Kiwi’s massive Trident
- Thread starter KiwiPlantGuy
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KiwiPlantGuy
Omono
Shibui
Imperial Masterpiece
I'd let all chosen trunk extensions grow freely until the new parts are close to matching the older parts below in thickness. Make sure you get the wires off before they dig in.
Branches may need growth to thicken the bases but extensions of the trunks almost certainly need thickening and only growth will give that thickening sooner.
The procedure is grow and cut. Initially grow is longer and cuts are harder but gradually as the structure builds the new sections don't need as much grow before cutting.
A trap for new players is long internodes on vigorous spring shoots. Long internodes are not good for developing later ramification, especially in the apex and out on branches.
Assess all new shoots for internode length at the start of each shoot. If there's a long internode I would cut it off close to the base and wait for a second shoot to grow. Sometimes I've had to start new sections 3 times before getting internodes short enough to be useful. Tridents can be very strong growers, especially right after repot.
Wiring is only needed to set the initial angle of new shoots. You are unlikely to use more than the first 1 or 2 nodes of any shoot when developing new apex or branches. Grow and chop will give you both taper and bends in new sections.
BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
On a heavy piece of wood like that, if its been wired in securely, a little vibration from machine tools wont disturb it at all. Hand carving tools may disturb it though if not mindful. I understand your concern though.
that looks like it wouldnt budge even if not wired in
the benefit of doing it now in your climate, depending on what exactly you intend to do, is that the edges will begin to roll in around the work for example if creating uro.
BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
Its done now, but I keep looking at yours and looking at piglet, theyre quite similar stumps, and cant help thinking the right low trunk could have been useful with the shoot coming off it and then carving it down as was done on piglet and growing out a sub trunk there to. if you look at piglet, removing that low left in the beginning would of been like taking off an arm, its the same with your low right.
These are decisions we have to make.
will taking off your lower right be the better decision over time? it depends what you do with it.
great material tho
sometimes its beneficial to do a little research, to see how others deal with big stumps, subtrunks etc.
look at the empereror hornbeam in the beginning, mostly thick straight stumps, theyve used carving to get taper
These are decisions we have to make.
will taking off your lower right be the better decision over time? it depends what you do with it.
great material tho
sometimes its beneficial to do a little research, to see how others deal with big stumps, subtrunks etc.
look at the empereror hornbeam in the beginning, mostly thick straight stumps, theyve used carving to get taper
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KiwiPlantGuy
Omono
Hi Bobby,On a heavy piece of wood like that, if its been wired in securely, a little vibration from machine tools wont disturb it at all. Hand carving tools may disturb it though if not mindful. I understand your concern though.
that looks like it wouldnt budge even if not wired in
the benefit of doing it now in your climate, depending on what exactly you intend to do, is that the edges will begin to roll in around the work for example if creating uro.
Thank you for your thoughts. I have zero experience with carving, and plan on starting the learning soon. Maybe next season after trying on ‘not so valuable’ stumps.
Charles
KiwiPlantGuy
Omono
Hi,
Thank you for your detailed response as it has helped me with the logic. I think I got impatient with this one and thought of going straight to ramification etc. I now see there is lots of work and time to build the structure first.
I will choose 4-6 sub-trunks to let thicken etc, and try to grow some depth as well.
Charles
BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
Fair enough.
carving is option 1. option 2 is nibbling away at it with a large pair of knob cutters, creating a pleasing external shape, carefully, checking from the front as you go. and concaving the wound in the process, you could then go in with a simple carving tool and concave it even more.
from the front youd want it to look something like this.
one on left can be concaved too.
this type of carving doesnt require any great skill and the wounds will already begin to look less man made.
you can bring the tree forward with knob cutters, without even picking up a carving tool, for all of the wounds.
food for thought.
or combine both options when ready.
Then you could paint the wounds with a wood colour stain, nowadays you can get stains that look very natural with different shades to choose from.
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BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
KiwiPlantGuy
Omono
Hi @BobbyLane and others,
So I need your advice re carving and to do some research via You Tube and Graham Potter’s website as we talked about earlier.
So to cut away the bulk of the deadwood on this trident (photos below) it has been recommended that I buy a chainsaw style blade to attach to a grinder or similar. I see on the Kaisen website there is a wheel of sorts with knobs that I guess cuts away when spinning fast. I don’t own a dremel or similar. Or do I need to buy something different?
As you can see I used my knob cutters to nibble away at the edges, but the wood is so hard I can’t get any further.
Thanks in advance for my winter work ahead in five months or so.
Charles
So I need your advice re carving and to do some research via You Tube and Graham Potter’s website as we talked about earlier.
So to cut away the bulk of the deadwood on this trident (photos below) it has been recommended that I buy a chainsaw style blade to attach to a grinder or similar. I see on the Kaisen website there is a wheel of sorts with knobs that I guess cuts away when spinning fast. I don’t own a dremel or similar. Or do I need to buy something different?
As you can see I used my knob cutters to nibble away at the edges, but the wood is so hard I can’t get any further.
Thanks in advance for my winter work ahead in five months or so.
Charles
BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
I use the tools he uses in all of his videos, makita die grinder, terrier attached and a dremel, all the bits can be found on the website and their uses. best way to learn is to watch it being done and copy. bonsai4me also has a nibbler which is as good as the terrier, can be used on the dremel, info on website.
I carve at any time really, summer or winter. I use foil to protect leaves or branches.
I carve at any time really, summer or winter. I use foil to protect leaves or branches.
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BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
Not really sure what you want to do, I posted virts and also linked another famous trident on here, which you didnt comment on.
I think by now you should of gathered up some inspirational images to give you some idea.
I think by now you should of gathered up some inspirational images to give you some idea.
KiwiPlantGuy
Omono
Hi Bobby,
Yes you are totally correct that you have posted many photos and the latest virtual was a great help. I do need to just to buy the gear and get on with it (in my own time).
Thank you again,
Charles
BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
These are the bits I have from kaizen, that I would use on this tree. the round saburr ball is great for creating concave grooves. the rotosaws can remove medium volumes of wood fairly well, attached to the dremel, so if you want to go easy you could get away with a dremel and the saburrs, I use the rotary wire brushes to smooth out tool marks, tidy things up, create ridges etc. there are videos with Graham using the wire brush and explaining its uses.
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BobbyLane
Imperial Masterpiece
Love to see how this one is progressing
