the seller. Buy it on Monday and it's delivered by the end of the week right to your door.

 

[Bill S]

Jim Gremmel puts out a well annealed wire of most sizes.

Trouble with using romex or even a single conductor from home depot is that a number 14 wire is going to be too big for many if not most of your wiring needs, try wraping this around an almost hardened off branch and you'll be looking for a new branch unless you have strong nimble fingers, make that very nimble. There are also issues with this process where unless you hit it at the correct tempretures the wire may be over or underdone, either you will find after you have gotten half way through wiring a branch. Trust me after wiring half way up a branch and have it break off because it is over cooked and you won't be happy. Try it if you want but for smaller than a #14, I'd suggest getting wire from someone that does it well. Not saying it can't work, but for me I buy most of mine, I do make some of mine, but it is the larger sizes usually, #14 and up.

 

[rockm]

"try wraping this around an almost hardened off branch and you'll be looking for a new branch unless you have strong nimble fingers, make that very nimble"

Wiring a branch it took me and the tree 15 years to grow out is not the place to get cheap and all "DIY." Julian Adams' wire is always reliable and not all that expensive if you think about the replacement cost of a primary branch on a choice tree.

 

[mcpesq817]

I've enjoyed working with copper that I bought from Julian Adams as well. I almost find that it goes on easier than aluminum.